As we've already reported, the SSAWS in Japan will close at the end of September this year. But is it worth of visit if you're over there? It's certainly the indoor biggest slope in existance at the moment and it seems the Japanese are well clued up on running the slope. Shame it's not making any money.

AG and RF visited the slope recently and this is what they had to say:

Let's just say it is awesome, 2 quad chairlifts to the top, better snow than I got in resort this season, snowboard only sessions for half a day, every day.

The bottom line is you can get equipment, clothing and 5 hours boarding for less than £50.

500m of fun with 2 slopes at the top which merge at the bottom but each is as wide as the whole of snozone.

Downers are no ramps, no real bar, oh yeah and it's in Japan.

We were lucky enough to be there on business and were staying in
Yokohamaso it meant a 3 hour round train trip after work on a friday night which is the busiest time on Tokyo's rail system. by the time we got there and changed and kitted out we only managed to grab the last 1 hour and 40 minutes of the session but it was more than worth the effort. 1 hour and 40 minutes of indoor bliss and an experience I could never have passed up being so close.

We had actually made this pilgrimage on the previous Sunday only to
find the ski session just about to start, D'oh!!!! we got watch 15 minutes of boarding from the gallery and once we'd seen inside there was nothing gonna stop us coming back for a go and besides Rob had brought his new Vans boots all the way from the UK in case they didn't have hire boots big enough for his size 11's, they did though.

Most of the japanese riders were a bit sketchy and would have been thrown off at Tamworth for not reaching the minimum standard, apparently they become boarders not to be really good but because it's so westernly cool.

They made us look fairly proficient though so we fealt good and rode
that little bit harder for it. There were a few Japanese shredders though who hammered down with a turn, every time.

The temp inside was considerably lower than UK domes and wooly hats, thermals and jackets were standard clobber, most of the Japanese wore goggles which I must admit were required to stop the eyes watering, I even seen one guy with a day pack on, god knows how long he'd been there.

All staff are very helpful but don't speak English apart from the
phrase "Stance, regular or goofy" there is an English language leaflet which tells you where to go to get your kit etc, very useful as we were the only westerners within a 5 mile radius that day.

If you get the chance, you should go before it closes. It is superb.

Photographs by AG/RF.

---