Episode 21 of the Snow County Stories Japan podcast brings us to Nagano City, the capital of the large, landlocked and mountainous Nagano Prefecture. Host of the 1998 Winter Olympic Games, Nagano is blessed with heavy snow and home to fantastic ski resorts, many of Japan’s highest mountains and multiple national parks. As the largest city in the region, Nagano City is the primary transit point for visitors heading to those ski resorts, mountains and national parks with many if not most people...

Episode 20 of the Snow Country Stories Japan takes us back to Aizu in Fukushima Prefecture and Japan’s newest ski resort, Hoshino Resorts Nekoma Mountain. In this episode I speak with Ishiuchi Kei, an accomplished snowboarder with a lot of experience working in the ski industry and genuine enthusiasm for Nekoma and the Aizu region. A true snow guru, Kei speaks about Nekoma Mountain with genuine enthusiasm. Nekoma Mountain consists of two older resorts – Alts Bandai and Nekoma Snow Park - that...

Episode 19 of the podcast takes us into the deep snow country of Tokamachi in Niigata, where we venture into the beautiful, heavily forested hills and minor mountains of that area, and onto the secluded Mithila Museum to speak with its director Hasegawa Tokio. An avant-garde musician and artist, Hasegawa-san founded Mithila Museum in 1982, and today, the museum houses one the world’s major collection of Mithila or Madhubani art while Hasegawa-san remains an active, innovative and legendary...

Episode 18 of the podcast takes us once again to Niigata Prefecture and the snow country area of Matsunoyama. Famous for its very heavy snowfall, Matsunoyama is a place in many ways defined by that snow. In this episode I speak with Kamimura Shotaro, a regional revitalisation coordinator based in Matsunoyama. Shotaro’s work tasks him with revitalisation of the community and as such, we discuss the multiple challenges being faced by the people of Matsunoyama while also exploring the...

Episode 17 of the podcast takes us to Niigata Prefecture and the deep snow of Myoko Kogen. Located on the flanks of Mount Myoko, Myoko Kogen is a collective named used to refer to five ski resorts, renowned for their very heavy snowfall and some of Japan’s best powder riding.  In this episode I speak with Billy Halloran, a talented snowboarder and operator of The Greenhouse Myoko, a self-contained lodge tucked away in picturesque village near the base of Myoko  Suginohara Ski Resort....

Episode 16 of the podcast brings us back to Nagano Prefecture and one of the snow country’s most popular destinations, Jigokudani Yaen Koen – more commonly referred to as the Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park. Located in the enclave of Yamanouchi – 50 to 60 minutes from Nagano City – the park is home to a curious troop of Japanese macaques known for the love of bathing in hot springs. This episode has everything you need to know to plan your visit to the monkey park including just why the monkeys...

Episode 15 of the podcast takes us to the north of Honshu and the prefecture of Akita. Known for its natural beauty and wild landscapes, Akita is a place that my guest Eli Sooker spends much of his time. Eli is a conservationist, writer, wildlife photographer and eco tour guide based in Japan whose current research focuses on bear conservation and specifically, bear attacks. His research is the launching point for our conversation about wildlife conservation and the potential of wildlife...

Episode 14 of the podcast takes us once again to Nagano Prefecture and Son of the Smith Hard Cider brewery. Opened in 2020, Son of the Smith Hard Cider are in many ways forging a new era for cider in Japan – a country that doesn’t have a strong cider tradition. In this episode, I speak with head brewer Ikeuchi Takuro about the brewery’s founding vision and the cider they are now producing – work that is redefining what is possible when it comes to cider. As Ikeuchi-san explains, his...

Episode 13 of the podcast – and the first of Season 2 – brings us back to Nagano and Japan’s largest ski resort, Shiga Kogen. A host venue in the 1998 Winter Olympic Games, Shiga Kogen Mountain Resort is Japan’s largest and highest ski resort and enjoys the longest season of any resort in Nagano or Central Japan. Despite this the resort remains relatively unknown to international visitors… In this episode I speak with Robel Zemichael, manager of Shiga International Ski School. Robel is a...

I am happy to announce that Season 2 of ‘Snow Country Stories Japan’ begins on Tuesday 19th September 2023. And I’m just as happy to say, there’s a lot to look forward to in the coming season! As we head toward and into another winter, Season 2 of the podcast will take us deeper into Japan’s snow country including episodes covering some of Japan’s best ski resorts and the fantastic skiing, snowboarding and backcountry on offer here. Of course that’s just part of the snow country story and in...

Snow Country Stories Japan remains on a break between Season 1 and Season 2. This is the second upload of two previous episodes  - an edit of what was Episode 04 / Nakano of 100 Empty Houses: In Search of Solutions to Japan's Akiya Problem. The original episode was around 1 hour in length whereas this edit is just over 20 minutes. Another of my most rewarding chats from Season 1, in this episode I speak with Murai Shota about his work in Nakano - a small town outside of Nagano City - and...

Snow Country Stories Japan is currently on a break between Season 1 and Season 2. As promised, during this period I’ll be uploading a couple of previous episodes, beginning with this edit of what was Episode 2 of the podcast. The original episode was the longest to date at over 1 hour whereas this edit is just over 20 minutes.  I consider this chat to be one of the best I've had to date. The original episode was however squeezed between the first and third episodes, which were published on...

Episode 12 of the podcast is the first of my intended travel guides for recommended destinations in the snow country. Located just outside of Nagano City, Togakushi is home to some of Japan’s most important Shinto shrines and one of the snow country’s most important cultural landscapes. Mount Togakushi has been a focal point of devotion for more than 1000 years with its shrines and the story of Togakushi linked to Shinto creation myths,  giving it true significance within Japanese culture ....

In Episode 11 of Snow Country Stories Japan, I speak with Yuki Iwanami, a renowned photographer based in the snow country area of Aizu in Fukushima. Yuki’s photography explores the humanity of man-made and natural disasters such as war, trafficking and earthquakes. As such, his portfolio features his work in countries including Nepal, Pakistan, China, India and Cambodia along with his home country of Japan. As of March 2011, Yuki was working as a photographer for The Yomiuri Shimbun - one of...

In Episode 10 of Snow Country Stories Japan, I speak with Sam Yoneda, lead distiller at the newly opened but already well-awarded Nozawa Onsen Distillery. Founded with a vision to produce gin and whisky that reflect the character of Nozawa Onsen, the distillery opened its doors to the public in December 2022 and since that time has won multiple awards both in Japan and abroad – awards including four gold medals at the 2023 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, four medals – including...

In Episode 09 of Snow Country Stories Japan, I speak with Tim Bunting. Based in Yamagata but originally from New Zealand, Tim is a practicing ‘yamabushi’ and better known by his moniker the ‘Kiwi Yamabushi’. Translating as ‘one who prostrates himself on a mountain’, the word ‘yamabushi’ refers to mountain ascetics – those who practices various forms of shugendo – a syncretic faith system or systems that blend Shintoism, Buddhism, Taoism, folklore and more – of which ritual and practice in...

In Episode 08 of Snow Country Stories Japan I delve a little deeper into what and where the snow country is, why I value it, why I think you should visit and my own story and the services I provide as a writer and guide based in Nagano. I also provide some basic information about how to get to the snow country, which obviously depends to your exact destination and how you want to travel. As discussed in the episode, the term ‘雪国 / yukiguni’ or ‘snow country’, refers to regions and areas of...

In Episode 07 of Snow Country Stories Japan, I speak with Kevin Kato, a guide and writer based in Matsumoto, Nagano. Kevin guides extended cycling and walking tours in Japan and in the first half of the interview we discuss the pleasure we both find in guiding, the need to convey of sense of place to guests and the growing popularity of cycling, including cycling tours and new routes in Japan. The Japan Alps Cycling Road is one such route that we touch upon briefly during the interview – a...

In Episode 06 of Snow Country Stories Japan, I had the privilege of visiting Shiga Kogen Brewery – one of the snow country’s most recognisable, popular and awarded breweries. Established in 2004 by the founder and master brewer, Sato Eigo, Shiga Kogen Brewery grew out of his family’s much older Tamamura Honten – a sake brewery dating back more than 200 years – with a vision to produce beers with character and that reflected the local area. Today it is known for its ales and IPAs, Shiga Kogen...

In Episode 05 of Snow Country Stories Japan, I speak with Hayashi Motohiro - better known as ‘Moto the Mountain Guide’. Moto is a true man of the mountains, an experienced guide who makes his working and guiding in Japan’s tallest mountains. As such, Moto is most certainly leading the high life here in the snow country of Japan. Japan is in every sense a country of mountains. Over 70% of the Japanese land mass is designated as mountainous or rugged. Japan has 21 mountains over 3000 metres...

Hello again from the snow country! This is a short announcement to let you know that as of this week, the name of the podcast will be changing from ‘Snow Country For Old Men’ to ‘Snow Country Stories Japan’ and with that, the website address will also be updated. The reasons for the change are simple and won’t result in any alteration to the podcast content or our usual bi-weekly schedule. While I’m very fond of the current name, I want to make things a little clearer for listeners and help...

In Episode 04 of Snow Country Stories Japan*, I speak with Murai Shota. Shota is a young man originally from Nagoya and now living in small town of Nakano in Nagano; and tasked with finding solutions to, or it could be said new beginnings for, Nakano’s estimated 1000 empty houses.  Known as ‘空き家 / akiya’ in Japanese - a word that translates as ‘empty house’ – it is estimated that 13% of houses in Japan are unoccupied or abandoned. They can be exceptionally cheap to buy but also, notoriously...

In Episode 03 of Snow Country Stories Japan*, I speak with Komatsu Haruna, a multi-talented musician and performer based in Iizuna, Nagano. Haruna is a member of Iizuna Gongen Daiko, a local ‘taiko’ (drum) group that has been performing for over 30 years. Haruna joined Iizuna Gongen Daiko in 2017 and now both performs and composes music for the group, including compositions to tell the story and promote the ‘Iizuna Saburo Tengu’ – a ‘yokai’ (supernatural being) said to live deep in the...

Episode 02 of Snow Country Stories Japan* transports us to Togari, Nagano to chat with Rich Morgan. Rich and his wife Maiko are engaged in the ongoing restoration of their home, a 200 year old traditional farmhouse. Known as ‘kominka’ in Japanese, these beautiful houses acted much like lifeboats within the heavy snow, allowing families to sustain themselves through winter. The skill and strength of the construction required to withstand the snow means that kominka survive to this day, however...

Hello and welcome to the first episode of Snow Country Stories Japan* – a podcast about life in Japan’s legendary ‘yukiguni’. In Episode 01 of the podcast I sat down for a chat with Mark of Madarao Mountain Lodge. Originally from Sydney, Australia, Mark has been living in Japan for years and operating his ski lodge in Madarao since 2017. He’s a big part of the community and a wealth of knowledge about Madarao, life in the snow country and Japan in general.  The interview starts with Mark and...