ELLE AND JESS: Skiing in Gala Yuzawa | Winter in Japan

After Sakura in Kawazu, it was the 3rd day of our Tokyo Rail Days trip and Gala Yuzawa was our next stop. As folks who were born and raised in tropical state, all four of us were very excited because not only we get to see and feel THE SNOW, we also get to ski and snowboard there!!! (\(✧▽✧)/)*:･ﾟ✧

Getting There

All right, off we go!

Anyway...

YUP, IT'S A DOUBLE DECKER TRAIN!! XD

We took this double decker Joetsu Shinkansen (Max Tanigawa train) which only took us 77 minutes from busy Tokyo to the blissful snowy land!

Mum and bro's outfit coincidentally matched the train's yellow-blue highlight lol.

Dorami - Doraemon

TOUCH DOWN GALA YUZAWA~~~~~~

The train stopped right under the resort. It's just an elevator away from the resort's ticket counter. How convenient is that?

Prepping Up!

Ok before going out there, you certainly need to wear the proper apparels (yes, regular winter coats won't do) and carry the proper tools. Now, if you don't have them, you can easily rent everything here from goggles to boots, simply by filling out this form:

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It's all in English so it's very easy!

After that, take the form to the rental counter here...

...make the payment accordingly and collect your mints!

* * *
By the way, if you want to skip above procedure, you can! Just book this tour via Tokyo Rail Days here and they'll take care of everything for you. You'll just have to come up, show the booking tickets and collect your equipments!
* * *

Remember to keep your equipments with you all the time, because one lost item = ¥ 20,000 fine! >_< Ok, all set, let's go! ^^v

Eh wait, before that, you'll each get a locker key to keep your belongings safe during your time here. It will require you to create a new 4 digits pin code for extra safety and the key is attached to a bracelet which you can wear the whole time!

Let It Snow!

Finally, going straight to the slopes by the gondola!!!

Up, up and AWAY! Breathtaking view from the gondola~~~~~ (ﾉ≧▽≦)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧

↑ Click to play the video ↑

All geared up, LET'S PLAY!!!

The equipments are pretty heavy, actually! Jess is trying hard not to fall despite the slippery ice haha.

Ok turns out it's really fun (and surprisingly quite easy) to surf on the ice!! Omg really wish we could ski like this every now and then! ᕙ(⇀‸↼‶)ᕗ

Bro is being taught how to snowboard by the very nice coach Osa-san. ^_^

BROSIS UNITED!

Lol we tried hard for this pose, it's easier to move around rather than standing still like this but nevertheless, it's ♡♡♡

Now let's go sledding!

Skiing and snowboarding are not the only fun activities here!

↑ Click to play the video ↑

If you're up for something more relaxed, you can just play in the snow (do yo wanna build a snowman? ♫♪ )

...or simply laying down! ∩(︶▽︶)∩ #ZENmoment

Quick selfies before leaving this magnificent place :)

'N Sync moment with Media Friesna and Yenny Kartika from GoGirl! Magazine. B)

So happy to get to know these fun ladies from this trip!

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(ˆヮˆ)づ♡

Food Porn

A day in the snow requires a lot of energy, and that means...... FOOD!!!!!!!!

This super yummy dish is their specialty here in Cheers Restaurant: Pork Cutlet Set.

Vegetarian Noodle Set

Stepping out of the restaurant, you'll notice this Japanese crepe stand 'Marion Crepes'. Too bad we forgot to order one because we were too busy playing. Shame!!!

Jess was very excited when she realized they have Blue Seal Ice Cream here! It is quite famous and they sell super delicious ice creams!

This is one of their famous best selling item: Beni Imo (Okinawan Sweet Potatoes) Ice Cream! Sooooooo GOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!

Other Facilities

We took a look around to get to know this place better and turns out, beside skiing and snowboarding, there are also some other things to enjoy here such as a shopping counter, cafe with massage chairs, restaurants and..... SPA & ONSEN (Japanese hot spring bath)! (\(✧▽✧)/)

Whoa, really need to rest our tired bodies in this relaxing hot spring bath and pool.

Wait...... iz that........

YES, IT IZ!!!!!!!!!!!!! A cute little OUTDOOR JACUZZI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You dare dipping yourself out here in this cold thin air? ;))

The view is amaaaaaaaayyyyyzing, though!

↑ Click to play the video ↑

Just managed to pose next to it this time. Maybe next time when we revisit this place, we'll gather our courage and try this one! (シ_ _)シ

One of the spa facilities: dressing room. Look at those cute pink hairdryers! ♡♡

This free-of-charge IRORI lounge is really cozy to sit back and take a break. It has a cafe next to it or if you want to bring food from the minimarket down below, it's fine, too!

...And we wouldn't mind resting our bodies here either after a long day playing with the snow! Sadly, we couldn't enjoy any of these additional facilities because we had another thing on schedule that day. Another time, ne!

How To Get There

1. Go to Tokyo Rail Days' website here
2. Choose the tour that you're interested in (Sakura / Strawberry Pickings / Skiing / etc).
Complete information about the price and itinerary details is right there on the website.
You can also choose the day and time. So practical!

3. Contact one of the travel agents that are listed below the page to arrange the tour.
They can also rent you a portable wifi, how convenient is that?

4. Make the payment
5. Train tickets and information about the trip will be sent to your hotel in Japan

Tokyo Rail Days' PLUS POINTS

It is COST-EFFICIENT, CONVENIENT and EASY because:
1. You're going to travel by train –a comfortable one, really!
2. All the tickets, informations and guidance is prepared by them, no need to hire a costly tour guide
3. Everything is customized to your budget and schedule

P.S. The tour and ticket prices are very low because they're special price for tourists. If Japanese themselves want to go, they cannot get this price. ^^;

- - - Tokyo Rail Days - - -
Website: bit.ly/jprail
Facebook: bit.ly/trdfb02

Participating in Tokyo Rail Days' Trip