For A Peak Inside The Japanese Resort Industry: Volume 1 – Skiing Out of Bounds Having a look through the SJG each time always leaves me impressed with the amount of hands on ski and board experience gracing the pages.

I have spent the last few weeks wondering what I could possibly contribute, but decided that although the more technical aspects of such activities still elude me (which will become even more obvious as you read on), that being in the middle may provide an interesting perspective. My intention in writing today is to "clear the snow off the bridge" linking Japanese resorts and the international community that frequents them, or at least to move things along. A clearer understanding on both sides I believe will not only lead to a better resort experience all around, but a safer and more enjoyable one as well. Wish me luck, eh?

Made in Scotland but born in Canada - has been my line for a long time now. Banff, Alberta was the place before we moved on to Edmonton, where my ice hockey career finished early at the age of four. The coach cut me from the team for skating like a granny, and my participation in winter sports besides sleighing ended. Soon, the Anderson clan found themselves in Victoria B.C., with entertainment limited to watching the weather channel and gloating over the rest of the unfortunate souls back in Alberta. The only exception to this was the weekend ski trips to Whistler, back when the village was a garbage dump and cuisine was limited to the fare offered at the Husky Gas station. Things were to come full circle however, as I ended up settling in bone chilling snow country of the Koshinetsu Region in Japan.

With the completion of university at UVIC in Canada came the frequent question of what I was going to do. My standard reply then was that I wanted to ride from London to Cape Town on the back of a dump truck. To finance the trip, I decided to come to Japan and look for work. Soon after, I found myself in the Nippon Express office in Vancouver experiencing my first of many rounds of culture shock. The staff said "Hai" and I mistakenly thought they were saying "Hi" to me. I proceeded to say "Hi" to each of them. To get me out of there, they expedited my ticket to Japan and I landed on these shores two weeks later. Coming into Tokyo station at 10 p.m. that first time from the airport, I wondered why all the business people on the trains were still wearing ties when work supposedly finished at five. Must be a special day or something I thought.Presently, I find myself working in the resort industry at Arai Mountain & Snow Park in Niigata Prefecture. My relationship with this company goes back to 1992, when my future wife took the trouble to introduce me to my present boss. The initial meeting took place at a family restaurant, and to say the least I was nervous. Not only did I forget to shake his hand when we met, but I could not read the menu and wound up with a "Hello Kitty Ice Cream Float" sitting in front of me. Things were not much better a few years later when, back from the dump truck tour, I strolled into his office with a ponytail half way down my back again looking for work. The ponytail was my ticket into the dish pit at the top of the mountain, where I remained for all of that season. I emerged from that pit to teach English and the like, but have the privilege of returning for encore performances around the resort on certain special occasions.

Washing dishes that winter gave me the chance to talk with the guests and in the process learn a bit of Japanese. With my co-workers as well, though they were not interested in speaking English, on the job I would make mistakes and interesting English words would then come flowing out of their mouths. I had also experienced this before when I had worked at a Beach House on the Sea of Japan. These two jobs enabled me to compare the service industry here as opposed to back in Canada (where I had worked for The Keg restaurant chain). What I’ve found is that as there is no tipping in Japan, the wait person here approaches their work in an entirely different manner than if he/she were in Canada. The customer’s order is taken, but making small talk with them is not in most cases considered to be part of the job or even important for that matter. The customer in Japan may appreciate not having to worry about tipping or talking, but is the service and all around dining experience as good?

Teaching English here is very enjoyable. It soon became apparent that I would have to resort to on-the-job training. For the mountain guides, this means heading up to the peak with them on the first Gondola at 7:30 in the morning. Their job at that time is to set up the mountain for the public (once the mountain closes each day the guides take down the nets etc. from the runs so that the snow grooming Piston Bully’s can work their magic and then set the nets etc. again before the mountain opens to the public). This process carried out on skis is a difficult one as each net and sign must be pulled out of the snow, untangled and then driven/drilled into the appropriate position. There may be ten to fifteen guides doing this job each day and though the weather doesn’t always cooperate, for safety the daily process is checked thoroughly by management.

 
In the past, some boarders chose to ignore the signs and warnings clearly posted throughout the resort here prohibiting entry to particular zones in line with the Alpine Responsibility Code.  Furthermore, these zones have at their perimeters entry prohibited signs, ropes and nets. In order to enter prohibited areas, it’s necessary for a person to pull the carefully placed net/poles out of the snow; Unfortunately, someone who chooses to do this is not only risking his or her life, but those of the guide that must chase after them as well and other guests skiing/boarding at lower levels as well. I used to ski out of bounds all the time at Whistler, but learned that at this resort you can pay for doing the same thing with your life. It is like diving into water. If you know the water and depth intimately then maybe you can do it but you are still taking a risk. To me, it makes sense to ask one of the guides. I know that they would much rather personally show you some powder rather than have to risk their life chasing after you. Have a safe one, eh?