Our approach

You don't have to be a mountaineer to have a great adventure in the hills.

If you're pushing your own abilities, testing yourself and trying new things, you’re having an adventure—even if it just means getting on skis for the first time ever. (Or your first descent from a 2,000-meter peak in 50cm+ of fresh snow—face shots or face plants, laughing all the way down.)

Our goal is to help you find a new adventure, right here in the beautiful setting of Myoko. We love being out here, and showing our guests some of the best places to play in the snow.

Dancing Snow became independent this year; founder Bill Ross guided and taught with Myoko Backcountry Ski School for some 16 years, but saw the need to address the growing number of international visitors to Myoko, and their interest in accessing the backcountry. While keeping a friendly relationship with Myoko Backcountry, we're now taking both Japanese and international guests on tours to the local peaks, and snow hiking in the beautiful forests that are just off the ski areas.

In fact, some of our favorite tours in recent years have been with groups combining all kinds of people—it's amazing how quickly people start speaking both Japanese and English!

We welcome Alpine/AT/randonée skiers, telemarkers and snowboarders for all our tours.

For tours, we really focus on going to local peaks and skiing down. We don't—and can't—do sidecountry (skiing directly off the lifts). One course has minimal hiking, but it up and away from ski areas. A lot of countries have had to decide how to handle skiing in the trees, etc., and change is definitely coming to Japan. But as part of the local community, Dancing Snow, like or other local guide friends, have agreed to hike up for our skiing down, even as we're all talking about how to make changes, particularly at our home base, the Akakura Kanko Ski Area.

If that sounds good to you, too, we're looking forward to climbing with you!

For snow hiking, anybody's welcome—we'll go as far as you feel comfortable, and make sure that our lunchtime break is something that you'll enjoy.

Bill Ross
Director, Guide, Instructor

William "Bill" Ross has been living in Myoko for more than 16 years, Japan for 30.

James Klein