Crossing Cultures at the "Sukii-joo" DISCUSS THIS FEATURE HERE

It may be something of a generalization to say so but Japanese History is replete with Japanese borrowing from other cultures certain ideas, adjusting their use to the Japanese culture, and coming up with a final product which in Japanese use is somewhat similar to the original, quite different in other ways, and hard to decipher to non-Japanese.

The most significant example of this is the Japanese use of "kanji" (Chinese Characters) in its written language. The characters appear the same, but have generally different pronunciation, and the meanings are sometimes but not always the same. With the addition of two phonetic scripts, and roman characters, it starts to get even more different. Hard to DECIPHER? Well, a Chinese person with an average education can read and put in to use 5,000 of those characters. A Japanese person, meanwhile who can exceed 3,000 characters of understanding, is considered quite well educated and intelligent. Of course, since the opening of the gates of Japan to the west in 1857, and the ensuing "Meji Restoration" period of Japanese history many ideas have gone under the same "Japanese Way" of treatment and modification. Most notably the automobile, many electronic products, and on a cultural level, music (especially pop), baseball, drama (Hamlet in Japanese is a treat), professional wrestling, and of course skiing.

By and large, skiing in Japan is the same as the rest of the world. The snow that falls is still white (and there is A LOT in this country anywhere north of Tokyo!), the rich like to spend their weekends at glitzy "name" resorts, younger daredevils go to other places that are more affordable, off the beaten path, and more likely to provide challenge and adventure. Little children who are getting good at their skills still like to tuck their poles completely under their armpits, stand-up straight, and bomb down the hill fearlessly. Young adults are by and large eschewing "regular" skis in order to Snowboard, Mini-Ski, or hit the backcountry. In many ways it is not that much different than anywhere else. Nonetheless, skiing in Japan does have its own nuances, kinks, and, tinged with that "Japanese Way" of doing things, that can make skiing here a uniquely "Japanese" experience.

The skiing itself, produces two major differences to the rest of the skiing world, and both are what I believe to be derived from cultural aspects of Japan, that, at least to the first look, are true of the general population.
  

   
The first of these is the fascination with the perfectly carved turn, and it's endless repetition in an almost "Zen-Bhuddhist" fashion. Many Japanese skiers will be seen just turning and turning and turning. Making the same pole plant one after another. Trying as hard as possible to turn at an equal distance from the fall line with each venture left or right. Of course, Japan is a culture notorious with its abhorrence of change. Everything must be done the same way. It must be done endless times, repetition is the key. The most visible manifestation of this is the frequency you will see Japanese skiers going down the hill in pairs or groups syncopating their turns. Sometimes larger groups will go down the hill in line with each other, following the path of a leader (this is also a favorite method of Japanese ski schools) sometimes groups of up to a dozen can be seen wandering down the hill meandering in a snake-like fashion. This is truly a visual treat, though my one attempt at joining one of the groups spontaneously, tacking myself on to the "tail", did not meet with a lot of approval with the groups members (I guess they had had their share of "internationalization" for the day already). Though, I have been asked to "lead the snake" by the schools I work at when teaching the students during Physical Education classes, a bit of an honor. Obviously, not every Japanese person is the same, nor is every Japanese skier. Still, you will see this type of skiing phenomenon more then you will see it elsewhere in the world.

The next phenomenon is that of skilled skiers crowding the intermediate and beginner slopes often buzzing by everybody else at supersonic speeds. Yet when one does venture to challenging trails, those same expert skiers are not seen in as great a frequency, especially the really steep, rough trails. This phenomenon is partly geographical, as volcanic mountains, are simply rounder than most non-volcanic mountains such as in the North American Rocky Mountains, Sierra Nevadas or European Alps, and many Japanese resorts, simply do not have much steep, challenging territory for the more skilled skiers. Yet, still it seems that the expert trails are used in a disproportionately small percentage, with the exception of resorts that are famous for their powder, challenging trails, and/or off-piste skiing.

This, in my opinion can be attributed to two unique facets of Japanese culture. This first is the famous "saving face". Appearances are very important in Japan and I hypothesize that the advanced skier is a little wary of taking a public tumble, a "loss of face" so to say, which is much more apt to happen on a steeper, more challenging slope. The second facet relates to "tate shakai" or the rigid vertical stratification of Japanese society, where your position in relation to others is of tantamount importance. Those in a higher position are given a lot of leeway, and allowed to show their superiority in both obvious and intangible ways, in return, those below are supervised and cared for almost to the point of indulgence. For a more colorful metaphor consider the expert skiers "shogun" (generals) and "samurai" warriors), with the skis and poles replacing the famed samurai-sword. They are simply protecting the farmers, merchants, artisans, and the rest of the minions, (beginner and intermediate skiers) using their "swords" in a manifest display of skill, should anyone get out of line.

The differences in the manner of skiing are really not that great when you look at the big picture. The two I mentioned are noticeable, but not so outstanding. When one looks at the ski resort experience beyond the skiing itself, the differences become a little more apparent.

I will start with perhaps the one that just overwhelmed me upon my first visit to a Japanese resort. YOU CAN BRING YOUR SKIS AND POLES INTO THE BASE LODGE!!! Logistics 101....I have never been to a North American resort that allows it. It is a great idea, very practical, and saves time and most importantly, heat. Save for expensive ski lockers, skis and poles are "verboten" wherever I have skied in the states. They must stay outside. I have been to ski areas in Japan that have coin-operated ski racks in the base lodge for overnight storage. So many hassles that I dealt with in the States are gone. Along with this, the presence of decent (sometimes extravagant) changing facilities at most Japanese ski areas, and an abundance of coin-operated storage lockers at most ski areas, equipment storage and changing in and out of ski wear is so much less of a hassle in Japan. Doomo Arigatou!!

Perhaps the most startling experience for a foreigner skiing in Japan is the piped in music playing from nearly every lift tower at the ski area. Your entire ride up the mountain can be accompanied by music, interrupted by the occasional soft but audible, nurturing, pleasant, female voice speaking the occasional announcements about the days conditions, lift openings and the like. The reaction to all this has a varied range among skiing foreigners. A good friend of mine from Utah, thinks it is atrocious "Noise pollution!" was his comment. My editor, a veteran of Japanese skiing for nearly ten years says he merely has become, accustomed or "numb" to it at this point. My take on this phenomenon? It really varies with the music. I have developed a liking for some (not to be confused with all,..Please!!!!) Japanese Popular ("J-pop") music mainly due to my nearly constant presence at ski areas. The piped in foreign pop and rock from the Spice Girls to Arrested Development, Beck, Aerosmith, LL Cool-J, and a bevy of one-hit wonders, often is a nostalgic trip down memory lane, generating "Name that artist" trivia contests with my friends. Hearing Gerry Rafferty's 1978 No.1 Hit "Baker Street" for the first time in years was splendid. However hearing the Carpenters (a Japanese karaoke favorite) played over and over all day once, was probably the worst torture inflicted on a foreigner in this country since Sea Urchin Sushi or Pink Lady.

Coming from a country where in some places it is illegal to light up a cigarette in a bar, I find the amount of smoking that goes on at a Japanese ski area somewhat surprising. Smoking is a big part of the Japanese culture, and the Japanese live to the second longest life span in the world (Icelanders beat them by a few weeks) DESPITE the copious amounts of smoking going on. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a non-smoking prostelytizer, I like a Marlboro Lite or two just before bed to relax, but I also have a degree in Kineisiolgy (Sports Science), and in no way, shape, or form is smoking just before, during, or after physical activity condoned. Yet that is just what you will see here, in the lift line, on the side of the slopes, on the lifts, in the woods, in the base lodge, in the "can", during meals, no smoking signs are ignored by some, you name it. The one thing I have not seen yet is a smoker smoking while skiing, Yet, this is a country where the bicyclists will, on occasion light up (a tobacco cigarette) . The trails under the lifts will show several cigarette butts in the snow daily, and a May ride on a chairlift, while the snow was rapidly melting and exposed a lot of grass and a trail littered with thousands of cigarette butts accumulated over the winter. BLEEEECHH!!!!

Yet another one of the cultural "truisms" encountered in Japan is that of gift giving. As a matter of fact the slope side "pro shop" for the purchase of ski equipment and clothing has been replaced with a gift shop. Not that ski shops don't exist, they do, in great abundance, just not exceptionally close to the resorts in most cases, but closer to the high-traffic retail zones. At the ski areas you can buy souvenirs up the wazoo from local food products to the ski areas's insignia on a t-shirt with the obligatory misspellt English. Key chains, patches, pen and pencil sets, even the occasional pair of gloves, goggles, or hat in case you forgot. A nice ski sweater? A new pair of skis? thermal undies? You are better off trying the shopping districts of Tokyo and Osaka, or the nearest outlet mall. Ironically, rental shops are generally quite complete, (unless you have big "western-sized" bodies and feet), and some will even rent a ski outfit for a day.

Ski outfits in Japan are a new, and dangerous breed. The fashion conscious Japanese have raised it to an art form, probably the most important part of skiing is having the "right" outfit. You will often be presented with a skier who has an Austrian (or any other major skiing nation) national team replica jacket and snow pants, 200 US-Dollar sunglasses, the latest in carving skis, perhaps a crash helmet, and possibly the ability to barely snow plow. Appearance clearly takes precedence over ability at the ski area in Japan. In two years I have yet to see a person ski in jeans, while not common where I grew up skiing, at least it wasn't unheard of. Though what passes for "fashionable" may not be the same standard you had at home. Bright colors, and colors that don't exist in the natural spectrum are quite popular. You may even need to use tinted lenses in a blizzard to protect your eyes. Look at the bright side, it's much harder to lose people in bad weather here. There is a rumor (unsubstantiated) that ski clothing manufacturers take all the loud, gaudy items that were way too tacky to sell in North America and Europe, add on 300 Dollars (US) to the price, and ship them to Japan, where they sell like hotcakes. Just a rumor.......

This article has been about the differences between Japanese skiing and ski resorts, and yes, there is a difference. Though I should stress that it is not a huge difference. 95% of the ski experience, is just the same as the rest of the world. Describing the differences between skiing here in Japan and the rest of the world is not the same as trying to explain the differences between sumoo and the World Wrestling Federation. It is more like describing the differences between Japanese and North American baseball, it's still "three strikes to an out, three outs to an inning, and don't swing at a 3-2 breaking pitch". The snow still falls white, (much to the chagrin of a Japanese trade minister who proclaimed differently to justify a closed market in the ski industry, it is NOT fundamentally different than the snow in the rest of the world), boarders and skiers are not exactly the same, the patrol at most resorts will yell at you for skiing out of bounds, cafeteria food is over priced, and high speed quads still whisk you to the top quickly. The snow here is amazing, being a native Vermonter, I thought blue ice, rocks and grass were what you skied on. Despite the fact I live about 800 miles closer to the equator than my Vermont home, I'm seeing tons and tons of snow this winter, and a six month long-plus ski season is a distinct possibility this year, thanks to this veritable "pelting" of snow. It had been said about skiing in Japan, just "Pick a good day, preferably a weekday (to avoid the crowds, the closer you are to Tokyo, the more this is a problem), and you will never look back!" 

I haven't.