Snow Country Hike & Camp (March 20 - 23)
- Duration: 4 Days / 3 Nights
- Dates: March 20 - 23
- Difficulty: Easy-Moderate
- Price: 34,000 (see what's included)
min 3 / max 6
Experience winter in Japan's snow country while walking with traditional Japanese kanjiki snow shoes, and camping in mountain-top snow caves. This four day trip includes two nights in the wild, exploring Japan's natural beech forests and one night in a cozy futon - just a stones throw from the local hot-spring. You will experience the best of country village life, and have a chance to rough it in the great outdoors.
Description top
From the moment you arrive you will be immersed in traditional mountain life. Here you will don a pair of traditional bamboo kanjiki at the station before we head into the mountains for two nights of solitude and unmatchable beauty in quiet snow-filled nights.
Days will include nature observations (animal tracking and flora identification), amazing views from mountain tops, and physical challenge - just to remind you that you are alive. At night we will build snow-caves to sleep in, or pitch tents in serene mountain top forests. A bonfire will keep us warm as we cook our meals in thefrigid night air.
Once we have had ample time to relax and meditate on the nature around us, and our place in it, we will descend to civilization - a small farming community in the heart of Japan's snowiest region. Here a hot bath awaits, followed by a celebratory barbecue feast with the locals, and a well-deserved night in a comfy futon.
You will have the option to sleep in on your last day, or rise with the sun for a morning exploration of the village, followed by a visit to the local geta show maker, or an opportunity to make tsukemono with a local obachan (old lady), or any number of cultural activities.
Tentative Detailed Itinerarytop
This program is designed to give participants an opportunity to experience snow-camping in a safe environment, as well as get a taste of country life.
March 20
We will be waiting at the station at 10:00 AM with traditional kanjiki snowshoes and straw boots, along with all the other gear we will need for two days in the mountain. Once you safely stow any gear not needed, we head up into the deep snow.
When the time is right, we will stop at one of the several camp areas which we have scouted ahead of time - in areas that fit a variety of hiking speeds.
At camp, some will fire up the stove, preparing hot tea, coffee, or cocoa, while others build the toilet, set up the tents, or build a snow cave for the night.
A roaring fire (where allowed) will keep everyone warm as well as dry wet gloves and gear before we settle down for the night in our warm sleeping bags. The collective body-heat inside the tent or snow-cave keeps thetemperature well above zero. Outside is not so nice, so make sure you pee before settling in for the night!
March 21
We will wake up before sunrise, giving us an opportunity to experience cold that some people have only had nightmares about. Once again, each participant will take a roll, wither preparing breakfast (and another warm fire) while the rest pack-up camp.
We will have time to watch the sun-rise before departing on a days hike along the Shinetsu Trail ridge, with views of the Japan sea to the north, and the central alps to the south. Along the way we will observe animal tracks and take a closer look at the natural landscape, gaining a better understanding how the wildlife and pants survive and thrive in such a harsh winter environment.
When we arrive at camp on the second night, participants will be assigned individual spots to build their own snow-caves for the night. Once dinner breakfast rations are distributed, you will have a rare opportunity to spend the night in solitude without modern distractions of email,Internet, cell-phones, or TV. You will be amazed at how refreshing this hard-to-come-by solo-time is.
March 22
Your solo time ends at day-break, when we gather again for a breakfast feast and to recount our solo experiences. From here, we will begin the decent to civilization where a hot-spring bath (and hot sake) awaits.
Following the bath, we will yet another celebratory feast - this time at a barbecue with locals from the village, eager to share their culture and anecdotes of country life (we will be there to facilitate conversation).
This night will be spent at the local meeting hall, where we will have warm futons and hot sake or tea waiting for you. For those who still have some strength left, we can take a late-night stroll through the village, or watch historic videos documenting traditional snow-country life in Sakae Mura, or simply chatting the night away.
March 23
As your last day, we recommend an early wake-up call - but not too early. Once you have fully enjoyed the warmth of your futon, and a hot indoor breakfast, we will head out through the streets of the small villages, where we convince the locals to teach us how to make kanjiki, traditional Japan country cooking, or geta (by the last surviving geta craftsman in Nagano.
The worst part of the trip will be when your experience comes to an end, and we return you to the bus or train stop and say our goodbyes.
Pricingtop
34,000 JPY/ person (3 - 6 people)
4 days / 3 nights
- Guides (bilingual locals)
- Tent and most gear (Sleeping bag rental - 5,000 JPY)
- One night's accommodation at the local meeting hall (futon on tatami)
- Meals & Snacks (3 Breakfast, 4 Lunches, 3 Dinner)
- All museum / country-life experience costs
- Transportation to and from train stations
- Hot-spring baths
Register top
To register for this program, please send us an email including the following information for each participant:
- Name
- Contact number
- Age
- Any special dietary restrictions
Email: kevin@onelifejapan.com
Phone: 090-3337-3248
