Part of me wants to be truthful and say that Jace and his crew have created an amazing experience incorporating skiing, culture and laughter. And the food!! And the people!!!

I have been to Japan to ski several times since 1990, and can't recommend this trip enough! I have opinions about the north island and the mainland. I will do both, but will be bringing more folks this way!

And then I want to also lie and say it is crappy and not to come. So I can bring my friends and keep this all for myself.
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I spent 13 days on skis with Jase and his team New Year 2020. This is my second trip with Japan Powder Culture Tours and I can recommend this tour be it to beginners or experts.
Japan Powder Culture Tours is truly a boutique tour where Jase and his team tailors the guests’ day on skis/snowboard according to their individual ability and experience. I always skied with other guests that were at my own level, and we were always led by Jase and his team of guides that set safety first.
But what makes Jase and his crew really stand-out is the level of engagement with the guests both on and outside the slope.
If you are an advanced skier, Jase and his team will make sure to find challenges wherever the snow conditions and powder is the best. And if you are novice skier you will also be in the best hands. I have never been on a tour where beginners, advanced or even experts are so cared for and have access to full days of instructions (or tips for improvement) from guides that are also trained ski instructors!
For me, I will definitely be back next year.
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The best thing about the Nagano ski buffet is the direct access we had to authentic Japanese culture in a ski resort. Where we stayed in the small town of Yudanaka - in lodgings that were clean, modern, friendy and run by Japanese local people, was simply beautiful. I couldn't have asked for better. I'd skied Niseko and Nozawa a number of years ago and was seeking that sense of exhilaration and freshness that you get when you feel you are truly away from your own culture. Through the ski buffet we were given this in spades. We (my daughter and I) met lovely like-minded people from around the world to ski with in our group. Over a few days we became friends and had a lot of those laughs that are generated through familiar banter. This was all encouraged by our organiser Jase and the guides, who gave fabulous tips on making the most of the small town, after spending a full day on the slopes. Handmade sushi in tiny restaurants, no problem. Homemade plum wine - easy. Onsens - gorgeous. The skiing tuition was sensational. Value for money having an all-day ski guide /instructor for the entire tour, remarkable. The groups were small and run on good timing; it was all very enjoyable, and easy. I have nothing but lovely memories, and much more beauty than I had anticipated. For me, the icing was the cake and the big birthday Kareoke song organised by Jase, for my daughter's 15th birthday. It was kind and personal, and I guess, a metaphor for the whole trip. Thoroughly recommended :-)
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Jase and his team at Japan Powder Culture Tours were absolutely amazing hosts for our group of 12 advanced/expert skiers for 9 days (8 days of skiing)! We were promised powder snow and were not disappointed at all. Even after 3 - 4 days Jase, Gus, Tom, John and Tyson were able to sniff out private powder stashes for us! The last day the powder was hip deep in places and was amazing. A number of our group brought sons in the 20 year range, many who are amazing skiers and the guides were very strong skiers and showed the lads an amazing time. Jase was cautious on offering ski advise but asked for permission from the tip to give out ski tips if he had any suggestions for experiance. The cultural experiance was also unbelievable with Geisha nights and Lion dances and drumming and entertainment and Jases "hidden gems" which were surprises along the way (which I will not divulge here but were lots of fun), honestly there was not a lot of idle time and all was done very profesionally! The hotel Ryokan Biyu was very good, clean and very professional staff. The Onsens (natural hot springs) in that hotel were marvelous and most of our group enjoyed them daily after skiing, fantastic! The snow monkey park near by was also a highlight which we very much enjoyed on our only day off from skiing. Jase was on top of our every need including arranging private massages for our tired muscles and checking in every day regarding dinner preferences and then booking the restuarant for us and either joining us or walking us to the restaurant to make sure we arrived there and also to assist on ordering. Jases new ski bus was fantastic and we felt pampered with his great music and many fantastic Stories (true Story!). If you want to experiance an amazing ski trip and cultural experiance, I don't think to may companies could match what this company does. Every one of his team are professionals, amazing skiers/boarders and look after your every whim. I will recommend this company to a number of friends who are considering a ski trip to Japan next year. There were numerous couples on this trip apart from our group plus a few families and all seemed to be having a great time. The guides are all certifed instructors so if you want to improve your technique. they can help you. Will take my wife back in the next year or two to share this amazing experiance with her. Thanks Jase, Tom, Gus, John and Tyson for an unbelievably great experiance, which I know my sons will remember for a lifetime!
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I have been home a couple of weeks now and this trip is still fresh in my mind. Jason Caulton and his team of high energy and highly skilled band of skier/snowboarders blew me away. they provided an experience second to none. They not only knew the mountains, the people and the culture but provided this experience at a level of 10 on a daily basis. I went to Japan with no expectations other than enjoy the skiing and my friends and left with something more towards a life changing experience. The impact this trip had on me will leave me thinking about it the rest of my life. in addition to that Jason was able to take my skiing ability to another level. The evenings at dinner were quite eventful and who can ever forget Karaoke night with way too many Chu Hi's. Hugging it out with a great Japanese Group and singing let it be. Oh my !! if you can get the chance and book this trip, DO IT NOW !!!!
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We had a blast! The skiing was incredible. Jase led us on some great runs which we would never have found on our own. The entire trip was well organized and we had no problems. We were kept busy, skied, watched shows, ate good food, and sang Karaoke. Our last day of skiing was just like the pictures on his website. Tonnes of powder.
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The number one reason is you will have a truly unique experience. I enjoyed every minute of the whole trip. The views, the powder, the food, the Onsens, the culture events, the drives, the amazing guides and the snow monkeys are all memories I will cherish from this trip, this adventure.
Nagano Ski Buffet combines a ski adventure that will leave you begging for more.
Jason Caulton has spent years perfecting the art of a seamless ski vacation in Japan. He knows the area back to front and is determined to make sure you get the best snow the area has to offer each day. He takes everyone’s skiing skills into account and assigns you to a group with an experienced guide that will gladly coach you and push you to ski harder then you have ever skied before. The guide’s personalities and fun banter is the extra plus that helps give you the complete Japanese Ski experience. The guide’s did an excellent job making everyone experience the true wonders of Japan, both on and off the mountain.
I came on this trip with very simple goals, to ski hard and fast, steep and deep. In reality I have come away with much more; good friends, local knowledge, new backcountry skills, and maybe most importantly some new perspectives on life. They really did everything possible to make this the trip of a lifetime.
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If you are looking for a total unique, authentic local guided ski trip then sign up here now. Everything from the hotels (rokan) Location, staff and onsen to delicious food to amazing snow and terrain, the Nagano area has it all.
Arriving from the US, this is a trip that is unlike any other. Jason has a complete knowledge of this area so you can leaving every aspect of the tour to him and just enjoy and take the whole experience in.
One surprising topic of the trip was how diverse of a group it attracted. There were young families, college students, single hard core boarders & skiers and over 50 crowd. Because everybody there has a central theme for the love of pow, the time in Nagano is unforgettable!
P.S. bring your own gear, rental shop are few but Jason has all the avie equipment
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A big thank you to Jason and Jack, our guides, for such a fantastic ski trip. Fresh tracks every day, pretty much all day (unlike the Alps where almost everything is skied out by lunchtime). It was definitely worth the long flight just for the skiing but Japan gave us so much more on top of that; a great group of people, amazing food, historic temples and other cultural experiences. With seamless back up from Mike and Gus, the team put together a truly memorable 10 days which we highly recommend (as long as you can concentrate on the gaps not the trees)!
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As first trip to discover the japow, I did the Nagano Buffet in Feb. 2018. The trip has been a great experience. Every day we ski some powder with 5 (out of 9) days which were epic. Jason know the area very well and he chooses the ski resort with the best snow condition.
Thy Ryokan Biyu in Yudanaka is nice and you have a great onsen. Food was always good in the ryokan and in the ski resort.
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