The Raw & Honest Truth Of A Regular Gal Taking On The Great Outdoors

I’ve always loved #snowghosts… and then I met a #snowmonster. And I love them too! Some of them were so big, I was definitely getting the #godzilla vibe. 🦖👻
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#gojira #titanusgojira #gigantis #zeroone #kaiju #godzillasaurus #japan #japantravel #japantrip #japanski #localfreshies #skiingislife #skijapan #japanlife #japanstyle #japanese #japanculture #japanphotography #instagramjapan #japantourism #japan_of_insta #akita #kitaakita #aniskiresort #anaba #anabalodge #Tohoku

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Three days of bunking at Anaba Lodge next to Ani Ski Resort was a whirlwind of experiences that ended much too quickly. What a great way to finish our trip to Japan this winter. From a cozy lodge filled with interesting people to a little ski resort with more backcountry potential than you can imagine, this was a memorable one! There was a Foggy Goggle… not a bad kind, but a kind worth toasting to. 🥃 I found snow monsters and adorable coffee cups shaped like Akitas 🐕. Of course the powder was sprinkled about and a glorious sunset. We’ve been in Japan for about two weeks so it’s time to head home. But I never leave by saying Goodbye because I know in my heart, I’ll be back again and again. Till next time…

📍Anaba Lodge in Akita Prefecture of the Tohoku Region in Japan
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#japan #japantravel #japantrip #japanski #localfreshies #snowboarding #Skiing #skiingislife #skijapan #japanlife #japanstyle #japanese #japanculture #japanphotography #instagramjapan #japan_of_insta #akita #kitaakita #aniskiresort #anaba #anabalodge #Tohoku #backcountry #splitboarding #earnyourturns #skibackcountry #findyourbackcountry #visitjapanjp #snowmonsters

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When our time on the Hokkaido Powder Belt was over, we headed back to Tohoku for a stay at Anaba Lodge in Akita, thanks to our friends at Japan Ski Tours. A quick flight but into a tiny airport meant the plane was expected to be small. And it was. Small enough that our carry-on bags were too big to carry on. 🤣 So we had to check everything in except all my camera gear was in there including all the batteries. So I spent the next 30 min spread out across the airport floor, digging through all the cases to find every battery and stuff them in my pockets. 🤣😂

We landed on time, drove another 3 hrs to the lodge and arrived stoked and ready for the next three days. Anaba Lodge is cozy, genuine, and next to Ani Ski Resort. There will be lots of resort riding, backcountry lines, and whatever shenanigans throw down in the lodge after hours. Here’s to ending our Japan trip in a trucked away place full of #japow.
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#japan #japantravel #japantrip #japanski #localfreshies #snowboarding #snowboard #Skiing #skiingislife #skijapan #japanlife #japanstyle #japanese #japanculture #japanphotography #instagramjapan #japantourism #japan_of_insta #akita #kitaakita #aniskiresort #anaba #anabalodge #Tohoku #northernjapan #winterlodge #backcountry #splitboarding #splitboardingistheanswer #earnyourturns #skibackcountry #findyourbackcountry

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For our stay while riding Kamui Ski Links, the city of Asahikawa is home base. This isn’t a tiny little blip either. It’s the second largest city after Sapporo on the island of Hokkaido. I would have loved a few more days just to explore town. Next time I wil make sure I do! But the brief nighttime walk to dinner was lined with lights, like a true glowing winter wonderland. The light icicles lit the whole way to dinner and yes, it was cold out there. But magical for sure.
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#japan #japantravel #japantrip #japanski #localfreshies #snowboarding #snowboard #Skiing #skiingislife #skijapan #japanlife #japanstyle #japanese #japanculture #japanphotography #instagramjapan #japantourism #japan_of_insta #japow #kamui #kamuiskilinks #asahikawa
#nightlights #lightfestival

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I’m loving Kamui Ski Links. So relaxed, local vibe… just fun without the pandemonium of a corporate ski resort in a powder frenzy. And this cat skiing thing they have going on is so different from what I’ve done in the past. The resort normally opens at 9 am. But if you sign up for the cat skiing package, you better set your alarm early because it sets off at 7 am to get you laps ON the mountain, 2 hrs before anyone else can touch it. I’ve cat skied in the backcountry and out of bounds at resorts, but never on actual ski resort runs. And while you get to make tracks all on your own, you also get a private room in the lodge to do whatever you want with. Hold your gear. Relax. Take a nap. Sit by the fire. Change clothes. Eat. Or just watch out the giant windows at the resort and everyone having a great time! I suggest rallying as many friends as you can for it - up to 8 people can fit in the cat. That way you can slash all the #japow together and split the cost. A win-win for sure. But the best part for me was getting to Kamui before the sun was really awake, and loading into the cat before it felt like the sunrise happened. Like dawn patrol at a ski resort on a ski run… all to yourself. Wow! It was a sweet morning.
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#japan #japantravel #japantrip #japanski #localfreshies #snowboarding #snowboard #Skiing #skiingislife #skijapan #japanlife #japanstyle #japanese #japanculture #japanphotography #instagramjapan #japantourism #japan_of_insta #japow #kamui #kamuiskilinks #asahikawa #catskiing #cat #firsttracks #dawnpatrol

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Kamui Ski Links was a blast. We got two full two days at the resort which is the minimum we like. The first day was pretty chill. Had breakfast, took some laps, the boys found a jump so we did a photo shoot incognito to capture everyone that hit it. Lots of good park riders for sure! Then a relaxing lunch and ice cream. I kicked back by the fire for the rest of the afternoon and then it was time to leave. The next day was our turn to cat ski before the resort opened which was rad… different post on all that hoopla.

Our home base for #KamuiSkiLinks was #OMO7 in Asahikawa. It’s an incredible hotel in the middle of town so you can easily walk around from it. But inside has lots of goodies too. They have a giant interactive city board, so you know where to go that’s noteworthy. Then there’s a full wax bar that’s free so you can tune up your gear. They also have a wall display that maps out all the resorts in the area as well as daily stats on each. You could stand next to the board with your coffee and decide what your plan is for the day. And even though it’s pretty swanky feeling inside, it was so relaxed and comfortable. We had all our gear in the lobby at one point and repacked our bags and it wasn’t an issue at all. Think of it like the most perfectly decorated living room that you aren’t afraid to sit on the couch and kick back.

Of course, our time was too short as we didn’t get to fully explore #Asahikawa… but someday we’ll be back and when we are, a couple days of just hanging out in town will be on the agenda. And apparently their famous 100% buckwheat soba noodles!
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#japan #japantravel #japantrip #japanski #localfreshies #snowboarding #snowboard #Skiing #skiingislife #skijapan #japanlife #japanstyle #japanese #japanculture #japanphotography #instagramjapan #japantourism #japan_of_insta #japow

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Sometimes the hardest part of US roadtrips is finding a decent place for a bathroom break. There’s been plenty of times that the best option was off into the woods where only wildfire could mock me. But sometimes it’s the simple reminders that make all the difference. To start this off, bathrooms in Japan, regardless of where you find them, are nice. Really nice. And clean. And have heated seats! But this sign was my favorite and I had to honor it by forever putting it on my feed so maybe it can influence just a few people to help start the clean US roadtrip bathroom revolution so we can all enjoy the go… as the Charmin bears would tell you.
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#japan #japantravel #japantrip #japanski #localfreshies #snowboarding #snowboard #Skiing #skiingislife #skijapan #japanlife #japanstyle #japanese #japanculture #japanphotography #instagramjapan #japantourism #japan_of_insta #japow #kamui #kamuiskilinks #asahikawa #bathroom #cleanbathroom #bathroomsigns #publicbathroom

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Our last stop on the Hokkaido Powder Belt is Kamui Ski Links. The name was curious to me with ‘Links” in it. So I had to ask. When I think of ‘Links’, golfing comes to mind. A fancy, nice, beautiful golf course. Well… that’s the meaning here too. A links course is characterized by its natural terrain and Kamui is very proud of its mountain’s curves. And maybe that’s why I seem to be dancing in every video clip while riding here. I didn’t realize it at the time but I must have felt so comfortable, floating along that it made me want to dance!

We got to the resort early, long before the lifts started turning. You know… so we could have a proper breakfast. It was so delicious, that I ate two servings and didn’t feel guilty one bit. It was a hearty soup and seaweed rice triangles which I can’t get enough of in Japan. But we weren’t the only people here early. So was a group of local diehards! There is a serious contingent of dedicated skiers for this mountain. I love seeing that. They started lining up for the gondola almost an hour before it even opened. A handful of true skiers that weren’t missing a single turn.

I’m stoked we get two days on this mountain to explore. Today was lift runs with a jump contest amongst the boys and tomorrow, we get to romp around in the cat. Yes… they do cat skiing here but it might not be what you think.
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#japan #japantravel #japantrip #japanski #localfreshies #snowboarding #snowboard #Skiing #skiingislife #skijapan #japanlife #japanstyle #japanese #japanculture #japanphotography #instagramjapan #japantourism #japan_of_insta #japow #kamui #kamuiskilinks #asahikawa

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Sometimes you just need to stop and stare at the frozen bubbles. It was so peaceful watching them form and then seeing them pop but still freeze mid air before falling to the ground. This serene moment was just minutes before hucking myself down the ice luge on a tube. It was a perfect paring.

📌 Furano Ski Resort - Hokkaido Powder Belt, Japan
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#japan #japantravel #japantrip #japanski #localfreshies #snowboarding #snowboard #Skiing #skiingislife #skijapan #japanlife #japanstyle #japanese #japanculture #japanphotography #instagramjapan #japantourism #japan_of_insta #japow #bonpow #bonchi #bonchipowder #kitanomine #icevillage #wintervillage #frozenbubbles #bubbles #slowmo #meditation #relaxation

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