Hi Aquaplow,
Yes some of my mates went to Japan 2 years ago and is awesome.
Hi Main,
Suggest you talk with ski patrol and they should be honest to say it good or not.
Trust them as they have done the training. There is always an element of risk but if you do a guided run it will be minimised.
Hi Harrow,
Yes spend some time with snowboarding in good conditions. I have a setup that I don't change if its ice, slush, powder.
I am size US 9 North Wave ( which suit my wide but high arche feet). Flow step in binding. Average board 25cm waist which gives fast edge to edge turns. For big feet you need wider. Over 160cm length for carving good turns (166 cm for steep and deep).
About 21 degrees front foot and negative 12 for back foot so you don't need to change your stance for conditions.
Give it a go and after a couple of hours you will be ripping. 
Cheers
515 would you recommend the flow bindings? I am only starting out and I am already over the ratchet style bindings.
I did a lesson almost 20 years ago and I think I preferred the bindings from them that were a metal plate and matching studs on the boots. It seemed simpler.
Hey FN,
Yes love flow binding, they are faster to get in and going. When you come off chair its easy to kick back foot in lean down lift highback (bend back leg) and click the lock. So much faster as you
don't have to sit down.
But most importantly is that they are a good binding.
Those metal plates were the Blax Step in and I had some but some snow conditions you could get ice and not click in and scary when your back foot comes out.
Wet Auckland today and have cheap deal at snow planet teaching daughter and niece.
Edged and waxed boards yesterday
I've tried to find these bindings on line but I keep getting images of strapped bindings. Could you please post a pic or link of what you are referring to? Regards, Jim.
Sure
Flow bindings. Flows are the original 'rear entry' binding. They have one large strap section that is fixed over the top of the foot and a high-back that drops down for access into the binding.
hanks for that. They look simple enough. Are they as effective as standard bindings?
Yes the Flow bindings work well so you wont be trading off performance as a binding.
There are other brand rear entry step in bindings but flow are the original.
They used to only have the 4 hole binding but now have options for the 3 hole.
My niece doesn't have them and is so jealous.
Select to expand quotebeerdead said..
hanks for that. They look simple enough. Are they as effective as standard bindings?
For Aus and NZ they will be fine. You won't see them much in Japan though.
Powder and rear entry bindings are not overly compatible.
Select to expand quoteAUS1111 said..
Powder = board
Piste = skis
That's how it works in our family anyway. You don't end up carrying a lot if stuff around airports if you want it both ways though...
What??????
www.powder.com/videos/video-deep-powder-in-japan/
SO my daughter will be home after her first season working in the snow.
She will be heading back again next year so i've been thinking again about maybe a christmas family ski trip. But were?
A few years back we went to Hakuba and really loved it. SO taking into consideration value, distance and travel time any other spots people have visited they'd recommend. Or do we head back their?
Would love to go to Japan. Have been to Canada and was good staying in Whistler being able to walk out the door and chose Blackcomb or Whistler. Had good snow and freshies with a couple times gorilla snot(wet snow). Some friends went to Banff and being further inland drier snow.
Exchange rates with Canada a lot better than USD and canadians cool people
Select to expand quotejbshack said..
SO my daughter will be home after her first season working in the snow.
She will be heading back again next year so i've been thinking again about maybe a christmas family ski trip. But were?
A few years back we went to Hakuba and really loved it. SO taking into consideration value, distance and travel time any other spots people have visited they'd recommend. Or do we head back their?
Depends on when you are looking at going. During Dec can be a bit hit and miss on the main island (Honshu), but late Dec and into Jan is generally fine.
For ease and cost I would recommend Myoko area, or Nozawa Onsen or even Hakuba again. If you are looking to go earlier than Christmas then Hokkaido would be better to be sure of snow.
PM me if you want some specific recommendations of what would suit you. Accommodation will be getting tight in the foreign run places but plenty of local places will have space still, you just need to know which ones will be best.
Select to expand quotepetermac33 said..
Global warming also causes global cooling if you remember the narrative.
haha, that's why it's now called climate change. You can't argue with that, the weather's always changing.
