Four weeks. Endless powder. Japow 2025 – Lost in the White
This short movie follows our crew as we chase deep snow across Japan. From iconic resorts to hidden backcountry zones, this trip was more than just riding — it was about meeting old friends, making new ones, and getting completely lost in the magic of Japanese powder.
Over the last decade, I went skiing in Japan every other year. In 2024, Roger and Fabienne got married and decided to spend their honeymoon in the land of the rising sun. Adi and I had the idea to gift them our local knowledge and guide them around Japan. Even though we had already been there the year before, we started planning another trip to hunt powder. Then life happened, and our schedules didn’t align. The Flückigers travelled to Japan right after Christmas, while Adi and I had to wait until mid-January. This left us with only a few days together. But as luck would have it, the weather gods smiled upon us and delivered fresh Japow. It was an incredible start to what would become another unforgettable trip.
As great as the start was — the next week or so, the white gold descending from the sky was nowhere to be seen. Instead, we got sunshine, wind, and (relatively) warm temperatures. At the same time, my friends from Canada arrived in the country as well, and we were looking forward to getting a couple of great laps in with them. That’s when our experience came in handy. From all our trips before, Adi and I knew a lot of north-facing spots that still offered soft, white lines to ride. We went out every morning, put skins on our skis and started hiking, telling ourselves, “At least we can finally see those vistas that were covered in clouds all these years.” But lo and behold — at the end of the day we always agreed: it was better than expected. This saying quickly became the motto of the first half of the trip. We did Mount Shiribetsu, Iwaonupuri, Kiroro and even went up Iwanai in storm winds. And every day we came back with a smile on our faces and a new experience in the bag.
The decision was made to spend the second part of our trip down on Honshu, near Nagano. But before we left, Hokkaido decided to send us off with two more days of fresh, fluffy powder. We linked up with Sven, Elo, Kevin and Carolina and enjoyed amazing skiing and entertaining evenings together.
This year, we wanted to try our luck a little bit off the beaten path and away from the masses of tourists, so Hakuba was not an option. Down on the main island, we found a small inn — the White Tree Lodge — near the Madarao Ski Area. A region we didn’t know too well yet, but nicely located between Mt. Myoko and Nozawa Onsen. Once there, everyone pointed us toward Seki Onsen. The oldest ski “resort” in Japan, apparently the place where the locals ride. At first glance, it’s nothing spectacular — a two-person lift and one of those famous Japanese single-person pizza box chairs. But what it lacks in facilities, it makes up for in fresh snow, playful terrain and pure charm. It gave us some of the best skiing of the trip — not just once, but every single day we visited, there were at least another 50 cm of fresh white waiting to get lost in.
The riding wasn’t the only thing that won us over. Seki has this family vibe we immediately fell in love with — a tiny lunch restaurant, a weird little bar for a quick après drink, and the owner himself, sitting in his little living room at the bottom of the lift, surrounded by ski memorabilia from all over the world. Listening to stories from times long gone — even with language barriers — created memories I will never forget.
I want to thank everyone we met along the way or shared time with. It was an incredible experience I wouldn’t want to miss for the world. And good news — I’m already planning to pack my bags and return to this white dreamland again this upcoming season. Enjoy the short edit, remember the good times, and see you out in the backcountry.
