As an avid cyclist who rides daily for their commute, I tend to fear the winter months. Nothing does for the motivation like the icy wind biting at your fingers, nose, and toes. But there is one bright side because, as I ride deeper and deeper into Gifu each morning and the mountains rise ahead of me, their caps increasingly snow-smattered, I am heartened by the fact that the winter sports season is upon us.
And so, with our fingers crossed (the last couple of years haven’t been the best for snow), we head into winter, meaning that it’s time to start getting our kit together, sharpening skis and snowboards, and making sure that moths haven’t attacked our winter-wear.
But where’s the fun in that? Isn’t it better to get all new gear so you can look your best on the slopes? If you are that way inclined, why not check out some ski and snowboard shops in and around Nagoya.
Paddle Club in Sakae is a ski specialist store. It caters to all sorts of skiing styles, including backcountry, powder, and racing. Open from 10:30 to 19:30 Monday to Saturday, and until 19:00 on Sundays and holidays. They also have a wide array of apparel, and internet shopping is also available.
Where: Nagoya, Naka Ward, Marunouchi, 3 Chome−6, 4 1 AM Building (map)
Website: paddle-club.com
On the fourth floor of the Parco department store’s South (南) Building, Sports Lab by Atmos has a load of snowboard gear and apparel ranging from those for beginners to top-of-the-range gear. Keep an eye out for discounted equipment from previous years.
Where: Nagoya, Naka Ward, Sakae, 3 Chome−29−1 Parco South 4F (map)
Website: atmos-tokyo.com
Cool and edgy, Golgoda is an outdoor sports store in Moriyama specializing in surfing and hiking in the summer and snowboarding in winter. If you are looking for a real deal on counter-culture brands this season, this is it. Not a single Burton in sight!
Where: 1-106 Amakoda, Moriyama Ward, Nagoya (map)
Website: golgoda.com
Another spot aimed predominantly at skiers, Snow Plow near Hongo, has all the apparel you need and does tune-ups. Furthermore, they currently have discounts of up to 50 percent off last year’s skis, boots, and clothing.
Where: Nagoya, Meito Ward, Kamiyashiro, 2 Chome−108 Green Corp. (map)
Website: snowplow.jp
If you already have a board or skis and need a tune-up, the guys at Winter 501 know what they are doing. Furthermore, if you have problems with your boots, they also have a specialized innersole fitting system that should go some way to curing those aches and pains.
Where: 1 Chome-9 Issha, Meito Ward, Nagoya (map)
Website: winter501.com
Near Irinaka Station, Seed is another place to go for all of your snowboard and ski tune-up needs. Furthermore, as one of their staff is Paralympian Alpine skier Mitsufumi Yamamoto, they can advise on the places best equipped for skiing and snowboarding for people with disabilities.
Where: 466-0064 Nagoya, Showa Ward, Tsurumai 2-17-17 (map)
Website: ski-seed.com
So, once you’ve got your gear, you’re ready to go. There are many ski fields not far from Nagoya. Check out our article on where you can find the best ones here.
If you want to go a little further afield, you could try Hiroshima, Tokyo, or Kansai.
Image: By The Camp of Champions Snowboard & Ski Summer Camp via flickr.com [CC BY 2.0]
Image: By Florian Forster via flickr.com [CC BY 2.0]
Image: By CCFoodTravel.com via flickr.com [CC BY 2.0]
Image: By via flickr.com [CC BY 2.0]
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