I was lucky to have Tom as my guide and fellow photographer for this half day visit. Actually he was my teacher and from him I gained lots of useful tips. His expertise of the area was great so we could visit some beautiful locations by van. No skiing was required today so people with no skiing skills, like me, could still enjoy the snow access this fantastic day. I liked the casual and easy going way the guide had and nothing was a problem, borrowing a lens, stopping for snack, it was all up to me. You will need some good shoes and a coat and of course your camera, but otherwise if you need snow shoes, a lens or a tripod, it will there for you to use. It would have been nice to have a bit more time but the train journey and timetables for the trip back to Sapporo meant the time went too fast! Overall I highly recommend this experience if you like snow and photography.