After a friendly pickup by Brian and his amazing crew at the train station, they dropped me and my new partners in crime off in Kiroro.

Soon after we arrived, we started training for our level one NZSIA exam. Long and Intense, but good days with a variety of instructors. It was good to ski with different instructors. They all have there own teaching style and approach so I got the maximum out of training. In no time, my skiing performance improved, and I was ready to take the first instructing exam with success. Two weeks later, I was instructing in Kiroro. Finally put into practice what we have learned. After the intense start of the year we had some more time in-between the training sessions to go explore other resorts in Hokkaido and the backcountry of Kiroro.

I almost feel bad writing about Kiroro, I want to keep it for myself. Kiroro – a gem of a ski resort – is small compared to what I’m used to in Europe. But the snow, Oh my god!, the snow is amazing. When freeriding and especially touring the opportunities are endless. That’s truly the best snow I ever skied in my life. A snorkel is needed for de deep days and deep days are pretty common.

Life is simple but very satisfying in Kiroro. You stay in one of the two staff complexes in the resort minutes away from the lifts. You mingle with the Western and Japanese staff – super easy – no problem finding a riding buddy”. You eat together, you drink together, you ride together. We took full advantage of the off days and skied pretty much every day the best snow on earth until it became spring, past the second and much harder exam and it was sadly time to leave this wonderful place, until next time I guess 😉