We had a fantastic experience with Ben Parkes (Owner of Gozan Tour and Gozan Lodge) as our guide for 5 days in the Myoko area in late January, 2023. We had lots of fresh snow (>2 meters) over a 5 day period. Ben selected different resorts each day based on who had the most appropriate conditions for skiing the fresh snow and which resort would be least crowded on those days. He knew all the spots to ski that were gate accessed or inbounds untracked. We had so much fresh snow there was no need to do any significant backcountry hikes, but did 1 for fun on the last day which was great. The added bonus with Ben is his Japanese wife, Haruka, who joined as the tail guide on most of our days, and organized a few great dinners for us at local restaurants. They certainly know the area extremely well, so if you are looking for a guide with great knowledge of where to access fresh tracks in the greater Myoko area, then he is the perfect choice. We didn't stay at his lodge as it was fully booked, but we did visit it and it is very nice!
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Was lucky to visit and stay in gozan lodge in myoko a few times during my stay in Japan last winter.
Ben and Haruka are incredible host with the same passion for snow and mountains like me, we got along straight away.

they showed me around at least 4 different mountain and resorts in the myoko/nozawa area.
It was fun beginning to end with important emphasis on security and correct behavior in the out of resort boundary areas.

I would recommend the lodge and the back country tours without hesitations and definitely come back when I get a chance
Wish the best of luck and success to this amazing and lovely couple and their dog partners
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Always such a great time hitting the mountain with Ben and Haruka. During my time in Myoko i was lucky enough to experience some guiding at 3 of the local resorts, Akakura Kanko, Suginohara, and Madarao/Tangram. The knowledge they have of the area is impressive and made my powder experience unforgettable!! And most importantly they are great people! Always stoked and a joy to be around!
Will always remember those YEEEEEEHAWWWW'S echoing through the trees and endless amounts of POW!!
Highly recommend a guided tour with Ben and Haruka!
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I was lucky enough to stay with Ben and Haruka in 2020 just before lockdowns started, and my amazing week skiing Myoko with them has helped keep me sane through the ensuing years.

Their first priority is always the safety of their guests, and this is something they take very seriously. They always make sure people have the appropriate equipment and experience for the conditions, and work with the local guiding community to ensure they are properly managing risk in their tours. They don’t provide rental gear but help connect their guests with the best shops in Myoko.

The lodge itself has a fantastic vibe. It’s not luxury accommodation, but it’s comfortable, warm, and most importantly social and fun. This is a lodge where you will make friends with the other guests and it has been designed to encourage this. Relaxing in the common area with a drink after a day skiing, and enjoying group dinners together is an integral part of the experience.

My experience at Gozan included guided resort tours (which they know back to front) and multiple backcountry and side country tours. The highlight was skinning up to the top of, and then skiing down into the Myoko crater - and experience I’ll never forget. Can’t wait to go back now that borders are open again.
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One March day in Japan, Ben took me through the trees at a resort in Nagano, and it was the most fun I've ever had riding powder!

At the start of the day we had a safety meeting to evaluate conditions and review using safety equipment. He did a good job of assessing my ability and choosing a route that was fun yet challenging. I didn't have much experience riding in the trees, so he made a good decision to have another party member go first and told me to follow her tracks. That eased my anxiety of getting lost or getting in over my head. He gave a good, easy to follow description of the run out and I was able to get through it back to civilization while enjoying the beautiful snow covered scenery. Multiple times during the run out he checked in with me to assess mood, give info about what's next, point out hazards, and give general advice.

It was a wonderful day and I recommend anyone who's interested in riding backcountry in Nagano / Niigata to do a day with him. You'll have a great time!
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