Hakuba · Niseko · Spring Alpine Japan

Powder by day. The real Japan the rest of the time.

Certified backcountry guiding and full-trip concierge, led by a fluent-Japanese local who's lived in the mountains here for over a decade.

Plan your trip

AST 1 & 2 · Wilderness First Responder · 5 years guiding · 12 years in Japan

Why Northbound

A certified guide who's also your local insider

Most guides in Japan are either certified pros or culturally fluent locals — rarely both. That combination is the whole point.

Certified & safe

AST 1 & 2 avalanche certification and Wilderness First Responder, with five seasons guiding this terrain. Your safety is the non-negotiable.

Genuinely local

12 years in Japan, fluent Japanese, based between Hakuba and Niseko. The hotels, the food, the onsen, the off-the-map spots — I know them firsthand.

Door-to-door

Airport pickup, lodging, itineraries, translation, daily logistics. You ride and soak it in; I handle the rest in your language for you.

All season, all terrain

Mid-winter powder through spring alpine trophies. Whatever you came for — deep snow, big views, or both — there's a line for it.

Two seasons, one guide

Japan's mountains don't stop in March

Everyone knows the powder. Far fewer know the spring — when the snowpack settles, the skies open, and the alpine reveals views you can't get any other time of year.

Winter — Deep Powder

December–March

  • Hakuba backcountry (home base)
  • Niseko & Furano / Daisetsuzan (premium)
  • Tree runs, alpine bowls, the famous Japan snow
  • For confident skiers & splitboarders

Spring — Alpine Trophies

April–July

  • Ski Mt Fuji — Japan's most sacred peak
  • Tateyama Kurobe & the 20-meter snow walls
  • Hakuba high alpine & Gassan (skiing into July)
  • Safer, view-driven — open to fit adventurers, not just experts
Ways to ride with me

From a single guided day to a fully curated trip

Core

Guided Days

A private backcountry day with a certified guide. Gear rental arranged, pickup included. Groups of 5–6 (up to 9–10 with a tail guide).

From ~$1,000 / day / group
Most popular

The Real Japan

A multi-day, done-for-you trip: airport pickup, lodging, daily itinerary, guided riding, local food, onsen and culture — powder and the Japan most travelers never reach.

Custom multi-day package
Bespoke

Powder Chase & Custom

Multi-region hunts (Hakuba → Niseko → Furano), spring trophy objectives, photography missions, or family-friendly days. Built around you.

Custom quote
By request only

Extreme / Expedition

Serious, high-consequence objectives for genuinely expert riders. Demonstrated skill required; waiver and screening mandatory. I reserve the right to decline.

Premium quote
Your guide

A decade-plus in these mountains

I live and breathe the backcountry — 2 to 3 big tours every week, from mellow corn to 3,000-meter, 10-hour days. I'll take anyone with the right attitude and the right skill for the objective, and I'll match the day to exactly what you're after: powder, views, relaxation, or full send.

  • Certifications: AST 1 & 2 · Wilderness First Responder
  • Experience: 5 years guiding · 12 years living in Japan
  • Home turf: Hakuba (3 yrs) & Niseko / Kutchan (2 yrs)
  • Languages: Fluent Japanese & English
Your guide at the summit of Karamatsu-dake (2696m), Hakuba, with splitboard on his pack
The terrain

What your days look like

Real shots from real tours — powder, alpine, and the views in between.

Snowboarder carving through deep powder with snow spraying, Japan backcountry Splitboarders on a ridge above a sea of clouds in the Japan Alps Rider gazing up at the volcanic cone of Asahidake, Daisetsuzan, with ski tracks down the face Backcountry splitboarder skinning toward a golden-hour sunrise above a sea of clouds, Japan A guided group of four on a spring ski tour high in the Japanese Alps Snowboarder in a face-shot of deep Japan powder — the classic white room Aerial view of a tourer skinning beneath rocky alpine spires in the Japanese backcountry Splitboarder at a summit shrine in the Japanese Alps Relaxing in an outdoor onsen with snowy mountain views after a tour
Plan your trip

Tell me what you're dreaming of

A few details and I'll get back to you personally — usually within a day. No deposit to start a conversation.

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