Dean H. Ruetzler, a native Vermonter, and son of a ski instructor who emigrated from Austria, has discovered a genetic predisposition to move half way around the world to a snowy climate, and spend five or six months a year skiing. An aspiring International Studies Grad Student/Writer (those activities postponed indefinitely for paid jobs teaching English in "yuki guni" near ski areas) he spends his "embryonic writing development" writing this column. 

As a native Vermonter, home of some of the United States most radical and outspoken politics and history, those outspoken traits have a habit of creeping into his commentary on Japanese Skiing. A devoted student of Japanese language, culture, society, and economics from "rabu hoteru" to "kanji", he tries to give his columns a "Japanese twist". Having played college football, and participated in full contact karate in his twenties, he has taken "one sharp blow to the head too many" that makes itself clearly evident in these columns too. Enjoy!

After mid May, one may start getting the idea that the ski season is heading towards a close. Yet, here in Japan, especially after a winter where this archipelago was absolutely pelted with the white stuff, one might not think that the ski season will eventually end. What started as few runs in mid-December had exploded in to a near obsession and covered nearly five months of skiing at nearly every opportunity I had. It was truly a ski season to remember. 

Pity poor Tohoku, it is all but ignored by the rest of the world, and even the rest of Japan. Tokyo is the worlds arguably most developed city. It is also the economic and pop cultural hub of Asia, with the city coffers larger than that of 75% of the countries in the world. Osaka, or the "anti-Tokyo", plays a wonderful second city, was recently in the running for its own Olympics, and much like the second city of the United States, a legendary "yakuza" or gangster haven.

Unless one is from North America, they may think this article is a pejorative attempt by the author and editorial staff to belittle the reader. Of course, that is why the editorial staff always adds; "such opinions do not always represent the opinions of..." or something like that so I take all the blame anyways.

Dean takes a look at "It", one of the most popular resorts in the Tohoku Region - and investigates what makes it so popular.

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.