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About Jamie O’Brien

Jamie has been skiing and snowboarding for more than 30 years. Based in Singapore for the last decade, he organises frequent multi-resort trips to Japan.
Latest Posts | By Jamie O’Brien
Is Rusutsu the Japanese ski resort that truly has it all?
1 month ago

Is Rusutsu the Japanese ski resort that truly has it all?

Ski trips inevitably involve some sort of compromise. It’s very hard to find a resort with great powder, modern lifts, slopeside accommodation, good food, activities other than skiing and snowboarding, …
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Avoid the Niseko crowds and get off the beaten track at Japan’s Aomori Spring ski resort
2 months ago

Avoid the Niseko crowds and get off the beaten track at Japan’s Aomori Spring ski resort

This year, Japan has exploded as a destination as coverage on TikTok and other social media has fuelled record visitor numbers to popular tourist spots and the famous ski resorts …
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Japan has invented a totally new way for beginners to learn to ski
3 months ago

Japan has invented a totally new way for beginners to learn to ski

By  •  News

F Village isn’t really a ski resort at all, which is a very good thing if you’re a complete beginner or a family who want to try snowsports without the …
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An insider’s guide to planning a ski trip to Japan – and saving money
7 months ago

An insider’s guide to planning a ski trip to Japan – and saving money

By  •  Guides

If you want to save, planning and booking the individual parts of your winter trip to Japan online is the best move. It involves a little more effort, but when …
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I hired an Olympic gold medallist for the day at Japan’s Aomori Spring Resort
9 months ago

I hired an Olympic gold medallist for the day at Japan’s Aomori Spring Resort

By  •  Guides

I don’t think there are many places in the world where you can “hire” a snowboarding Olympic gold medallist for the day, but that’s exactly what’s on offer at Aomori …
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Morioka: The perfect base for a DIY powder-hunting road trip in Japan
11 months ago

Morioka: The perfect base for a DIY powder-hunting road trip in Japan

By  •  Guides

If you’re used to ski trips where you stay in the same resort for a week or more, usually at a ski-in, ski-out hotel, organising a multi-resort ski trip can …
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Deep dry powder and a world-class superpipe at hidden gem Aomori Spring
1 year ago

Deep dry powder and a world-class superpipe at hidden gem Aomori Spring

There’s something about Aomori Spring that adds up to more than the sum of its parts. Like many resorts in Japan, it’s not big and the runs aren’t very long, …
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Is Appi Kogen the best ski resort in Japan that nobody has heard of?
1 year ago

Is Appi Kogen the best ski resort in Japan that nobody has heard of?

When you tell people you’re visiting Appi Kogen resort you usually get blank faces, but Appi is up there with the largest in Japan. Shiga Kogen leads the way with …
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Amihari Onsen is a beautifully quiet Japanese ski resort where nothing has changed for 30 years
1 year ago

Amihari Onsen is a beautifully quiet Japanese ski resort where nothing has changed for 30 years

If you’ve never done any tree runs or powder skiing, Amihari Onsen Ski Resort is one of the best places in Japan to start. It’s a compact resort close to …
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Do you need a dedicated powder board to make the most of Japan’s deep powder?
1 year ago

Do you need a dedicated powder board to make the most of Japan’s deep powder?

By  •  Guides

When you first snowboard in Japan, you immediately notice how many riders are on directional powder boards. They are a relatively rare sight in the USA and Europe, and probably …
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