I was waiting for a day like today to get to Tanigawadake Tenjindaira. Even though it's not really that far from where I live - takes about 50 minutes - I had never been in winter. The forecast was for clear skies and very fine weather so I made the trip south into Minakami.

You need to get a gondola up to this resort which is perched on the mountain and surrounded by absolutely spectacular scenery. Close-by. They look big. This is big scale. I knew it was going to be beautiful, but I was in awe of the scenery up there. At one point I sat down and just looked for about 30 minutes. Brilliant blue skies, not a cloud in the sky early on - a few came in later in the day - mad contrast with the blue and white, and some fine snow. The skiing was good too.

The resort itself isn't big but it seems more 'open' than other resorts and there was lots of untracked areas. There were also a fair few people hiking up the mountain as you can see in a few photos.

Absolutely loved it and perhaps the most impressive scenery I have ever seen close up.


I took literally hundreds of photos and have chosen some here, in no particular order and sorry there's a lot just so difficult to choose. Cannot believe there were only a few photos of Tenjindaira on the site... anyway there's a lot more now!

This is basically the whole resort with the top gondola station bottom right of this photo:



And now for some of the views you can enjoy:

That is spectacular. What a day you had.
Great photos. keep getting carried away muikabotchi !

wow!!!!- some great shots again Muika-san

what can one say? Spectacular would be a word.

magnificent.

thanks for sharing

unbelievable pics muia. i really like the ones with small people in them. gives a sense of perspective to the vastness of the mountains.
what's the filter you use to make the sun into the star/sparkle thing?

I bet they are 2 inch figures!

Fantastic images. I am jealous.

Every time you post pics, a little piece inside of me dies in the thought that it is being stifled in a city, wanting to get out and see the countryside.

Thanks.

Beautiful pics again there Muika, looks like you had as good a time with your camera as you did skiing! Although I haven't skied Tanigawadake tenjindaira, I have been around that area in all four seasons and all offer such lovely contrasts of scenary.

Wow, spectacular. Thanks.

Are the wide slopes with criss-crossing lines in bounds, or out?

Not likely in the cards for this year, but looks like it should go on the to-do list for future seasons.

Great stuff! Thanks for the stoke.

AWESOME ~ BRILLIANT ~ BREATHTAKING

Thanks muika not only for sharing your experiences and photo's but sharing parts of japan that we here in oz haven't even heard of. Love it!!

Awesome you picked a cracking day to be there.

Thanks. It was just stunning, not difficult to take nice pics yesterday. Very memorable.

Metabo Oyaji "Are the wide slopes with criss-crossing lines in bounds, or out?"

I'm pretty sure they were 'in'.

spook "what's the filter you use to make the sun into the star/sparkle thing?"

No filter, other than the polarizer I had on and I used to get those shots before I used the filter using my special technique. The special technique being - point the camera at the sun!

Nice nice nice! Love the pics. Were you able to fix your camera bag or did you pick up something new? Glad to see that you are getting some use out of all your lenses.

I have a backup, came in handy!
I just wish changing lenses was a bit less of an effort.

I hear ya. That Dakine pack I got has access through the back of the bag into the camera block where everything is neatly organized. Makes changes lenses a lot quicker when I don't have to go digging around for them in my bag!

Very nice. Looks a lot like the northern alps range in those pictures. Seems like there's more than a little backcountry action there too.