A guide who has lived in Hakuba for 15 years and is a local resident of Hakuba
LOCUS GUIDE SERVICE has 20 seasons of guiding experience in the Hakuba area. Utilizing the connections that only a local guide can have, they guide guests to the best slopes of the day, depending on their level.
Furuse Kazuya, the founder of LOCUS GUIDE SERVICE, spent many years skiing overseas as a ski bum before settling in Hakuba and working as a guide for Color Sports Club, a long-established backcountry guide company in the area. He
also serves as an advisor for the FWT (FREERIDE WORLD TOUR), and is committed to promoting freeride techniques. He hopes to utilize his wealth of experience and skills to help all guests, from backcountry beginners to experts, "have a wonderful experience in harmony with nature."
Choices based on guest needs and level
LOCUS GUIDE SERVICE not only offers backcountry tours, but also sessions at ski resorts in the Hakuba area, on-piste riding lessons, and online lessons. This is another major feature and attraction. On-piste sessions allow you to experience the true essence of freeriding, where you learn how to enjoy the slopes and how to take lines, and improve naturally while being inspired by and inspires other participants.
On-piste lessons are taught in small groups, and are tailored to your level and requests, covering everything from the most basic of skiing techniques to advanced techniques useful in the backcountry. If you have no experience in backcountry skiing and are worried about whether you can handle it right away, learning basic techniques on the slopes first will allow you to make your backcountry debut with confidence and enjoy it more.
We recommend taking online lessons as a stepping stone to getting on the snow. This allows you to gain basic knowledge of backcountry skiing in advance. Recently, more and more guests are taking part in online lessons before the season begins, then take on on-piste lessons once the season starts in December, and then tackle backcountry skiing in the peak season. By acquiring backcountry knowledge and skills step by step, you can improve quickly and, above all, feel more secure
[Slope Session]
Price: 10,000 yen
. Includes one-point lesson and slope guide fee
. Lift ticket, lunch, and insurance fees are separate.
[Slope Lesson]
Price: 12,000 yen
. Includes slope guide fee
. Lift ticket, lunch, and insurance fees are separate.
[Online Lesson]
Fee: 11,000 yen
Backcountry tours are available at three levels
[Beginner Backcountry Guide]
This plan is perfect for those who have no experience in backcountry skiing or who are not confident in their physical strength or skiing skills. The plan is packed with useful lectures that will help you continue this activity in the future. As the process progresses, you will receive instruction on how to climb efficiently and easily, how to enjoy the activity safely, and how to use the gear, so you can move slowly and calmly with participants who prefer the same pace
If you're interested in backcountry skiing but are worried about how hard it will be to climb or whether you'll be able to keep up with the other participants, then this is the tour for you
[Intermediate Backcountry Guide]
This tour is perfect for people who are already enjoying backcountry skiing. If the conditions are good, you can head to open runs above the tree line, and if the weather is bad, you can enjoy deep fresh snow in the forest. This is a full-fledged backcountry tour that targets the best slopes of the day depending on the conditions. You can experience the depth of the fields in the Hakuba area
[Advanced Backcountry Guide]
Head to the high alpine area or take advantage of the lift access to ski efficiently and extensively. Depending on the conditions on the day, you can experience the scale and elevation changes that can only be found in Hakuba
In order to avoid missing out on good conditions and to quickly pass through dangerous areas, the tour will generally be fast-paced, so those who are not confident in their skiing skills or physical strength, or who are unfamiliar with handling backcountry gear, should not participate
representative
Kazuya Furuse
Locus Guide Service is a ski guide and guide company founded in 2019 by professional skier Kazuya Furuse. As a result of his pursuit of skiing, his field changed from ski resorts to backcountry, and he gained experience as a skier and guide
[Qualifications]
JMGA Mountain Guide Stage II
JMGA Ski Guide Stage II
Shinshu Mountain Guide
JAN Avalanche Operation Level 2 Certified
*JMGA: Japan Mountain Guides Association
JAN: Japan Avalanche Network
Guide Area
| Main guide area | Hakuba area |
| Other areas | — |
| Representative name (guide qualification) | Kazuya Furuse (JMGA Mountaineering Guide Stage II, Ski Guide Stage II) |
| Main guide name (guide qualification) | Kazuya Furuse (JMGA Mountaineering Guide Stage II, Ski Guide Stage II) |
| Number of guides | 1 full-time employee, 2 part-time employees (1 of whom is qualified) |
| Guide Ratio | 1 guide: 5-6 guests (varies depending on tour level) |
| Percentage of guests | Skiing/Snowboarding (6 vs. 4) / Men and Women (7 vs. 3) |
rental
| Snow Safety Gear | Beacon Probe Shovel (Ant) |
| backpack | Something that can be fitted with a board (yes) |
| Skiing | Skis with touring bindings (available) |
| Climbing gear | Climbing skins (Ali) Snowshoes (Ali) |
Fee
| 1DAY | Beginner BC Tour: 14,300 yen / Intermediate: 15,000 yen / Advanced: 17,000 yen (all prices include tax) |
| others | *You can test ride new VOLKL SKI models. *Please let us know if you have mountain insurance. You can apply here, but it may take longer to process your application during holidays or weekends |
The actual tour content
| First time participating | BC experience | The most difficult | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Activity time | Approximately 4 hours (including 1-2 hours of hiking time) | Approximately 5 hours (including 2-3 hours of hiking time) | Approximately 8 hours (including 2-5 hours of hiking time) |
| Total altitude difference |
Approximately 400-600m (depending on the trip) | Approximately 600 to 1000m (depending on the route) | 1000-1800m (depending on the route) |
| Average hike time |
About 1 hour | 2-3 hours | 8 hours |
| Slope Contents | Among backcountry slopes, the main focus is on relatively slippery mid-slope areas and open areas | The slope that feels comfortable changes depending on the snow conditions, but we choose the slope based on that feeling | You can ski down large slopes and steep slopes that you can only experience in Hakuba, and you can ski down altitude differences efficiently |
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address
- 13584-5 Kitajo, Hakuba Village, Kitaazumi District, Nagano Prefecture
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Tel
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*The information posted is current as of September 2025
