Giving back to the mountains of my hometown, Tohoku, I'm climbing mountains again today | Backcountry Guide Mariko Sato - Spur Akita Mountain Guide -

While the great appeal of backcountry skiing in the great outdoors lies in the many dangers lurking in the snowy mountains, backcountry guides are experts who ensure safety in the snowy mountains while providing an indescribable skiing experience based on their extensive knowledge and experience. We take a closer look at the personalities and guiding of up-and-coming guides who have chosen to be professional guides as their profession and are slowly and steadily delving deeper into this world, step by step

Days spent devoting myself to alpine skiing at the foot of Mt. Chokai

For Sato, who grew up at the foot of Mount Chokai, a famous mountain that represents Akita Prefecture and is one of Japan's 100 most famous mountains, skiing has been a pastime he has enjoyed since he was a child

"I was born and raised on a farm near a ski resort that was covered in snow in the winter. My parents and older brother were skiers, so as soon as I started walking, I would strap on ski boots and ski down the mountain behind our house or on the slopes. My favorite slope was Chokai Kogen Yajima Ski Resort. At the time, there was a ski boom during the bubble economy, and I remember seeing skiers lining up for the lifts, just like in the movie 'Take Me Skiing'."

In his fourth year of elementary school, he joined a youth sports club and began alpine skiing in earnest. His enjoyment of skiing blossomed in junior high school, and he placed highly in the prefectural tournament. During this time, he visited many ski resorts in the prefecture, including Lake Tazawa, Moriyoshiyama Ani, Akita Hachimantai, and Jeunesse Kurikoma, and experienced the charm of Akita's snow firsthand

A high school ski club teacher invited him to join her, and he entered high school on a ski recommendation. However, he was unable to achieve the results he had hoped for in alpine skiing

"Maybe because I'd always skied on soft snow, I struggled on the hard ice and couldn't get the time I wanted, so I gave up. I felt bad for the teacher who had invited me, and frustrated with myself, so it was tough. There were times when I thought about quitting, but I really loved snow, so I've continued to this day."

Skiing saved my life and helped me regain my identity

After graduating from high school, I shifted from alpine skiing to recreational skiing.

"I've always admired security professions since I was a child, so I decided to join the Self-Defense Forces. I really wanted to live somewhere with snow, so I requested a posting in the northern region. Once I joined, I found an environment where I could continue skiing in my free time while working, and I naturally became more dedicated to competitive skiing."

Before he knew it, he was aiming to compete in the All Japan Ski Technical Championships, and through his hard work he was able to qualify. After a setback, he found his way back to skiing, something he had come to dislike. And now, skiing has saved his life

"After three years as a Maritime Self-Defense Force officer, I struggled with relationships and was diagnosed with depression. At the time, I wanted to die every day. Seeing me like that, my skiing buddies took pity on me and said, 'Cheer up,' and took me to a base camp on Mt. Hakkoda. I'll never forget that day, April 1st. The weather was clear and the snow was fresh. Looking out over the mountains of my hometown, from Hakkoda covered in rime to Mt. Iwaki, Mt. Hachimantai, and Mt. Moriyoshi, I felt like my heart had been cleansed, and I burst into tears, without caring who was watching. I thought, if I could see such beautiful scenery, I should try to live a little longer."

The snowy mountains of Tohoku are what drive my life

This mountain trip marked the beginning of Sato's life, as the snowy mountains of his hometown, Tohoku, began to change his life. "I'm going to fail if I don't change my environment," he thought, and decided to resign. A few years later, when he was thinking about what he wanted to do with his life, he decided he wanted to find a job that would allow him to use his skiing skills. After gathering information from magazines and the internet, he learned for the first time about backcountry guides, who make a living from mountain skiing

"Wow, I was amazed to learn that such a job existed. I can use Hakkoda, where my soul was purified, and Mount Chokai, which I have seen since I was a child, as my workplace and introduce them to all kinds of people. I thought it was such a wonderful job."

I came across the website of the International Nature and Outdoor College (hereinafter referred to as i-nac) in Myoko City, Niigata Prefecture, and decided to go and visit the school

"There was a student two years above me who was studying at the school, and she encouraged me by saying, '29 isn't too late at all. If you want to do it, just give it a try.' That's what made me decide to enroll. She's now a lecturer in the mountaineering professional department."

He could have been involved in skiing as an SA J certified instructor. Why did he choose the harsh world of snowy mountains as his work setting?

"I had experience working on the slopes, teaching skiing and getting paid for it, but I couldn't imagine making a living from it. Instructors have to explain skiing in words as well as demonstrate technique. I wasn't good at expressing physical movements in words. And more than anything, the quiet snowy mountains were more comfortable and suited me than the crowded slopes."

Student life in Myoko Kogen, where the four seasons are so distinct, felt like summer vacation every day, and he enjoyed it. He would have bonfires and camp in front of the school, and slide down the mountains of snow that had been cleared away with snowboards. However, he was often discouraged by the harsh reality of becoming a mountain guide

"When Daisuke Sasaki, an international mountain guide from Hokkaido, came as a special lecturer, I went skiing on Mount Takatsuma carrying a tent. I was the only woman there, and I was exhausted from the heavy load and deep snow breaking through. He told me, 'Sato-chan, please break through the snow for 100 steps,' but my pace was too fast and my lungs couldn't keep up, so I could only walk 80 steps. Those frustrating memories have stayed with me to this day."

I had to teach classes under the same circumstances as high school graduates and boys in their twenties. It was physically exhausting. I was no longer enjoying the mountains. At that time, the words of international mountain guide Makoto Kuroda, who was my special lecturer, have remained in my mind to this day, and they continue to support and guide me as I continue to guide

"Mountains don't go easy on you, whether you're a man or a woman. If you keep at your weak areas, you'll be rewarded. If you love mountains, keep trying."

His strong beliefs and love for his hometown move those around him

　The wonderful encounters that skiing brought about did not end there

"During my third year at university, I went on a ski trip to Mt. Iwaki. By chance, I met Takahashi Kosei of Iwate Backcountry Guides in the mountains, and when I told him I wanted to be a guide in Tohoku, he asked me if I wanted to work as a tail guide for him. I worked as a sub-guide for Takahashi for three seasons while I was still a student, and learned how to behave and know-how on the job."

During his second year at university, he was accepted as an intern at the Hakkoda Guide Club, where he worked for about three weeks under the guidance of the club's leader, Hiroyoshi Soma, staying in a mountain lodge. He chose Hakkoda because the spectacular scenery that saved his life during his time in the Self-Defense Forces remained in his mind

Shortly after becoming independent, when the COVID-19 pandemic left him with a completely blank schedule, he was kindly given a part-time job by Haruto Osanai of Ishii Sports Akita. When he returned to Akita after graduating from vocational school, he went to say hello, saying, "I'll be relying on you in the future." Furthermore, through Osanai's introduction, he has been supporting the Swedish handmade ski brand "Extremski" and the Nordic clothing brand "Elevate" since this season

In the spring of his 29th year, he set off for Myoko with the determination to return to Akita in three years and become a guide to Mount Chokai and other mountains in Tohoku. Sato, who had such strong conviction and love for his hometown, was no doubt wholeheartedly supported by his seniors in Tohoku

Fulfilling a promise to myself,
"Spur Akita Mountain Guide Service"

In the spring of 2019, after graduating from vocational school, he founded the guide company "Spur Akita Mountain Guide Service" and began working as a mountain guide commissioned by travel agencies in the summer and as a backup BC guide for other companies in the winter

"Financially, I was never able to become independent, so I couldn't leave my parents' house for a while. It wasn't until my third year that I was able to fill up my schedule and live on my own without relying on my parents. I still don't ski much in the winter. Sometimes I even wonder if I'm skating just for myself (laughs)."

During the peak season, he hosts guided BC tours from two locations: his parents' home in Yurihonjo City and a rented house in Lake Tazawa

"I can't take guests to my home mountain, Mt. Chokai, in the dead of winter because the approach is long and the weather is harsh. Mt. Chokai tours are only available in the spring, in April or May, after the road to the base has been cleared of snow. I climb and ski Mt. Chokai in the dead of winter privately, and it doubles as training. It's really hard work, but the snow is amazing (laughs)."

During the harsh winter months up until April, the tour will be based at Lake Tazawa and will guide in three areas: Lake Tazawa, Mount Moriyoshi, and Hachimantai

"It moves sideways depending on how the snow is falling and the wind direction. For example, if it snows on average, it goes to Mount Moriyoshi or Mount Akita-Komagatake. If there's a strong combination of high pressure in the west and low pressure in the east, it snows too much on the Sea of ​​Japan side, so the snow on the Iwate side is mild and dry. Conversely, if there's a low pressure system off the south coast, it snows on the Pacific side, so it goes to Mount Moriyoshi on the Sea of ​​Japan side."

This tour avoids the areas where it snowed. It's a truly luxurious tour. Being able to move east and west depending on how the snow falls is a plan that can only be done in the snowy Tohoku region

"Akita is a place with extremely poor transportation access, and its snowy mountains are not yet well known. Every visitor who comes here is always surprised and asks, 'There's a place like this in Akita?' Also, the mountains aren't that big and there aren't many steep slopes, so for people who want to ski hard, this mountain range may not be attractive

The wide, open runs can only be skied on the rare days when the weather is stable, unless you go up in altitude. Akita has a low rate of sunny days, so there are a lot of tree runs in the beech forests. That's why it's not an area that many people visit. Part of the reason is that my presence isn't well known, and I haven't been able to make a name for myself yet."

Akita's snowy mountains are the perfect setting

Born and raised in Akita, does Sato take the privileged environment of the Tohoku region for granted? Or is he behaving humbly? As a huge fan of Akita Snow, I (author: Shinya Moriyama) will passionately speak on Sato's behalf

I currently live in Niigata, but I've fallen in love with Akita so much that I wish I could live there. I go on snow trips to Akita twice a year, once during the harsh winter and once during the remaining snow. The ski resorts are empty, and since they're located slightly inland, the snow is great. You can find open runs anywhere in the world, but you can only experience tree runs through giant beech trees in Tohoku. And hot springs are everywhere, with excellent quality and cheap admission fees. Japanese seafood, sake, Akita Komachi rice, Kiritanpo... my stomach is also very satisfied

Above all, the people are warm and generous. Until June, you can enjoy plenty of skiing at Mt. Chokai, Mt. Gassan, and Akita Hachimantai. It's a superb snow paradise that you'd want to enjoy in private, if possible. I'm envious of Sato, who guides around this place, and I'm sure I'm not the only one who thinks she has great foresight

"What makes me happiest is that visitors from Iwate Backcountry Guides and the Hakkoda Guide Club have come to visit, and that horizontal connections have been formed within Tohoku. My next goal is to see visitors flow from Akita to Iwate Hachimantai and Aomori Hakkoda. I hope that in this way we can continue to promote the snow-capped mountains of Tohoku."

I want to stick to Tohoku

　If there is a request, would you guide people to areas other than Tohoku? For example, the Hokushin and Joetsu areas where you lived for three years?

"I've asked to limit my tours to the Tohoku region, from Mt. Iwaki in the north to Mt. Chokai and Mt. Gassan in the south. If I don't go to other mountain ranges, I won't be able to expand my network or knowledge, and I tend to get bored, but I want to stick to the Tohoku region. Many Tohoku guides have their own home mountains and don't leave the region. I want to follow the example of my predecessors."

This probably shows that the snow falls continuously and steadily, allowing you to ski on fresh snow every day, and that the mountain is deep

It may be that foreigners are more aware of the wonders of winter in Tohoku than Japanese people. While not as flashy as the Alps, the pristine snowy mountains are home to modest Japanese people who have lived alongside the snow. It is the snow itself that has shaped the customs, culture, food, and character of the region, and those who want to experience a part of that by experiencing the snow themselves are looking forward to it. Tohoku is waiting for such skiers

"Once I'm able to attract a few more customers, I'd like to do a collaborative tour with fellow guides who have helped me out and with female guides who have been kind to me. Like taking each other's customers to each other's guide areas. I'd like to become a guide who can do that at an early stage

I want to give back to the mountains of Tohoku, which gave me hope for life when I was sick. Also, if there are people who are feeling down like I was in the past, I want to share their energy in the mountains of Tohoku. That's why I'm doing my best here in Tohoku."

Spur Akita Mountain Guide
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