RIDE JAPAN. « stapledesign.com

RIDE JAPAN.

After setting up A NICE SET in Reed Space JPN, myself, HF, AK and a few others headed north for some deep powder riding. It’s pretty amazing…1 hour north of Tokyo in a small town called Aomori and you are in the BOONIES. We had zero form of communications for the entire time. It was a winter wonderland for sure. I don’t care what the experts say but I admit it: I get stressed out when there’s no connection to the world. 4 days without internet, email and phones is rough for me. I can understand if you’re gonna tune out for like 3 months or something. But that means you’re doing something drastic to change your life. 4 days is just annoying to people. Also, you can’t help but think about the avalanche of work you will have facing you upon your return. I much prefer to keep an organized state of controlled chaos while I am away, so I know everything is at least kosher, if not running perfectly.
Anyway, I did enjoy myself nevertheless. Dumps of fresh powder, natural volcanic hot springs, amazing food, good company…can’t be topped.

Aomori: Where the snow never stops.

1 hour’s flight from Tokyo takes you to this winter wonderland. Our first stop up there, loading up essential vitamins & minerals: Junk Food and Cup-O-Noodles.

Did I mention there was some snow involved?

(Ohhhh, is this the reason we’re all wearing homing beacons around our waist??)

If you want the fresh stuff, you have to earn it. Much more hiking than riding on day one.

And it was bloody steep.

Self portrait via Shuzo of Gallery 1950.

Snowboarding is like life: If you want the good stuff, you gotta go find it yourself.

But as in life, rewards are a plenty. Here is an old school “onsen” or public hot spring bathhouse. This particular one was co-ed which was new to me! (I swear its cold outside!)

After hours was HOT as we partied it up in the VIP Room sipping Cristal and smoking cigars with famous actors and rock stars.
…Or was it actually a combination of cards, Sony PSP, and passing in and out of consciousness?

The HF you never get to see. On his way to a basketball pick up game? haha…no, actually on his way to Onsen.

We were luck to have even made it here because of the blizzard conditions. (First time I have ever experienced needing 2 tries to land the plane.) But I am glad we did. This place is really amazing. If you are into serious riding…come to Aomori/Hakkoda. (Those stumps are all trees by the way.)