Snow on the Yuzawa webcam

It was great to see the view on the Yuzawa webcam today: snow on the ground level. What with Kagura reporting 70cm of snow down on the top piste, its looking like all systems go very soon

The above picture shows a still of the Yuzawa webcam.

Snow forecast

Just recieved this weather update from snow-forecast.com for Kagura ski resort, and its looking good. The below report is for the resort mid-level



Kagura opens on November 23rd...cant wait!

Snow on the slopes!

Okay, its only the man-made stuff, but its still good to see. I went to Naeba yesterday, and saw the resort preparing for the start of their season on 17th November. The snow-making has started in earnest.


The picture shows part of the snow being covered. The temperature when I visited at lunchtime was 11 degrees, with quite a wind chill and spitting rain. It certainly wouldn't take much to get the temperature down to 4 degrees overnight, and for that rain to turn to snow.


Apart from the forthcoming snow season, at the moment its actually a beautiful time to escape the concrete of Tokyo and get out into the Niigata or Nagano mountains. Its now the peak of the 'kouyou' season, when the leaves of the trees turn colour. The below picture shows Daigenta canyon, a 15min drive from Yuzawa.

Free Japanese sake tasting

WeLoveSnow is based in Yuzawa - apart from ski resorts and huge snowfall, this town is also famous for

its 'onsen' hot springs, and the best quality quality rice in Japan is grown here.

The rice is so good here due to the quality of the water. And because the rice and water are so good, this makes for one of the best places in Japan to make sake.

Shirataki Brewery makes 'Jozen', one of the most famous sake brands in Japan. We have been helping Shirataki brewery to make their new English website. Feel free to take a look.

Apart from a wealth of information on the sake-brewing process and Shirataki's products, the best part of the site is the offer of free sake and a sake glass when you take a tasting tour at the brewery - the tour is also free of charge, and is open to everyone over 20 years of age (the legal age for drinking alcohol in Japan).

The brewery is only a 5 minute walk from Echigo-Yuzawa train station. For more information, see this sake tasting tours page.

Getting chilly: forecast -2 degrees !

We've been adding a view features to the site - the first page of our ski resort spotlight pages now have an info box giving various useful info, including links to weather reports.

Clicking the 'top of mountain' weather link on our Kagura page, the temperature is forecast to go down to -2 degrees overnight on Saturday... bring on the winter weather!

Kagura New Lifts and Runs

Well the new season is on the door step and Kagura have been busy re working their courses and lifts. Found out today that they have removed 3 old lifts from the main Kagura piste and built a brand new high speed lift promising faster and quicker trips up the hill. On the Gondola course they have ot rid of the middle flat part so there is no way you have to un strap anymore. On the Tashiro lake course they have built a new course direct back to the ropeway lift making it real quick to get back home. Other alterations involve a new entrance to the Kagura restaurant so more slipping down the ice to get the curry in a hurry.

First snow of 2007/08 season

Whippie whippie, just watched the evening news and it is official, snow is forecast for the mountains tomorrow night. 3cm bring it right on! and just getting whispered in my ear that it has already sprinkled some down on the top of Fuji. There we go this season is going to be massive in Yuzawa, it is going to be early, big, fantastic and just POWDER. Nothing more to add to the blog except for I Love Snow, You Love Snow WELOVESNOW.