We boarded the Tohoku Shinkansen in Tokyo and stepped off 544 kilometers and three hours later in Morioka. Jimmy Odén and Gakoyo picked us up in two mini-vans—our rockets to shuttle us between secret powder spots.

Our first encounter with the legendary powder snow was near Lake Tazawako. We drove through the Japanese countryside, winding our way up towards the mountains. In this area, many houses are old and abandoned, adding a melancholic charm to the landscape. The winding road eventually brought us to a parking lot outside a mountain onsen, a place many locals came to visit frequently.

Our first ski tour began at Ganiba Onsen, taking us up the magical mountains of Tazawako. Experiencing Japanese powder for the first time is unforgettable. The snow was light and puffy, covering everything except for the creeks and rivers that was still open and warm from the hot volcanic water running in the area.