FAQ
From how booking works to getting to the mountain, from sizing to what happens if something breaks, we have gathered every question visitors actually ask us.
01 / Booking
We suggest booking by 18:00 the day before. In peak season, from late December through February, book 3 to 5 days ahead so popular sizes do not sell out. Walk-ins are welcome, but we cannot promise the board or boot size you want will still be available.
Choose your package and dates on the booking site, or ask our staff on LINE (@197jatoc) or WhatsApp to place the order for you. Once we confirm sizes and stock we email you a payment option. Select pay in store and you immediately receive a confirmation email carrying your order number and QR code, which means the booking is done. Show that QR code at the shop on the day and pay when you collect.
Message our staff on LINE or WhatsApp with your order number and we will cancel it for you.
Yes. Add each person to the cart separately on the booking site, or ask our staff to help. Every set can have a different package and different sizes. Please send us each person’s height, weight and foot length so we can prepare in advance.
Message our staff on LINE or WhatsApp with your order number and they will take care of it.
02 / Equipment
If you have never been on snow, skis are usually easier to pick up and you will fall less in the first days. If you like the look of snowboarding, or you want to get into freestyle and powder later, start on a snowboard. The learning curve is steeper but the payoff is bigger. We stock both and you can try boots on in store.
As a rule of thumb, a snowboard should stand somewhere between your chin and your nose, and beginners should take the shorter end. Skis run from about your height minus 10 cm for beginners up to your full height for advanced skiers. We adjust for weight as well, and the most accurate check is in store.
Adult ski and snowboard boots run from 22.0 cm to 30.0 cm. Children’s sizes start at 16 cm. For anything outside that range, contact our staff and book ahead. If your feet are wide or narrow, try 2 or 3 pairs in store before deciding.
The Full Set already covers board, boots, bindings, helmet, jacket, pants, goggles and gloves. You only need your own base layers: moisture-wicking top and bottoms, a warm mid layer such as a fleece or light down vest, ski socks and a face cover. We recommend bringing these yourself for comfort and hygiene.
Swapping to different equipment counts as a new order, for example moving from a snowboard to skis, and the price starts again from day one. If the size simply does not fit, we will swap it free of charge subject to what is in stock.
03 / Pickup & Hours
Winter, December to April: 07:30 to 20:00 every day, with no rest days. 20:00 to 21:00 is by appointment, so contact our staff first if you need to collect or return then. We stay open on public holidays.
Address: Asahikawa Daiichi Seimei Building, Room 102, a 3 minute walk from JR Asahikawa Station. Leave the station by the west exit, cross the first road, and we are on the ground floor of the first office building on your left. Search for ASAHI FLOW in Google Maps to navigate.
If you are staying around Asahikawa Station (JR INN, Y’s HOTEL, Route-Inn Grand, KOKO Hotel, Amanek Hotel and similar), the shop is an easy walk and no transfer is needed.
If you are staying at OMO7, WBF, ART HOTEL, SUPER HOTEL, Hotel Liberte Asahikawa or Lampstand Stay ASAHIKAWA, we can collect you when your rental reaches ¥7,000 per adult and ¥5,000 per child. For pickup, arrange it with our staff in advance and we will bring you from the hotel to the shop; for returns, come back to the shop to hand the gear in and we will drive you back to your hotel (there may be a short wait at busy times). For any other hotel or accommodation, ask our staff first.
You can collect free of charge after 14:00 the day before, and it does not count as an extra day. That way you can head straight for the mountain the next morning instead of coming back into town. Please let our staff know if you want to collect early.
Returns after 18:30 on the day carry a late fee of 30% of the order total, and the gear must be back by 20:00 that evening or 08:00 the next morning at the latest. Anything returned after 08:00 the next morning is charged as another full day, as a new order.
No. Keep everything with you for the whole rental period, at your hotel or in the car. Just bring it back on the last day. Please look after it so nothing is lost or damaged.
04 / Resorts & Transport
The resort shuttle stops right outside our door, so you can step out and get straight on without carrying gear across town. See the resorts page for the timetable.
We recommend Santa Present Park, only 12 minutes by car from central Asahikawa, with plenty of beginner lessons, gentle runs and short lifts that will not wear you out. Kamui Ski Links also suits beginners, with wide runs and good views. Asahidake is not for complete beginners, but it is worth visiting even if you do not ski: rent snowshoes and walk the snowfields to see an active volcano venting steam.
05 / Damage & Insurance
Normal wear such as edge knocks and light base scratches is not charged. If misuse causes serious damage, our standard reference figures are: board or skis ¥15,000 to 30,000, bindings ¥8,000 to 15,000, boots ¥15,000 to 30,000, helmet ¥5,000, and jacket or pants ¥10,000 each.
Report it at the resort service desk straight away and tell our staff. Lost equipment is charged at twice the damage figure. Please keep your gear with you and avoid leaving it unattended in resort rest areas.
We keep a basic first aid kit in the shop with plasters, antiseptic, cold packs and bandages. If you are hurt on the mountain, tell the ski patrol immediately and they will arrange resort medical care or transfer to Asahikawa City Hospital. We strongly recommend buying travel insurance that covers skiing and snowboarding before you come to Japan.
06 / Payment
Payment is taken in store: cash in Japanese yen, PayPay, or credit card (VISA, Mastercard, JCB, AMEX and UnionPay, with a 3.5% card fee). Multi-day bookings can be settled in full at pickup. We cannot accept US dollars, Taiwan dollars or Hong Kong dollars.
If a resort closes because of a storm or a lift failure, the risk is ours: single-day bookings can be moved or fully refunded, and multi-day bookings are refunded for the unused days. If you cannot come for personal reasons such as illness or a change of plans, we are unable to offer a refund.
Message us on LINE, WhatsApp or email and we will get back to you as soon as we can. English, Chinese and Japanese all fine.