A snowboarder was killed by snow suffocation on 2007
Dec 31 11:00am. He, 33 from Chiba, fell and buried his
head and uppder body into deep snow outside the course,
when he was skiing on upper Panorama Gelande of Hakuba
Happo ski resort. Skiers passing by found him and
hospitialized him, but he had been dead by suffocation.

Source: http://www.asahi.com/national/update/1231/TKY200712310116.html
Map: http://map.yahoo.co.jp/pl?lat=36%2F41%2F...pointer=on&sc=5

this thread about releasable straps may be relevant and could possibly be resurrected..

http://www.snowjapanforums.com/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/238454#Post238454

I augered in once a few seasons back on a deep pow day and was upside down on my back and quickly panic set in wallowing buried under that pow but luckily I somehow righted myself, if I hadnt I could have quite easily perished too. I can totally see how it could happen (the poor dude suffocating) and release cords I made for my step in bindings were futile because of the awkward position I was in and the deep snow surrounding my board made it difficult to even find them.
Deep pow is dangerous, you often have no solid surface to push against.

not too sure that this post should be in Avalanche/BC

the guy was skiing across the cat tracks/road on the beginners course on Panarama.
Scary when you think that so many folks ski across them and they can be so dangerous when you mix deep powder and low visibility

That sounds like the bit you end up at if you miss the cut right to the Usagi lift at the bottom of Tanuki.

Either way, poor bugger. Only 33.

that sucks to hear