JAPAN 2025: Trip of a Lifetime!    By Terri Corbo

Sixty-seven people experienced a once-in-a-lifetime 2-week trip to Japan that included skiing (of course) & touring in 3 areas – Tokyo, Hakuba Valley & Kyoto.  

TOKYO – Japan’s Capital & the World’s Most Populous Metropolis!

Our 13-hour flight from Newark landed at Narita Airport.  We stayed at the Keio Plaza Hotel where we were greeted by elevator operators that bowed to us as we left for our hotel rooms.

Buffet breakfast included matcha ice cream, salad, waffles, beef curry, fruit, eggs, pastries, wontons, omelets, miso soup and lots of other delicious items. We enjoyed cocktails on the 45th floor with an amazing view of the Tokyo Skyline.  The hotel had a typical Japanese toilet with heated seat and several options for “washing”.

We had a Walking/Subway Tour which included the Ginzo Fish Market.  We explored the small streets with vendors offering scallops, oysters, giant crab legs, wagyu beef, Japanese knives, fans, chop sticks & kimonos.  We gathered for a group lunch that included sashimi, fried pork, spaghetti, pitchers of beer & cocktails.

The next day we toured by bus & had Japanese Guides with us all day!  We visited the Imperial Palace Gardens & the sacred Meiji Shrine learning about Japanese culture & history.  We enjoyed a buffet lunch and celebrated a couple of birthdays too!  We even stopped to see the Statue of Liberty across the harbor from downtown Tokyo?!  It was a smaller version of the real one in NY.

We stopped at the Tokyo Tower and went up to an observation deck that provides a bird’s eye view of the Tokyo Skyline – high rises, temples, highways, cemeteries & train tracks.  We ended the day with dinner & drinks at Gonpachi where the movie KILL BILL was filmed.

We also got to experience a very big light show on the Municipal Building/skyscraper across the street from our hotel which included GODZILLA from various time periods!  There was also a free observation deck in this building as well.

Some went to DisneySea in Tokyo, and some actually saw the Japanese Emperor on his birthday (Emperor’s Day)!

We found TOKYO to be crowded, clean & exciting!

Hakuba Valley – Japanese Skiing at it’s Best!

We travelled 4 hours by bus to the Hakuba Valley with a view of Mt Fuji in the distance.  We stopped for a lunch break where we ordered food at a kiosk. The Japanese Alps were the backdrop for the afternoon.  As we drove into the Valley, we witnessed the huge amounts of snow on the rooftops and along the side streets.  The road to our hotel was closed due to the snow.  We needed to hike a short distance to the hotel via the detour.

Hotel Stelle Belle provided an amazing breakfast every morning including many Western & Japanese specialties – tempura, curry, wonton.  We had a special visitor the first morning – a local Japanese snow monkey climbed up on the deck to greet us!  We also got to experience the Japanese Onsen – a spa with hot water for soaking.  Yukata (Japanese robes) were provided for our use.

Skiing in Hakuba Valley– Japan’s Largest Snow Resort includes Goryu, Hakuba-47, Iwatake, Happo-One and Cortina.  Nagano (the region of the Japanese Alps) was the site of the 1998 Winter Olympics.  Many of us hired a guide to take us around the different ski areas.  We were blessed with fresh snow on the first day, a few clear bluebird days & the final day was rainy.

We had an amazing dinner that included a buffet of traditional Japanese Food, a Japanese Drumming concert, Sake tasting, Kimono wearing, fresh sushi demonstration & tasting.

One evening we enjoyed dinner at the Hotel but other evenings we ventured out to the area for sushi, martinis, ramen, sake, nightlife, shopping, etc.

Matsumoto Castle, over 400 years old, is the oldest five story tenshu (donjon tower) in Japan. We climbed steep staircases in our socks to experience the historical, cultural & artistic value of this national treasure.  We explored the surrounding town and participated in a group dinner at a local restaurant that included an open bar!

Non-Skiers took advantage of daytime tours such as Itoigawa Sushi Lunch & Amatsu Tour and Omachi Day Tour with Lunch.  Sake tasting was included!

We walked over a mile, uphill, in the snow … to see the Snow Monkey Park – Jigokudani: Snow Monkeys hanging out in the hot springs!  What a unique experience to see these creatures huddling together, grooming each other, kissing their babies – all while we humans stand around and take pictures of them!

One night we had a GROOVY BABY DANCE PARTY! Peace signs, Tie-Dye Shirts & even a pimp showed up!  Whisky tasting, dancing & tons of fun!

KYOTO – Unparalleled Blend of Cultural Heritage & Modern Vibrancy

We travelled by train to Kyoto.  Japan’s Trains/Subway system is extensive.  At times, even our guides got tested with the complexity (wink, wink)!

We stayed at the exquisite Hotel Granvia adjacent to the JR Train Station.  Our rooms had skyline views of the city.  The buffet breakfast was amazing – wagu beef, fresh fruit, croissants, beef curry, sashimi, yogurt, cereals, cheeses, meats, egg cream & so much more!  

A Hot Pot style dinner was held at the Kyoto Izzakaya with traditional Japanese seating.  Some went to a Karaoke spot across the street to rent a private room & belt out their favorite tunes!

We got the opportunity to spend some time in the Bamboo Forest, walk around the grounds of temples amongst Geishas, enjoyed a group lunch and explored the famous shopping mall.

The next day we went to Nara Park which included a visit to the Todai-ji Temple.  This temple is famous for the world’s largest bronze statue of Buddha!  Along the way you are greeted by herds of sacred deer; bow to them & they bow back.  You can buy food to feed them. 

Our last night in Japan was spent in Osaka – the Namba entertainment district – dining, shopping, night clubs, bright lights, a Ferris wheel, boat rides, ice cream.  What a fun evening!!

Throughout Japan you’ll experience Vending Machines – lunch on the mountain or ordering food at a rest stop, or even at an ice cream place – your order is placed on the kiosk, you pay & received a ticket.  You wait for your number to be called & you pick up your food!  We even saw a robot that took the dirty dishes to the kitchen!

7-11 & Lawson’s convenience stores are everywhere you turn.  It was fun to see the many offerings in these establishments.

We found the Japanese people to be extremely friendly, polite and welcoming!

It truly was a Trip-of-a-Lifetime!