Two weeks of high-end freeride guiding and coaching for advanced and expert snowboarders looking to experience the best of Japan!
This camp takes you to the best powder spots during the snowiest two weeks of the season (statistically) and helps you get the very best out of your riding each day.
We start out at our local base in Madarao Mountain Resort, then head off to the best freeride terrain throughout Nagano and Niigata.
From the trip description by CAMP3 Snowboarding
On-snow support
- Independent: Below this trip's level of support
Ski or ride independently, without trip staff accompanying you on the mountain.
- Hosted: With your guide
Trip hosts ski or ride with the group, help everyone get oriented, and share local knowledge.
- Guided: Included
Professional guides lead the group and select suitable terrain and routes based on conditions and ability.
- Coached: Included
Professional coaches lead the group, select suitable terrain, and provide instruction and personalized feedback to help you improve.
- 8 days on snow with staff
- Coaching camp8 days of freeride-focused coaching and guiding over 2 weeks, at 5hrs per day.
- Resort guidingThis camp has a nice balance of both coaching and guiding, with a little more focus on the coaching side of things.
Terrain, ability and who it is for
- Advanced and expert riders.
- Freeride-specific riding at six resorts and some backcountry.
- Nozawa back bowls, Myoko trees and pillows, Lotte Arai steeps and drops, and other regional spots.
- Coaches may add all-mountain freestyle and carving on non-powder days.
- Build confidence riding with speed in deep snow
- Develop turn types effective for riding powder
- Fine-tune your edge-pressure-steer sequence
- Develop tactics and techniques for riding steeps, trees and gullies
- Read terrain and improve line choice
- Manage pressure and speed in freeriding
- Explore secret stashes with coaches who know the resorts inside and out
- Hit natural features like pillow lines, drops and wind-lips
- Find the best snow in the region each day
- Learn how to use a transceiver and be safe in the backcountry
- Sport
- Snowboard
- Minimum age
- 18 years
- Adults only
- Yes
- Max group size
- 6 guests
From the trip description by CAMP3 Snowboarding
What the price includes
Included
- Lodging
- Lift pass
- Meals · partly
- Lesson
- Transfers
- Coaching & Guiding
- 8 days of freeride-focused coaching and guiding over 2 weeks, at 5hrs per day.
- Lift Passes
- 8 days of passes at the resorts we visit along the way (lift passes on days off are additional).
- Accommodation
- 12 nights of accommodation at our very own Japan CAMP3 Clubhouse Madarao.
- Food
- Daily breakfast (with a wider variety of choice than previous years) and 6 evening meals (buffet-style) spread out over the camp.
- Transport
- Daily travel to each resort in our 4WD vans and transfers to and from Iiyama Station.
- Off-snow Additions
- Transport down to the local onsen 2-3 evenings per week, with time to eat dinner at the restaurant. Video analysis sessions to breakdown and analyse your riding in more detail. Evening movies, board games, beers and banter with the crew!
Not included
- Not included: flights, train travel to Iiyama, your snowboard equipment (avalanche gear is essential but can be rented), insurance (must cover off-piste and we recommend backcountry rescue).
- Lift passes on days off are additional.
- Single occupancy room supplement: ¥5,000 per night.
- Lunch is not listed among the included meals.
Where you stay
Accommodation is based on twin-share rooms with ensuite bathrooms at the vibing CAMP3 Clubhouse Madarao, located just 100m from the chairlifts of Madarao Mountain Resort (almost slope side!). Guests enjoy daily breakfast, with lots of healthy choices, a welcome dinner on the first evening, plus additional communal dinner nights throughout the camp experience.
A limited number of single occupancy rooms are available at an additional cost of ¥5,000 per night. If you wish to reserve a single occupancy room, please indicate this in the comments box in the booking form below.
Getting there
Transfers available from Iiyama Shinkansen Station (bullet train direct from Tokyo) are available on the camp start and end dates. Dates shown are accommodation arrival and departure days.
Not included: flights, train travel to Iiyama.
From the trip description by CAMP3 Snowboarding
Pins show the approximate main trip area—not a route, meeting point, or full itinerary. Confirm exact locations in the company's trip details.
Dates and prices
- Jan 17 – Jan 29, 20272026/27 · 13 days · 12 nights495,000 JPYCovers 8 days coaching/guiding, 12 night stay, lift passes, daily breakfast and 6 evening meals. A $45 NZD membership fee is added to the first camp you join in the calendar year. (¥5,000 for Japan camps.)Sold OutChoose these datesBook on company website
Prices, taxes and fees, required extras, inclusions, availability, and booking terms can change. Confirm the current price and trip details on the company website; details as of September 2, 2026.
Good to know
You must be signed up as a member to book on a camp. Members must be over 18 (most members are in the 25-45 range), have done at least 10 days on a snowboard and must be stoked on progressing their riding.
If it's the first camp of the year, this will include a $55 membership fee (or ¥5,000 if you're paying for a Japan camp).
All camps need a minimum of three people per group to run, with a maximum six per group.
A limited number of single occupancy rooms are available at an additional cost of ¥5,000 per night.
Note that all members joining camps for the first time in a season are required to fill out two forms; a liability waiver form and an individual details form.
Any cancellation for a confirmed booking that is MORE THAN 4 weeks prior to the first day of the Product commencing will receive a full refund, less a 10% administration fee. Any cancellation for a confirmed booking that is WITHIN 4 weeks of the first day of the Product commencing will receive no refund.
It is possible to rent boards and bindings locally in either Wanaka (NZ) or Madarao (Japan). We have a small fleet of Jones Snowboards available at Clubhouse Madarao in Japan, available free of charge for members on camps to test out for a day.
From the trip description by CAMP3 Snowboarding
