Mellow Turns Japan: A Ski Diary

SASAKI Kensuke

A personal ski diary by an ordinary weekend skier from Gunma, Japan. Beyond the hype of deep powder and resort marketing, this podcast shares the quiet, everyday side of Japanese skiing: clean morning corduroy, mellow cruising turns, gear, and local mountains. Based in Gunma, with yearly trips to Hakuba and Myoko to observe their 10-year transformation. Sometimes by car, sometimes by train. Updated bi-weekly during the winter season. Grab a warm drink, and enjoy the anticipation of winter.

Episodes

  1. 2d ago

    The Joy of Ski Gear and Mountain Culture | Mellow Turns Japan Ep. 03

    Welcome back to Mellow Turns Japan: A Ski Diary.In this episode, we talk about a joy that every skier knows all too well: the gear. From flipping through catalogs and comparing specs on quiet autumn evenings to feeling how a pair of skis responds under your feet, equipment is a huge part of the fun—and a reflection of how we experience the mountain.I start by sharing my own three-ski lineup: my trusty ID one Free Ride series for technical carving (currently getting tuned up in Isesaki), a pair of Blastrack Improve 93s for powder days, and Völkl Revolt 95s for playful freestyle sessions. From there, we explore how ski gear reveals two very different mountain cultures in Japan—contrasting the international crowd cruising on wide fat skis at Hakuba with the calm, technique-oriented atmosphere and junior racers at my home mountain of Marunuma Kogen in Gunma. Finally, we touch on ski wear as personal fashion, and why I always end up in a rare all-black outfit on colorful Japanese slopes.Grab a warm drink, and let’s talk gear and mountain culture.---☕ Topics Covered:00:00 Opening: The simple joy of ski gear and catalog specs01:21 My ski lineup: ID one (Free Ride), Blastrack Improve 93 & Völkl Revolt 9502:29 Hakuba Happo-one: Fat skis and international resort culture03:25 Marunuma Kogen: A calm, technique-focused local atmosphere04:03 Two mountain worlds and what anchors my winter04:50 Outro: All-black ski wear, saying hello on the slopes & schedule---🎿 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 groomers, and thoughtful reflections from the mountains. (Updated twice a month, on the 10th and 25th, through the end of the ski season.)🎙️Watch on YouTube:https://youtu.be/pXPakLDz8nY💬 We'd love to hear from you:What’s in your ski lineup for this winter, and what colors do you wear on the slopes? Let us know in the comments!#SkiingJapan #SkiGear #Hakuba #MarunumaKogen #MellowTurnsJapan #SkiPodcast

  2. Oct 24

    The Future of Our Snow and the Art of Ichigo-Ichie | Mellow Turns Japan Ep. 02

    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. --- ☕ 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 --- 🎿 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! --- Produced by Two Twelve

  3. Oct 9

    Beyond Japow: Cruising Quiet Slopes in Japan | Mellow Turns Japan Ep. 01

    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

  • 3 Episodes

About

A personal ski diary by an ordinary weekend skier from Gunma, Japan. Beyond the hype of deep powder and resort marketing, this podcast shares the quiet, everyday side of Japanese skiing: clean morning corduroy, mellow cruising turns, gear, and local mountains. Based in Gunma, with yearly trips to Hakuba and Myoko to observe their 10-year transformation. Sometimes by car, sometimes by train. Updated bi-weekly during the winter season. Grab a warm drink, and enjoy the anticipation of winter.

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