#kogen

[laqueus]

kiggn's first snow

[kunihirosuzuki]

『高原列車は行く』

2018年／364×257mm／アクリルガッシュ／画用紙

[Kogen [Plateau] Train will go.]

2018 / 364*257mm / Acrylgouache / Drawingpaper

[myjapan-me]

Sonikogen

[tatsumine]

どうしてもPLとNDは使いたいので色々情報を集めて、KOGENのフィルターマスターというアダプターを購入！ 46mmフィルターが使える爪で鏡胴に固定するアダプターです。 NDフィルターは2、4、8を購入。 これでまたおもちゃが増えた。 多分この上フィルターケースとかも買っちゃうんだぜ。 #sony #cybershot #hx90v #kogen #filtermaster #NDfilter #PLfilter https://www.instagram.com/p/Bpy4A6dgicr/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=16huh09umjui9

[pekopekotv]

PekoPeko!TV Blog | Gunma | Minakami Kogen Ski Resort 水上高原スキーリゾート

Alan and I equipped with our gear made it up the ski lift together for the first time and it was amazing, just look at that scene! It was stunning having this sort of view in front of us and it had to be captured. Alan and I were so trigger happy documenting our experience, warning not to drop the camera in the snow. Only to our horror, seconds later, dropping our backpack, with all our kit, into the snowy depths below. We saw the whole thing in slow motion and we felt mortified.I’m telling you, I felt like a victim from the series Death Note when I dropped that bag. You just don’t think it would happen to you. 

The staff on top of the mountain must have loved us after that, reaching the top, eager to inform them, we both tangled our skis upon alighting at the course, falling and sliding into a pile of snow like a big gaijin mess, a score from the judges panel would award a full ten. The staff looked hard boiled and didn’t seem impressed. In broken Japanese, explained to him what had happened, before he disgruntly went to retrieve it. Happy Days!

So our first time skiing was off to a good start and what made it better that it was not just our first time but also for hundreds of other students too.What seemed like an entire school of junior high school students had also made there way to this fateful mountain this day. Making the beginners slope somewhat of an obstacle course. 

Fallen skier’s suddenly crashing into each other, the domino effect was strong and because of this I had to keep making split second decisions to wipe out, to avoid collision. Lots of stern ski instructor’s yelling encouragement at the students as they stumble alongside me down the track. One time when I fell over, I was yelled at to stay down as a whole class went speeding by. This felt rather like falling onto the tracks at a station whilst a train passes by with all the risk included.

At the end of the day I think we spent a healthy 4 hours or so skiing and it was great. By the end we had done the beginners course at least 4 times with breaks in between. As a final hurrah we felt brave and decided to take on the intermediate course which was a bit of a disaster. The slope was so steep and unlike the beginner course, the snow was super fresh and had no path carved into it. We made it down cautiously with the help of Rory but it was so hard. With Vic having successfully catapulted herself from her ski’s and a blinding blizzard obscuring 100% of our vision started to feel the mountain may have gotten the better of us. But it was all worth it for that view.

By the grace of God we made it out alive. Swiftly returning our skis so we could head to the next location before it got too dark. Thankfully with help from the local resort, we were able to catch a lift to our next destination and where we would be staying for the night, Takaragawa Onsen!

[pekopekotv]

PekoPeko!TV Blog | Gunma | Minakami Kogen Ski Resort 水上高原スキーリゾート

Arriving at the ski resort we felt such relief. We were in the right place at the right time and we didn’t even pay entry? We dropped our bags at the locker, all but our loyal Kånken backpack which we always have on hand. It has our camera kit and emergency stuff (like drinks and extra clothes) if we were ever in a pinch. 

We then made our way over to the rental where we honestly planned to share skis or have one of each: skis, snowboard & slay. But it all sort of back fired when we realised by not committing we would be snuffing our experience down to a pathetic hill of snow for children. We wanted the full experience so we just got the full kit. Including gloves, hat and goggles, shared between all three of us.

Now remember when I said this was Vic and my first time skiing? It’s true as proven by the fact that we dressed the same as we would be doing a YouTube episode. Regardless our friend Rory, to our delight, had previous skiing experience where he shared with us some pro tips for handling oneself on the snow with skiis for the first time.

While I might not like rollercoasters, I do love adventuring and was eager to learn how to ski and conquer the beginner’s course. Quite difficult when you are sporting long skis that make everything cumbersome for a beginner. However with sheer determination and guts we were able to grasp enough understanding to slide down the starter course quite a few times.

Vic being the wonderful, gutsy, brave girl I know, got a hang on this quicker than I did, but we did always traverse down the mountain together. I couldn’t really brake at first so found myself wiping out when I went too fast. Going down the mountain I could really feel the speed and honestly it felt amazing. I wiped out pretty hard that time which reminded me of my childhood. Falling over in a spectacular fashion while learning a new skill was so worth it. I mean just look at us, we are shining with excitement! 

[pekopekotv]

PekoPeko!TV Blog | Gunma | Minakami Kogen Ski Resort 水上高原スキーリゾート

The bus eventually dropped us off in the middle of nowhere, where we then were meant to catch another bus to the ski resort itself. Spoilers: we did not find the second bus and instead made our way on foot. 

There is something so humbling about being somewhat lost in a snowy climate. Where the ploughed road exposed the true height of snow fall here. Once again I find myself finding comparisons to my current scenario to movies, this time I thought of Fargo. We we were clearly visitors here, trumping forward in the snow, but for me there was such an air of adventure to it all!

Rory and I walked ahead as Alan went shutter happy with the camera. In England I would have never used an umbrella during snow fall, but here you can see why it’s a practical idea. We were totally unprepared for the snow, donning city jackets really only appropriate for the mildest of winters. None the less we persevered. Following the tracks in the road, decoding what little Japanese we could read to find the destination.

Just like our trips to forests Sweden, I am always entranced by nature and its matchless beauty, tall dense trees lining the horizon as far as the eye can see. Like stumbling upon a world wonder, we did encounter the ski resort after some time, we were so glad to have found it and to begin our first ever skiing experience. Toughened from the journey we felt like we could concur anything!