www.hakkodapowder.com 

 I found a pretty nifty site all about skiing and snowboarding here in northern Japan.   It’s run by this guy who offers guiding services up in the Hakkoda mountains.  The Hakkoda’s are up here in Aomori Prefecture, and are a pretty big mountain range.  They’re very popular to ski/snowboard at but I’ve been hesitant to try them myself as I’m a very inexperienced boarder.  Last year some time I got to take the ropeway up to the top of the mountain and look around during a tour.  It was a really nice view, and you could see Aomori city and the bay it’s on from the top.  I’ve also seen some tours that do hiking trips through the mountains there, and I’m interested in going on one.  I’m gonna have to keep an eye out for one that’s offered as I really don’t like having to drive all the way there cause it’s 2-3hr drive up and back and then I’d be walking around too so I’d be tired driving back.  While taking a bus tour can be a little annoying, it’s cheap and relaxing for the most part.

Oh, I also found the link to the official Hakkoda Ropeway site: http://www.hakkoda-ropeway.jp/  Now I really want to go hiking there ^^  It looks so pretty.

Oh, the hakkodapowder has a bunch of info on festivals up here in the Aomori prefecture too!  He actually wrote about several I haven’t gone to yet, but I too hope soon.  Not this coming weekend, but the next is a fireworks festival out at Lake Towada, and I’m itching to go.  Lake Towada is K and mine’s favorite place to go for a nice relaxing day.