YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan --
In the middle of winter in Japan, Yokota Airmen might be tempted to bundle up and stay indoors. With a little help from 374th Force Support Squadron Outdoor Recreation, there are plenty of opportunities for Airmen and their families to find a world of winter activities to channel energy into.
Outdoor Recreation recently took a group of adventurers to Nagano prefecture to experience the ski and snowboarding slopes of the town of Nozawa-Onsen, one of the sites of the 1998 Winter Olympics. Yokota members arrived at the resort at 8 a.m. to enjoy the slopes and town below until departing at 4 p.m.
According to Junji Kunimatsu 374th FSS Outdoor Recreation recreation specialist, Nozawa-Onsen is known for its quality snow, drawing powder-hunters from across the world. It is a small, traditional-style town sporting 100-year-old hot springs.
After receiving a briefing on the services provided at the resort, the Airmen took their gear and hit the slopes. The slopes are split into three levels; green, which are slopes for beginners, red for intermediate and black for experts.
There are two gondolas and several ski lifts to make it easy to get back to the top, and enough slopes to keep participants busy all day.
The view from the top reveals a sweeping landscape of forested mountains and the town below. Some of the slopes cut a path through the trees while others are much wider. There are lock boxes at the bottom and the top of the mountain for a few hundred Yen.
"The trip was amazing," said Airman 1st Class Joshua Johnson, 374th Communications Squadron cyber system operator. "Our guide, Kuni-san, was very knowledgeable about the resort and the mountain, making the experience for a first time snowboarder less intimidating. In spite of the learning curve and the large amount of bruises on my body, I enjoyed soaking up the scenery and progressing in a new sport."
People have the option of bringing their own gear or rent from Yokota Outdoor Recreation, which also offers repair and prep for gear.
Kunimatsu explained that, with over 600 ski resorts throughout the country, winter sports are popular in Japan and Outdoor Recreation offers a variety of winter sporting opportunities. For more experienced customers, they offer back-country skiing and snowboarding, which involves hiking through the wilderness to the slope. They also offer Nordic (or cross-country) skiing, and for a more relaxing or family-oriented option, they offer sledding. Trips may include ski and snowboarding lessons for beginners.
For experienced skiers and snowboarders, Kunimastu offers the opportunity to become a volunteer instructor. Volunteer instructors receive all expenses paid for any day that they instruct, including for over-night trips. The evaluation and orientation class begins early this December.
Outdoor Recreation provides an easy and inexpensive way to travel to and throughout the mountains. Yokota personnel and their families can take a trip without having to worry about the gas or tolls. According to Kunimastu, driving toNozawa-Onsen can collectively cost more than what Outdoor Recreation charges to get there. Further, for someone not used to the mountains in Japan, driving conditions can be difficult and sometimes cars are required to have chains.
Outdoor Recreation is open to all Yokota personnel and their families, providing opportunities to explore the outdoors in avenues from canyoning to rock climbing to guided tours to experience the best of Japan. Trips and tours may be one or several days.
"With the change in seasons come changes in how you participate in outdoor sports," said Matt Beebe, 374 FSS Outdoor Recreation assistant manager. "You just dress differently. In the winter you can have outstanding views of Japan's amazing mountains because of the clear cold air. You just make the best of every season!"
It's not just about the sports, Beebe explained.
"Outdoor Recreation trips offer the Yokota community a way to get out and see parts of Japan that they might not explore on their own," said Beebe. "They can become immersed in the Japanese way of life. No matter how many times you explore this country there is always something new to experience. Not to mention the fantastic winter sports that are available this time of year."
For a full list of opportunities and prices Outdoor Recreation is offering this month along with a preview of the next month, visit http://www.yokotasupport.com/odr/. Brochures with this information can be found in the Yujo and in the Outdoor Recreation office. At the office, there is also a tentative schedule for the whole winter, but prices and locations are subject to change. For any other information, call the office at 225-4552.