March 6-7: Snowboarding for Beginners

Even though it’s nearing the end of ski season, we were determined to try snowboarding with a group of friends. Out of 9 of us, only two guys had snowboarded before, so we felt it was the perfect opportunity to give it a go.

Our trip was a bit unique, though. We were taking an overnight bus to get to some mountains next to Hiroshima. For those who know their history, that’s where the first atomic bomb hit Japan . However, we didn’t get to go sight-seeing in the city.

First, we caught a 10:30 P.M. train to get to the overnight bus. We rode the bus for about five hours and you can imagine the endless amount of uninterrupted sleep we got (hardly any). I think I got maybe two hours, at most! Brandon and I were in the front row, so every time the bus driver stopped, which was frequently, people got off and on.

We finally reached our destination and it was still dark outside. The chilled air and beaming lights from the slopes instantly woke us up. Their chair lifts stay open 24 hours, but I didn’t notice anyone skiing just yet. We were not far from being ready, though. Believe it not, we were dressed, fed and riding on a lift by 7A.M. The bunny hill chair lift, that is.

It's still dark outside! The ski runs have good lighting, though.

We all started there and it was a frustrating first hour. The snow didn't help either, or should I say 'lack of snow'...they made their own, so it was kind of icy at first and then just slushy once the sun came out. I got a couple pointers from the more-experienced guys, but for the most part, I just had to get a feel for it. I didn’t even stand up my first run. I think I was mostly squatting my way down the hill, in between falling, of course. After a couple hours, I managed to get down the hill without a single fall and I felt confident enough to try the next step up. Brandon had already surpassed my abilities and he was able to snowboard frontward and backward. I kept it basic.

On one side it's trees and a forest and on the other it's man-made snow.

We took breaks a few times for hot coffee and American ski food. You know, the expensive hot dogs and hamburgers that you find at resorts back home? They offered Japanese food, of course, but we opted for the familiar route.

Overall, we snowboarded from 7A.M. until early afternoon. By the end, Brandon was addicted to snowboarding, even to the point where he was trying to master his carving technique. Again, I kept it basic; I just wanted to get down the mountain in one piece, preferably without falling. We both made it to the top of the mountain and we successfully made it down, however it was a long way down. To me, it was quite an accomplishment, on a first day! It was a good feeling that we got our feet wet into the world of snowboarding and we really liked it. Maybe even better than skiing!

By 5 P.M., our trusty tour bus was back at the ski resort and ready to take us home. The bus ride was shorter on the way back and we were back at the train station by 8:30 P.M and home by 10 o'clock that night. A 24-hour whirlwind snowboarding trip will sure wear you out! On a side note: the next morning, I couldn’t move. I knew I was going to pay the next day for all those falls I took, but I didn’t know to what extent. I was so incredibly sore: every arm, leg, hand, feet, joint, muscle…all of it, ached. But, we would do it again in a heartbeat!

-Sarah