2026 is Your Last Chance to Ski or Snowboard in Japan Before Big Changes Come for Tourists
Big changes are coming to tourists who want to visit Japan. Credit: Peter Murphy / SkiJapan For years, Japan has been a bucket-list destination for skiers and snowboarders around the world, offering legendary powder, stunning alpine vistas, and a unique blend of culture and hospitality. But if Japan’s slopes have been on your radar, 2026 […]
Big changes are coming to tourists who want to visit Japan. Credit: Peter Murphy / SkiJapan
For years, Japan has been a bucket-list destination for skiers and snowboarders around the world, offering legendary powder, stunning alpine vistas, and a unique blend of culture and hospitality. But if Japan’s slopes have been on your radar, 2026 may be your best chance to enjoy them under the current conditions. Starting in mid-2025, a series of sweeping tourism reforms will begin to take effect, reshaping how international visitors experience the country, particularly its famed winter resorts like Niseko, Hakuba, and Nozawa Onsen.
With international tourism in Japan surging to a record-breaking 36.8 million visitors in 2024, the government is tightening its approach to crowd management, infrastructure sustainability, and economic balance. These changes are not only a response to over-tourism but also an effort to protect local communities and preserve cultural landmarks. While the intentions may be justified, the ripple effects on the skiing and snowboarding scene will be significant.
Price Hikes on the Slopes: A Two-Tier System
One of the most impactful changes comes in the form of a new two-tier pricing system, set to launch in July 2025. Under this model, foreign tourists will pay more than locals for access to major attractions including ski resorts.
For example, a day pass at the popular Niseko resort will rise to ¥6,500 ($45 USD) for international visitors, while Japanese residents will continue to pay ¥5,000 ($35 USD). That’s a 30% increase for non-residents, which adds up quickly over a multi-day trip, especially for families or large groups. While this pricing model is designed to give locals more affordable access to their own cultural and recreational spaces, it may discourage some travelers from choosing Japan as their ski destination of choice, especially with comparable options in Europe and North America that don’t enforce nationality-based pricing differences.
Will it still be worth it to travel to the “Land of the Rising Sun” from abroad? Credit: SkiJapan.com
Tax-Free Shopping? Not Quite Anymore
If you were planning on snagging some top-tier ski gear or Japanese souvenirs while visiting, there’s another financial twist to be aware of. Beginning in November 2026, Japan’s tax-free shopping system will transition to a refund-based model. Tourists will no longer receive tax exemptions at the register. Instead, they’ll pay the full price, including consumption tax, and will have to file for a refund afterward.
This change introduces an extra layer of hassle and potential financial burden. Refunds can be delayed, denied, or require additional paperwork, deterring some from spending as freely as they might have in the past. For snowboarders and skiers accustomed to grabbing last-minute items or treating themselves to Japan-exclusive equipment, this may dampen the retail appeal that once came bundled with a powder trip.
A Stronger Yen and New Travel Requirements
Currency exchange used to be one of the perks of traveling to Japan, especially during periods when the Yen was weaker. However, the Yen has been gaining strength, making trips increasingly expensive for foreign visitors. Accommodation, food, gear rental, and lift passes will all cost more in real terms when converted from foreign currencies, particularly for travelers from countries with weaker exchange rates.
A monkey soaking in a Nagano Onsen. Credit: Pixabay
Additionally, the streamlined entry system that many travelers have enjoyed is about to get more complex. Japan is preparing to launch the Japan Electronic Travel Authorization (JESTA) system in 2025. While it won’t eliminate visa-free travel, it will require visitors from currently visa-exempt countries to apply for online clearance before entering Japan. This added bureaucratic step, while relatively minor, is another sign of Japan’s pivot toward tighter tourism regulation.
Taken individually, each of these policy changes might seem like a minor inconvenience. But together, they signal a clear turning point in Japan’s relationship with international tourism. For snow lovers, this means that the ease, affordability, and spontaneity that once defined a ski or snowboard trip to Japan may soon be a thing of the past.
If you’ve been dreaming of carving down Hokkaido’s famous powder fields, soaking in a steaming onsen after a day on the slopes, or experiencing the intersection of winter sports and Japanese culture, 2026 is your moment. So, book the flights, wax your board or skis, and go before the powder gets pricier and the red tape gets thicker. Japan’s winter wonderland is still waiting, but the landscape both on and off the mountain will soon look different.
Track and Field: Vanderbilt competes at SEC Outdoor Championships
Vanderbilt Track and Field competed at the SEC Outdoor Championships from May 15-17 in Lexington, Kentucky. The Commodores placed last at the event, earning 12 total points. Still, multiple athletes recorded season-best finishes during the week. Day 1 Vanderbilt began the event with a few top finishes and personal bests. Devyn Parham and Marta Sivina, […]
Vanderbilt Track and Field competed at the SEC Outdoor Championships from May 15-17 in Lexington, Kentucky. The Commodores placed last at the event, earning 12 total points. Still, multiple athletes recorded season-best finishes during the week.
Day 1
Vanderbilt began the event with a few top finishes and personal bests. Devyn Parham and Marta Sivina, Vanderbilt’s two heptathlon athletes, sat in fourth and sixth place through four events, respectively. The pair set personal records in the 100-meter hurdles, while they both cleared 1.62 meters in the high jump, a season-best mark for Parham. The duo also set personal records in the 200-meters, as Parham registered a time of 24.35 seconds while Sivina crossed the finish line in 25.05 seconds. Parham and Sivina competed in the final three events of the heptathlon on Day 2.
In the track events, Eva Gautreaux placed 12th in the 800 meters with a time of 2:07.50. Allyria McBride earned her spot in the competitive 400-meter hurdles finals as she finished second in her heat with a season-best time of 56.17 seconds. A standout performance from Gigi Clifford in the 10,000 meters earned the Commodores another top-15 overall finish.
Day 2
The Commodores recorded a pair of scoring performances, a finals qualification and three program all-time top-10 marks to round out Day 2. Vanderbilt’s first points of the week were earned by heptathletes Sivina and Parham. Both totaled personal best scores, with Sivina placing fourth with 5,452 points and Parham placing seventh with 5,287 points. Sivina notched a personal best both in the long jump (5.73 meters) and the 800 meters (2:15.82)
Taylor McKinnon registered a personal-record time of 13.50 seconds in the 100-meter hurdles to move to fourth in the program’s all-time performers list.
Julia Rosenburg also advanced to the 1,500 meters final as she finished second in her heat with a time of 4:19.80. In the 3,000-meter steeplechase, Ellie Wolski set a personal-best time of 10:32.72, good for third best in program history.
Day 3
The Commodores’ 4×100-meter relay team got the day started as they clocked a season-best time of 45.20 seconds to move into the No. 3 spot on the program’s all-time top-10 list. McBride placed fifth in the 400-meter hurdles which gave the Commodores another four points.
Vanderbilt capped off the week with an eighth-place finish in the 4×400-meter relay.
“As this conference and the NCAA keep evolving, we, at Vanderbilt, are evolving,” director of cross country and track and field Althea Thomas said. “It was very special to see our seniors, those who we’ve had here for four years and those who have transferred in and believed in the product we have been putting out. It was a really good meet and a really good showing in reference to how we’re showing up.”
Qualifiers for the NCAA East First Round will be announced next week, and the event will take place May 29 and 31 in Jacksonville, Florida.
COLORADO SPRINGS – Texas A&M volleyball’s Ifenna Cos-Okpalla was named to the USA Volleyball U23 North, Central America and Caribbean Volleyball Confederation Pan American Cup training roster the organization announced Monday. Cos-Okpalla’s call up to the U23 national team marks her second-straight year earning the nod from Team USA, after being named to the […]
COLORADO SPRINGS – Texas A&M volleyball’s Ifenna Cos-Okpalla was named to the USA Volleyball U23 North, Central America and Caribbean Volleyball Confederation Pan American Cup training roster the organization announced Monday.
Cos-Okpalla’s call up to the U23 national team marks her second-straight year earning the nod from Team USA, after being named to the collegiate national team last year. She joins a group of 18 which will gather for a training block at the National Team Training Center in Anaheim, Calif., from July 18-25. From this pool, 12 athletes will be chosen to represent the United States in Mexico.
“I’m proud of the work that Ifenna has put in on and off the court,” head coach Jamie Morrison said. “This invitation is a testament to that hard work and is well deserved. I can’t wait to see her playing for her country.”
Cos-Okpalla had a dominant junior season for the Aggies, showing elite production both offensively and defensively. The middle blocker stuffed 161 swings in 2024, averaging 1.46 blocks a set which ranks second and third, respectively, in the Maroon & White’s history books. On the offensive side of the net, the Flower Mound, Texas, native crushed 228 kills which is more than her previous two seasons combined. Cos-Okpalla’s efficiency also jumped off the charts, as she hit at .374 percent across the year which ranked seventh on A&M’s all-time list.
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Marquette grad named to all-freshman beach volleyball team | Sports
Marquette graduate Mia Scanlon has been named to the all-freshman Florida Atlantic beach volleyball team. The 5-foot-9 Scanlon is 5-7 this season, including a season-best 4-5 record on court three, in addition to going 1-0 at the No. 1 position. This season, Scanlon earned a ranked win against No. 16 Stetson. The Sandy Owls won […]
Marquette graduate Mia Scanlon has been named to the all-freshman Florida Atlantic beach volleyball team.
The 5-foot-9 Scanlon is 5-7 this season, including a season-best 4-5 record on court three, in addition to going 1-0 at the No. 1 position. This season, Scanlon earned a ranked win against No. 16 Stetson.
The Sandy Owls won their second Conference USA title to earn a berth in the NCAA
Ranked No. 13 in the nation, Florida Atlantic beach volleyball’s season came to a close recently when the Sandy Owls fell 3-0 to No. 4 Loyola Marymount University in the opening round of the NCAA Championship.
The Sandy Owls were making the program’s third all-time appearance in the NCAA Championship. FAU ends its campaign 21-15 overall.
Vikings Track & Field preps for National Championships
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CHICAGO, Ill. –– Seven Vikings will represent North Park University Track & Field at the 2025 Outdoor Championships this week. The Vikings will compete at the SPIRE Institute’s Outdoor Track & Field facility in Geneva, Ohio. Jereme Ombogo is the lone representative for the Viking men, qualifying for the 200m. His […]
CHICAGO, Ill. –– Seven Vikings will represent North Park University Track & Field at the 2025 Outdoor Championships this week. The Vikings will compete at the SPIRE Institute’s Outdoor Track & Field facility in Geneva, Ohio.
Jereme Ombogo is the lone representative for the Viking men, qualifying for the 200m. His PR time of 20.95 in Augustana’a Midwest Twilight Qualifier places him as the seventh-ranked runner in the Division III event.
Thea Ring will be the only Viking to compete in an individual event, looking to match the highs of her winter championships Pentathlon finish in this spring’s Heptathlon. Ring enjoyed a PR total of 4825 to handily win the CCIW Outdoor Championship back on may 3. She’s ranked 10th in the country in the event.
North Park also saw its Women’s 4x100m Relay Team qualify to compete on the national stage with a time of 46.49 at the Wheaton Invitational on April 12. Mariana Costa Riana Hayes, Meja Lindberg, and Ring are expected to race while Julia Klein and Kimoria Oliver will serve as the alternates.
Boys Volleyball Season Recap 2025 – Viking Magazine
The Paly Boys Volleyball team had a season nothing short of successful, ending the season with a 23-12 record. The Vikings won every single one of their league games as well, going 15-0, and placing first in the SCVAL-Foothill league. They started off the season very strong, winning 5 of their first 6 games before […]
Dave Portnoy Won A Massive Caitlin Clark Bet That Paid Out More Than The Highest WNBA Salary
Dave Portnoy and Caitlin Clark (Photos via Imagn Images) Caitlin Clark is off the mark in her second WNBA season, having led the Indiana Fever to a satisfying victory against rival Angel Reese and the Chicago Sky on Saturday. Her performance secured a blowout win for the Fever, as well as a massive payday for […]
Dave Portnoy and Caitlin Clark (Photos via Imagn Images)
Caitlin Clark is off the mark in her second WNBA season, having led the Indiana Fever to a satisfying victory against rival Angel Reese and the Chicago Sky on Saturday. Her performance secured a blowout win for the Fever, as well as a massive payday for Dave Portnoy.
The Barstool Sports owner risked $25,000 on a Clark triple-double at odds of 13/1.
It must have been a nervy game for Portnoy, as the former Iowa star did not complete the triple-double until very late in the game. She snagged a 10th rebound with 2:22 left in the contest before being pulled out.
Clark finished with 20 points and 10 assists in addition to those 10 rebounds, leaving Portnoy to collect a $350,000 payout.
Dave Portnoy Scored More Than What Any WNBA Player Will Make This Season In One Fell Swoop
Dave Portnoy, Caitlin Clark with Angel Reese (Photos via X)
The aforementioned sum is actually more than any WNBA player will make all year if we’re only counting salaries. It’s certainly more than Clark’s earnings, with the second-year star set to make just under $80,000 this season after agreeing to a four-year, $338,056 deal with Indiana.
Her teammate, Kelsey Mitchell, will make the most money in league salary this season, with earnings of $249,244, which means Portnoy just won over $100,000 more than what the WNBA’s highest-paid player makes by betting on Caitlin Clark.
Clark’s arrival has attracted a lot more attention to the league, and way more people are watching WNBA basketball because of her. It’s why many reckon she’s sorely underpaid, with WNBA salaries now a massive point of contention.
Even so, Clark is guaranteed to make millions as she signed an eight-year deal worth $28 million with Nike and will have a signature sneaker drop next year.
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