{
  "version": "https://jsonfeed.org/version/1.1",
  "title": "Snow.deal — ski guides, reports and industry notes",
  "home_page_url": "https://snow.deal/blog",
  "feed_url": "https://snow.deal/blog/feed.json",
  "description": "Guides to skiing Japan and beyond, snow reports, partner stories and industry analysis from Snow.deal.",
  "language": "en",
  "items": [
    {
      "id": "https://snow.deal/blog/first-time-skiing-japan",
      "url": "https://snow.deal/blog/first-time-skiing-japan",
      "title": "First time skiing in Japan? Start here.",
      "summary": "What a first Japan ski trip actually involves — choosing a resort, getting there, hiring gear, lessons in English, and the etiquette nobody tells you about.",
      "date_published": "2026-08-17T00:00:00Z",
      "authors": [
        {
          "name": "Snow Editorial"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "guides",
        "japan",
        "first-timers",
        "trip-planning"
      ],
      "image": "https://snowdeal.blob.core.windows.net/media/resorts/niseko-grand-hirafu/niseko-grand-hirafu-01.jpg",
      "_snow": {
        "readingTimeMinutes": 3
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "https://snow.deal/blog/japan-inbound-ski-market",
      "url": "https://snow.deal/blog/japan-inbound-ski-market",
      "title": "What the inbound boom is actually doing to Japanese ski resorts",
      "summary": "Record international demand has been good for revenue and hard on capacity. A look at the structural pressures — staffing, accommodation, and the concentration problem — from an operator's point of view.",
      "date_published": "2026-08-17T00:00:00Z",
      "authors": [
        {
          "name": "Snow Editorial"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "industry",
        "japan",
        "industry",
        "resort-operations"
      ],
      "image": "https://snowdeal.blob.core.windows.net/media/resorts/hakuba-happo-one/hakuba-happo-one-02.jpg",
      "_snow": {
        "readingTimeMinutes": 3
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "https://snow.deal/blog/japanese-lift-passes-explained",
      "url": "https://snow.deal/blog/japanese-lift-passes-explained",
      "title": "Japanese lift passes explained (and what actually catches people out)",
      "summary": "How lift passes work at Japanese resorts — points cards, multi-area passes, the photo requirement, and the handful of details that surprise first-time visitors at the ticket window.",
      "date_published": "2026-08-17T00:00:00Z",
      "authors": [
        {
          "name": "Snow Editorial"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "guides",
        "japan",
        "lift-passes",
        "planning"
      ],
      "image": "https://snowdeal.blob.core.windows.net/media/resorts/niseko-annupuri/niseko-annupuri-01.jpg",
      "_snow": {
        "readingTimeMinutes": 4
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "https://snow.deal/blog/niseko-vs-hakuba",
      "url": "https://snow.deal/blog/niseko-vs-hakuba",
      "title": "Niseko vs Hakuba — which is right for your trip?",
      "summary": "The two best-known Japanese ski destinations suit genuinely different trips. A practical comparison of terrain, access, town life and who each one actually fits.",
      "date_published": "2026-08-17T00:00:00Z",
      "authors": [
        {
          "name": "Snow Editorial"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "guides",
        "japan",
        "niseko",
        "hakuba",
        "trip-planning"
      ],
      "image": "https://snowdeal.blob.core.windows.net/media/resorts/hakuba-happo-one/hakuba-happo-one-01.jpg",
      "_snow": {
        "readingTimeMinutes": 3
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "https://snow.deal/blog/renting-skis-in-japan-what-to-book-ahead",
      "url": "https://snow.deal/blog/renting-skis-in-japan-what-to-book-ahead",
      "title": "Renting skis in Japan — how it works, and what to book ahead",
      "summary": "Rental in Japan is good, current and well-fitted — but the fleets are finite in February and boots are the thing to get right. What to book ahead, what to bring, and what a slopeside rental counter in Niseko actually offers.",
      "date_published": "2026-08-17T00:00:00Z",
      "authors": [
        {
          "name": "Snow Partnerships"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "partners",
        "japan",
        "rentals",
        "niseko",
        "gear"
      ],
      "image": "https://snowdeal.blob.core.windows.net/media/resorts/niseko-grand-hirafu/niseko-grand-hirafu-02.jpg",
      "_snow": {
        "readingTimeMinutes": 4
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "https://snow.deal/blog/sapporo-snow-festival-guide",
      "url": "https://snow.deal/blog/sapporo-snow-festival-guide",
      "title": "The Sapporo Snow Festival — and how to combine it with a ski trip",
      "summary": "What the Sapporo Snow Festival actually involves, when the 2027 edition runs, and how to fit it around skiing in Niseko and the rest of Hokkaido without wasting days.",
      "date_published": "2026-08-17T00:00:00Z",
      "authors": [
        {
          "name": "Snow Editorial"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "events",
        "japan",
        "hokkaido",
        "sapporo",
        "events"
      ],
      "image": "https://snowdeal.blob.core.windows.net/media/resorts/sapporo-kokusai/sapporo-kokusai-01.jpg",
      "_snow": {
        "readingTimeMinutes": 3
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "https://snow.deal/blog/season-opening-conditions-roundup",
      "url": "https://snow.deal/blog/season-opening-conditions-roundup",
      "title": "Early season in Japan — which resorts open first, and what the reports mean",
      "summary": "How the Japanese season gets underway — the north-to-south, high-to-low order resorts open in, and how to read an early-season snow report where base depth flatters the mountain.",
      "date_published": "2026-08-17T00:00:00Z",
      "authors": [
        {
          "name": "Snow Editorial"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "reports",
        "japan",
        "conditions",
        "season-opening"
      ],
      "image": "https://snowdeal.blob.core.windows.net/media/resorts/appi-kogen/appi-kogen-01.jpg",
      "_snow": {
        "readingTimeMinutes": 3
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "https://snow.deal/blog/ski-school-in-japan-what-to-expect",
      "url": "https://snow.deal/blog/ski-school-in-japan-what-to-expect",
      "title": "Booking ski school in Japan — what to expect",
      "summary": "How lessons actually work at Japanese resorts — group versus private, English-language availability, when to book, and how to judge whether a school suits your group.",
      "date_published": "2026-08-17T00:00:00Z",
      "authors": [
        {
          "name": "Snow Partnerships"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "partners",
        "japan",
        "lessons",
        "ski-school"
      ],
      "image": "https://snowdeal.blob.core.windows.net/media/resorts/niseko-grand-hirafu/niseko-grand-hirafu-03.jpg",
      "_snow": {
        "readingTimeMinutes": 2
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "https://snow.deal/blog/what-to-pack-japan-ski-trip",
      "url": "https://snow.deal/blog/what-to-pack-japan-ski-trip",
      "title": "What to pack for a Japan ski trip",
      "summary": "A practical packing list for deep, cold, humid Japanese snow — what genuinely matters, what to hire instead of carry, and the small things visitors consistently forget.",
      "date_published": "2026-08-17T00:00:00Z",
      "authors": [
        {
          "name": "Snow Editorial"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "guides",
        "japan",
        "packing",
        "trip-planning"
      ],
      "image": "https://snowdeal.blob.core.windows.net/media/resorts/niseko-grand-hirafu/niseko-grand-hirafu-02.jpg",
      "_snow": {
        "readingTimeMinutes": 3
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "https://snow.deal/blog/when-japanese-resorts-open",
      "url": "https://snow.deal/blog/when-japanese-resorts-open",
      "title": "When Japanese resorts open — and why the dates move",
      "summary": "Japanese resorts open on their own schedules, not a national calendar. What drives the spread, with real dates and snowfall from the completed 2025-26 season.",
      "date_published": "2026-08-17T00:00:00Z",
      "authors": [
        {
          "name": "Snow Editorial"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "events",
        "japan",
        "season-dates",
        "planning"
      ],
      "image": "https://snowdeal.blob.core.windows.net/media/resorts/zao-onsen/zao-onsen-01.jpg",
      "_snow": {
        "readingTimeMinutes": 4
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "https://snow.deal/blog/when-to-ski-japan",
      "url": "https://snow.deal/blog/when-to-ski-japan",
      "title": "When to ski Japan — the best months for powder",
      "summary": "Japan's ski season runs December to April, but the legendary dry powder peaks in January and February. Month by month, with last season's real snowfall, here's how to time your Japan ski trip.",
      "date_published": "2026-07-29T00:00:00Z",
      "date_modified": "2026-08-17T00:00:00Z",
      "authors": [
        {
          "name": "Snow Editorial"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "guides",
        "japan",
        "powder",
        "season-planning"
      ],
      "image": "https://snowdeal.blob.core.windows.net/media/resorts/niseko-grand-hirafu/niseko-grand-hirafu-03.jpg",
      "_snow": {
        "readingTimeMinutes": 2
      }
    }
  ]
}