Review Date
April 22, 2002

Overall Rating
 2 of 5

Value Rating
 2 of 5

Used product for
Once

Reviewed by: chris_ddb, Advanced, from Hong Kong

Price Paid: $0.00

Summary:
Back when companies actually made money, my company sent us on a business trip to Iwaka/Inawashiro - since it was free, no complaints there.

Maybe because I was using a rented parabolic-shaped board, or the fact that snow was extraordinarily crusty, but I didn't have that great a time. The line-ups were horrendous for one. Some sweet looking piste runs were inexplicably closed as well.

But the views were fantastic, it was sunny that day and the runs were...well simplistic, altho not connected to each other. Yup, it's the old, take the board off your boots and hike 75m uphill sort of thing.

Review Date
June 30, 2001

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Value Rating
 3 of 5

Used product for
2-5 times

Reviewed by: Ricky Aminaka, Advanced, from Bardstown, KY, USA

Summary:
They have a great view and nice sunshine, since the all slopes faces to South. That also means that the snow is usually bad, especially in March.
Lift line is very bad at weekends, like Quicksilver or Beaver Run at Breck at Christmas time.
If you want to take a easy day trip to "good" resort from Tokyo, this is the choice (Hunter Mtn is closer, but no diamond runs).
If you want to get the quality powder or bumps, take extra 30mins to go to nearby Nekoma - back side of Inawashiro.

Review Date
December 19, 1999

Overall Rating
 3 of 5

Value Rating
 3 of 5

Used product for
2-5 times

Reviewed by: Sean Mahoney, Advanced, from Los Angeles, CA USA

Summary:
Inawashiro is about one hour by bullet train then 50 min. by local train. Slightly off the bullet train line is a mixed blessing. It's more of a pain to get to but usually less crowded. Like everywhere else in Japan it's a little pricey and crowded on the weekends.