In September, information on season passes and early bird tickets for ski resorts across the country is released all at once, giving you plenty of information to help you decide where to base your winter skiing.
People who have already decided where they want to ski have already purchased their winter tickets, but not everyone is like that.
Many people consider various factors, such as access from home, the size and number of ski resorts, snowfall, ticket price, and the number of days and times they plan to ski, and search for the optimal solution until the deadline. This decision can be especially daunting if you're considering purchasing a season pass
for the first time. Here, we introduce two snowboarders with different backgrounds who became deeply captivated by the allure of snowboarding after purchasing their
first season pass. Aizawa Sayuri, a resident of the Kanto region, purchased her first Hakuba Valley all-mountain season pass (commonly known as a "valley pass") in the 2024-2025 season and spent the entire season at Hakuba Valley. Nagasaki Akiho, a Kansai resident, moved to Nagano Prefecture after purchasing a season pass and getting a job.
What impact did their first season pass have on their snowboarding lives, and how did it change things compared to previous seasons? We met up at Able Hakuba Goryu on March 30th of last season and spoke with them while we skied.
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Changing the way you skate?! From "relying on luck" to "targeting" style
STEEP Editorial Department (hereafter referred to as STEEP): Thank you so much for taking the time to spend a precious day with us today, at the end of the season.
First of all, what was your snowboarding life like before you two got your volleyball tickets?
Aizawa Sayuri (hereafter as Aizawa ): I started snowboarding seriously after I entered the workforce. I have been snowboarding for nine years. At the time, people who lived close by would get together and go to the slopes in the same car, "Ainori" style. We would all go snowboarding together, have a meal or go to the hot springs on the way home, and then go home, which is the typical way to enjoy snowboarding.
Since we had to coordinate our trips with friends who had cars, the driver often had the final say on where to go, so it was rare for me to say to myself, "I'm going to that ski resort today."
Akiho Nagasaki (hereafter referred to as Nagasaki): I also started snowboarding in my first year of university, and it's been six seasons now, but until I bought a volleyball ticket last season, I was lucky if I could go two or three times a season. I would
coordinate my days off with friends and just say, "Let's go!" So, you never know whether the conditions on that day will be powder or icy snow until you go. It was completely down to luck. I never even considered choosing the conditions.
STEEP: What was the first thing that changed after you went from that style to getting a volleyball ticket?
Nagasaki: Everything has changed (laughs). The biggest change is the number of days I snowboard. I used to go snowboarding two or three times a season, but suddenly it increased to 25 or 30 times. In just one season, I've gone snowboarding more than I've ever snowboarded in my entire life.
STEEP: That's a dramatic change. Has it changed the way you choose where to skate?
Aizawa : For me, that was probably the biggest change. Starting around Wednesday, I started to make it a habit to check the weather charts for the weekend. I'd think things like, "With this winter-like atmospheric pressure pattern, it looks like it's going to snow in the Otari area (Tsugaike, Norikura, Cortina) near the Niigata Prefecture border," or, "The westerly wind is strong, so Hakuba 47, which is in a valley and easy to avoid the wind, should
" I started to proactively predict the best conditions for the day and "go for it."
Nagasaki: Yes, that's right. Hakuba Valley is long from north to south, so the weather can be completely different depending on the area, even on the same day. Even if the Hakuba area is stopped by strong winds, we can quickly switch to Plan B, such as "Let's go to Jijigatake on the south side."
This range of options is really reassuring. There's almost no risk of our expedition being a wasted trip.
STEEP: So you've gone from relying on luck to predicting the weather and taking aim. Has the way you spend your time each day changed from before?
Nagasaki: It's completely different. In the past, I was very conscious of "getting my money's worth" when it came to the cost of my lift ticket, so I'd ski from morning until the lifts closed in the evening. But with a valet ticket, I have the peace of mind to think, "I can ski whenever I want."
So now I can spend my time in a truly luxurious way, like skiing a few runs on unspoiled tracks first thing in the morning, and then heading home by 10 a.m. before the snow gets rough.
Aizawa : I totally understand that.
I enjoy only the best conditions, and spend the afternoon relaxing at a cafe or going to a hot spring. Being freed from the feeling of being pressed for time was a big mental change. I think I went from skating to pursuing quantity to skating to pursuing quality.
Changes in daily life: the slopes become a part of your daily life?
STEEP: It seems like changing your style would affect not only the way you skate, but also your life. How did it affect how you spend your weekdays in particular?
Aizawa : For some reason, the best powder days tend to come on weekdays (laughs). Since I got my volleyball pass, if the weather forecast tells me that "it's definitely going to snow on a certain day," I don't hesitate to take paid leave.
I can have the ski resort all to myself, with nothing compared to the crowds on weekends. I think this is the greatest privilege I can have because I have a volleyball pass.
Nagasaki: I was still a university student during the season, so on days when the best conditions were predicted, I would intentionally move my classes to the afternoon and ski hard in the morning. I sometimes even took online classes by connecting to Wi-Fi at a cafe at the foot of the mountain.
It felt like the ski resort wasn't a special place, but rather an extension of my everyday life, a part of my "living space."
STEEP: It really feels like snowboarding has become a part of your lifestyle. How did you enjoy it after you finished snowboarding?
Aizawa : That has changed. Naturally, I used to eat a lot of "gere food," but now I'm finishing up in the morning more often, so I'm looking forward to exploring tasty restaurants in Hakuba Village. I like
"Grindel," which is popular for its hearty set meals, and "No Cafe," which serves delicious local vegetables.
Nagasaki: I was based in the Omachi area, so I often went to places like Tawaraya, a Chinese restaurant with excellent gyoza, and Kunkuntei, a popular spot for locals. Through my interactions with locals, I was often told, "That place has great food." It felt like my enjoyment outside of skating was expanding.
Connecting people, knowledge, and fields expands the world
STEEP: You mentioned connections with people, but have your relationships changed as a result of the volleyball tickets?
Nagasaki: Perhaps the biggest benefit was being able to connect with so many different people.
Everyone I met was someone whose number one priority was to spend the season at Hakuba Valley. I was shocked to see that most of them were people I would never meet, even though I only go to ski resorts a few times a year. Everyone had
different backgrounds, but we got to know each other through the common thread of "volleyball tickets." It was fascinating to hear all their stories, and I was surprised and inspired by how enthusiastic everyone was. Volleyball tickets were expensive for a student like me (laughs), but I gained a lot from them.
Aizawa : I've made a huge number of friends. I've gotten to know locals and been able to ski with them, and they've given me a lot of real information that you can't find on the internet, like, "That valley is dangerous in early spring," or "There's a southerly wind tomorrow, so that
slope is better." I feel like my snowboarding world has become much deeper by connecting with people who have different styles and values.
STEEP: When you go to one area that often, the way you see the slopes changes, doesn't it?
Aizawa : That's right. On sunny south-facing slopes, the snow melts quickly, while on north-facing slopes the snow quality is good throughout the season. I hadn't paid much attention to that before, but by going there so often, I've become more aware of the conditions of the terrain.
Nagasaki: On ridges where the wind blows the snow away and it hardens, but the leeward terrain is where the best powder accumulates. You start to get a sense of these things as you ski. It's like the "resolution" of the slopes improves, something you get from skiing throughout the season. It awakened me to the fun of exploring the slopes, rather than just skiing down the courses.
Volleyball tickets to enrich your snowboarding life
STEEP: Listening to you talk, it's clear that a volleyball pass is more than just a season pass. What do you like about Hakuba Valley and what is your favorite ski resort?
Aizawa : I think it's the fact that you can choose the location depending on the weather, etc. Depending on the conditions, you can flexibly choose to go to Otari, Hakuba, or Omachi, and if you drive, you can travel to any of them within an hour, which I think is a great thing.
My favorite ski resort is Cortina's Itahira course when it's snowing. The course is wide and the runs are beautiful, so you can ski in the powder with ease. Of the groomed slopes, I think Happo is the best for practice. Riesen and Skyline have steep slopes and long runs, so you have to work hard to ski. I also like the gondola routine at Iwatake. It's long, and the side walls have varying terrain, so it's fun.
Nagasaki: For me, the volleyball ticket was a life-changing purchase. It even led me to move from Kansai to Nagano Prefecture. If I hadn't bought it, I'd probably still be a casual snowboarder who only skis a few times a season. It taught me the true fun and depth of snowboarding.
My favorite ski resort is Jigatake. The lower part of the resort has a single, gentle slope, while the upper part is shorter but has a relatively rich terrain. It's really friendly, catering to a wide range of people, with a gentle tree run course, a park next to the lift, and family-friendly facilities. When I went to Happo at the beginning of the season to ski, I almost cried because I couldn't ski, so Jigatake was the perfect place to practice my skills. Another plus point is that if you have a volleyball ticket, you can get free curry rice on weekdays, lol.
STEEP: Thank you both so much for sharing your stories.
10th Anniversary Hakuba Valley All Mountain Season Pass Early Bird Discount Available Until October 30th
The 2025-2026 season marks the 10th year since the start of valley ticket sales. Anticipation for the 2025-2026 season is building as each ski resort in Hakuba Valley announces new season pass types and updates on expanded facilities and services. The early bird discount period, where you can get tickets at a lower price than the regular price, runs until October 30th. Be sure to sift through the abundance of information before the season begins.
| Denomination | Selling price Adult | Sale price: Little people (ages 6-12) | Sales period |
|---|---|---|---|
| early bird | 154,000 yen | 81,000 yen | 8/29 (Fri) - 10/30 (Thu) |
| generally | 184,000 yen | 97,000 yen | 10/31 (Fri) - 2/2 (Mon) |
Information
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