Mellow Turns Japan: A Ski Diary

Welcome back to Mellow Turns Japan: A Ski Diary.

In this episode, we dive into a topic close to every skier’s heart: global warming and the future of our snow. With an ongoing Super El Niño gripping the Pacific, seasonal outlooks bring more questions than answers.

Drawing from a decade of New Year ski trips to Hakuba Happo-one, I reflect on the increasingly erratic early seasons—from years when the valley floor remained bare, to razor-thin base runs where you risk gouging your skis. We also look at a sobering 2026 study published in Seppyo (Journal of the Japanese Society of Snow and Ice), projecting how climate warming scenarios could drastically shrink Japan's skiable terrain.

Yet winter will still arrive. Rooted in the Japanese tea ceremony concept of "Ichigo-Ichie" (一期一会)—cherishing every unrepeatable moment—how should we approach the seasons ahead?

Grab a warm drink, and let’s reflect on our changing mountains and the turns waiting for us.

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☕ Topics Covered:

00:00 Opening: Super El Niño and seasonal anxiety

01:39 A decade of New Year observations at Hakuba Happo-one

04:06 A wake-up call: The 2026 Seppyo study on Japanese ski resorts

06:05 Outro: Savoring the moment: The spirit of "Ichigo-Ichie" on snow

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🎿 About the Podcast:

"Mellow Turns Japan" is an English-spoken ski diary by an ordinary weekend skier based in Gunma Prefecture. Looking beyond the chest-deep powder hype, it shares the quiet, everyday side of Japanese ski culture, crisp morning corduroy, and thoughtful reflections from the mountains.

💬 We'd love to hear from you:

How are you feeling about the upcoming winter season? Let us know in the comments!

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Produced by Two Twelve

Welcome to the very first episode of Mellow Turns Japan: A Ski Diary.While the ski world often hypes up Japan for chest-deep powder ("Japow") and extreme tree runs, there is another, much calmer side to winter here: crisp morning corduroy, quiet local resorts, and the pure, relaxed joy of mellow cruising turns.In this introductory episode, I share my perspective as an ordinary weekend hobby skier based in Gunma Prefecture—just north of Tokyo. From dropping off skis for their annual pre-season tune-up in Isesaki to observing how legendary valleys like Hakuba and Myoko have evolved over the past decade, this diary is an honest, unhurried look at everyday ski culture in Japan.Grab a warm drink, sit back, and enjoy the anticipation of the upcoming winter.---TIMESTAMPS:0:00 - Introduction & Autumn in Gunma1:28 - The Reality of a Weekend Hobby Skier2:22 - What "Mellow Turns" Mean: Groomers Over Powder3:29 - Home Base Gunma & A Decade in Hakuba and Myoko4:04 - Closing & Outro---Produced by Two Twelve