Tag Archives: Japan

10 Days in Sounkyo – Part 1

By Simon | February 13, 2009

Sounkyo, literally the cloud layer gorge if you translate directly from the kanji, is a place that must be visited if you travel to Hokkaido. It is in central Hokkaido within the Daisetsusan National Park and only 1 hour from Asahikawa.
No matter what the season be it spring, summer, autumn or winter there is [...]

Posted in Hokkaido, Japan | Also tagged , | Leave a comment

JIEITAI: The Japanese Self Defense Force

By Simon | December 24, 2008

It’s quite a sight when one hits the slopes and the only other people on the slopes are Japanese Jieitai or self defense force training for the opening scene of the up and coming James Bond movie being made in Niseko. Well not quite the truth but zooming past them all does make you [...]

Posted in Japan | Also tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Early Winter

By Simon | December 9, 2008

Last weekend saw another two great days on the mountain, just as everybody was thinking when is the next snowfall going to come. It is always like this in early winter, it snows and warms up, rains and then the snow line recedes back up the mountain. This process of the it snowing and then [...]

Posted in Uncategorized | Also tagged , , | Leave a comment

And then it snowed….

By Joel | November 20, 2008

The winter of 08/09 is hardly in full swing here in Japan, but today was the first day to wake to a foot of fresh in the back yard. Last night as I rode my bike home from work at 9.30pm I cursed the snow flakes and the cold, nothing had really settled and as [...]

Posted in weather | Also tagged , , | Leave a comment