German ski instructor turned social media influencer Marius Quast has gained a substantial following reviewing ski resorts across Europe. In his latest video he made his first sojourn to Japan to see if skiing the Hakuba Valley will live up to its legendary status.
Quast’s journey began in Tokyo before hopping in a rental car and making his way to Hakuba Happo-One, arguably the most famous ski resort in the region. Happo-One played host to the 1998 Winter Olympics and is considered the most alpine area in the Hakuba Valley with long runs, challenging slopes, a true alpine feel. Quast then popped over to Hakuba Cortina famous for its dense forest and deep powder, otherwise known as called Japow. The juxtaposition of the mountains is notable and its well worth checking both out for yourself.
Beyond the incredible skiing, Quast was taken back by the Japanese society and culture:
“Japan feels different. Calmer. More structured. More respectful. And at the same time, incredibly fascinating.”
This video is more or less Quast’s first impression of the Japanese ski experience and he plans on following up to answer the question why skiing in Japan feels so different than in the Alps or North America. We will be sure to look out for his companion video with the breakdown.
