Ski Retreat in Myoko, Japan: Powder Progression Week

Things to know

• What’s included?

  Included:

  • • Experienced, local JMGA-certified backcountry guides with extensive knowledge of the area (2 guides for a group of 8)
    • 7-day Myoko ski holidays (5 days of guided riding with certified instructors/guides)
    • Accommodation for 6 nights at your guides’ boutique lodge
    • All breakfasts
    • All dinners (3 chef-prepared dinners at the lodge, 3 dinners at local restaurants)
    • Natural wine and craft brewed beer at dinners
    • Lift tickets for 5 days
    • Daily transportation to/from ski areas
    • Arrival pick-up from Myoko-Kogen station

  Add-ons (available to add at checkout):

  • • Single occupancy room

  Not included:

  • • Flights to Japan
    • Transportation to Myoko (your guides can provide guidance on trains or transfers)
    • Lunches (you can grab food at the resort or in town)
    • Additional alcoholic beverages
    • Insurance — available to add at checkout
    • Guide gratuities — optional
• How fit do I need to be?

  These Myoko ski holidays are designed for confident resort skiers who’ve been waiting for a chance to ride powder and go off-piste! This isn’t a ski school, but it’s not a super advanced backcountry ski trip either.

  This week has been created for people who are ready to build off-piste confidence the right way. It’s a fully guided and hosted adventure focused on real progress and good times. You can expect a supportive environment where you’ll learn to ride powder, read terrain, make smart line choices, and get more comfortable in deeper snow and varied conditions.

  The snow is deep and it might get a little daunting at times, but that’s why your guides will be by your side the whole way through! You’ll start with mellow glades and work your way toward terrain that challenges you just enough to grow. You’ll be with a small group (one guide per four participants), riding alongside experienced guides and instructors who care more about your confidence than your speed.

  For more ski adventures in Japan, click here!

• What kind of terrain can I expect?

   Akakura Onsen & Akakan (Myoko Kogen) — your backyard

  • • Best for: Warm-up laps, mellow powder, confidence building
    • Why ride here: These two connected resorts are just minutes from the lodge. Perfect for Day 1 or low-vis days. They offer wide-open runs, accessible off-piste, and classic Japan tree skiing. When it’s dumping, these hills are gold.

  Ikenotaira Onsen

  • • Best for: Learning to ride trees, mastering soft snow
    • Why ride here: Low-angle terrain, glades for days, and almost no crowds. It’s the perfect progression resort. You’ll feel like a hero here as you dial in your powder turns.

  Seki Onsen

  • • Best for: True Japan experience, deep days
    • Why ride here: Seki doesn’t believe in grooming. It’s all natural terrain, barely developed, and a true throwback. The lifts are slow, but the snow is deep and untouched. This is the “hidden gem” you always hear about.

  Madarao & Tangram

  • • Best for: Pillows, playful terrain, creative lines
    • Why ride here: Madarao embraces off-piste. It has dedicated tree zones, gentle powder runs, and enough side hits to keep you smiling all day. This is progression paradise—forgiving terrain that rewards trying new things.

  Suginohara (Myoko Kogen)

  • • Best for: Long cruisers, sidecountry for confident intermediates
    • Why ride here: Home to the longest run in Japan (8.5km), Sugi is where we test your legs. There are some fun powder pockets and plenty of room to open it up. If you’ve built your skills all week, this is where you show them off.

  Lotte Arai (Special Weather-Dependent)

  • • Best for: Big terrain, lift-accessed back bowls, alpine feel
    • Why ride here: If conditions align, we’ll take a trip out to Lotte Arai—home of Japan’s most luxurious resort with wide-open, avalanche-controlled off-piste terrain. It’s where the locals go when they want bigger lines and deeper turns. Think North America meets Japan. A perfect final challenge for guests who are feeling strong.
• What do I need to bring?

  Safety gear:

  • • Avalanche safety kit
    • Beacon (transceiver)
    • Probe
    • Shovel (metal blade)

  Rental kits are available upon request, but all guests are expected to carry and know how to use this equipment, even when riding resort-accessed zones.

  Personal gear:

  • • Touring skis or splitboard
    • Lightweight, touring bindings
    • Ski strap
    • Ski or snowboard boots and ski crampons
    • Poles
    • Climbing skins
    • Wind and waterproof hard shell
    • Down jacket
    • Spare thermals
    • Spare clothes for layering
    • Facemask or balaclava
    • Gloves (warm and well fitting gloves for skiing)
    • Hiking gloves/glove liners
    • Goggles (bring goggles with high light and low light lenses if possible)
    • Sunglasses
    • Sun protection, lip balm
    • Avalanche safety equipment and minimum 20L backpack (beacon, shovel, probe) — rentals available
    • Snacks

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• Group sizes and age requirements

  Group sizes and pricing

  • • For these Myoko ski holidays, the usual client-to-guide ratio is 4:1. 
    • It takes a minimum of 4 people for this tour to operate. The maximum group size is set at 8 participants.
    • A private group booking is possible—reach out to us if you’d like to make your week private!

  Myoko ski holidays can be arranged for larger groups. Contact us to make arrangements.

  Min. age requirements

  • • If you are older than 18, you’re good to go.
    • Minors younger than 18 may be permitted to join the Myoko ski holidays on a case-by-case basis, but must be in the presence of a parent or legal guardian.

  If your group has participants under the age of 18, contact us prior to booking to make arrangements.

• Is a single occupancy room available?

  The price for these Myoko ski holidays is based on twin-share rooms, but a single occupancy room can be arranged at an additional fee, you can add it at checkout.

  Triple-share rooms are also available—if you want to stay here, the price of the tour goes down, you can let us know at checkout.

  Solo travelers can share a room with another traveler at no extra cost, or guarantee a private room by paying a single occupancy fee (if available).

• Getting there and meeting location

  The starting point of your Myoko ski holidays is Myoko, Japan. To get there, most people fly into Tokyo’s Haneda Airport (HND) or Narita Airport (NRT), or Osaka/Kyoto’s Kansai Airport (KIX). From all of these, you’ve got several hours of public transportation to reach Myoko, by a mix of trains and buses. Alternatively, you can rent a car or let us know in advance if you need a shuttle.

  You will meet your guide on Day 1 at the guide’s lodge in Myoko.

• Safety measures and insurance

  We highly recommend that you cover all your bases with insurance. To make your booking and traveling experience as carefree as possible, you’ll be offered to simply insure your trip with Redpoint at checkout.

  Redpoint—the official 57hours insurance partner—tailors protection packages for adventure travel, offering a comprehensive travel program, even in remote locations! Trip cancellation, natural disasters, pandemic coverage, medical evacuation, primary medical expenses—regardless of the travel interruption that may happen, Redpoint will have you covered.

• Deposit and cancellation policy

  Deposits

  Secure your spot with a 30% deposit upon booking! The remaining 70% of the trip price must be paid 90 days prior to departure at the latest. If booking within 90 days of departure, the full amount is required at the time of booking.

  Cancellations

  Booking fees are non-refundable after a 48-hour grace period. During checkout, however, you can choose one of 57hours’ flexibility options—Basic, Flexible, or Super Flexible. Depending on which one you choose, a different cancellation policy will apply to your booking.

  Basic

  • • If cancelled within 48 hours of booking, a full refund will be issued.
    • If cancelled 60 or more days before departure, a 70% refund of the total trip price will be issued.
    • If cancelled within 59 days of departure, no refund will be issued.

  Flexible

  • • If cancelled within 48 hours of booking, a full refund will be issued.
    • If cancelled 60 or more days before departure, a full refund of the total trip price will be issued.
    • If cancelled 30-59 days before departure, a 50% refund of the total trip price will be issued.
    • If cancelled within 29 days of departure, no refund will be issued.

  Super Flexible

  • • If cancelled within 48 hours of booking, a full refund will be issued.
    • If cancelled 30 or more days before departure, a full refund of the total trip price will be issued.
    • If cancelled within 29 days of departure, a 50% refund of the total trip price will be issued.

  Early Bird booking

  Want to be the first one to know when we publish new dates or secure your spot well in advance? Select a future month that suits you best and lock in your Early Bird spot in time with just a 10% deposit.

  As soon as our guides publish new tour dates, you’ll be the first one to know. We’ll hold your spot for 2 weeks until you choose the date that suits you best.

  More about how Early Bird bookings work below:

  • Only a 10% non-refundable deposit must be paid upon booking, but this deposit can be transferred to any other 57hours adventure in case the dates don’t end up working for you.
  • Once our guides publish new tour dates, we’ll reach out to you so you’ll be the first one to choose from newly released dates.
  • When you pick your date, you’ll confirm your booking by paying another 20% of the total trip amount (amounting to the standard 30% deposit).
  • Once the trip has been confirmed, the regular cancellation policy (found above) applies.
  • The remaining balance is due 90 days before the trip.