Flylow founder films in Japan from Flylow Gear on Vimeo.
Last winter, Flylow co-founder Dan Abrams got the invite of a lifetime: To fly to Japan with Powderwhore Productions and spend a week skiing powder, eating dumplings and noodles, and filming for Powderwhore's fall 2014 release, "Some Thing Else." The only catch? The trip was just two weeks out. So Dan and his wife, Megan, jumped at the chance, knowing, especially, with a baby on the way, that this might be their last winter for a while to plan spontaneous ski trips to the other side of the globe.
Dan and Megan met up with Powderwhore's Jonah Howell, as well as photographer Jay Beyer and skiers Will Cardamone and Eric Balken in the Tokyo airport a couple of weeks later. From there, they flew to Sapparo, on the north island, and drove to the small mountain town of Moiwa. From a rented van, the crew spent the next seven days exploring backcountry zones accessed from twisting, one-lane roads through snow-drenched mountains. They'd load up on snacks at the local SecoMart (rice triangles! custard waffles! pork buns!), then hike and ski knee-deep powder all day. By late afternoon, they'd pull into a nearby onsen natural hot springs and bath houses and soak the cold away. At night, it was more Japanese food: dumplings, noodle bowls, sushi, and more. "It's worth it going to Japan just for the cuisine," says Dan.
You can see the full segment in the new Powderwhore movie, now touring theaters. Or check out this original edit of Dan and Megan's trip, filmed and edited by Jonah Howell.