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Volume 15
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2003/04 White Season Wrap & Working in Japan
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DISCUSS THIS FEATURE
HERE
30th April 2004
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The phones are ringing daily at the resort with potential visitors finding
it hard to believe that the 2003/4 White Season will carry through
until Sunday, May 9. How is it possible to ski and board when you need to have
the air-conditioning in your car on as you approach the resort? A lot has to do
with the 1,000-meter differential in elevation between the village and the peak
of the mountain, as well as the nightly transfer/grooming of snow onto courses
that are still open. 26 cm of fresh snow at the upper elevations of the
mountain over the last full weekend in April also helps. Fresh snow in late
April, what a pleasant surprise!
Compared with last year for the period from opening through to the end of
March, the resort has received ten percent fewer visitors this season, despite
the fact that current affairs are relatively more stable. A lack of snow and
the late arrival of it compared with the last five years did not help. For
those guests that did make it to the resort this season, the majority of them
were boarders (55%) with the remainder making up skiers.
With each successive day towards the end of the season however, those with
the ability to still take advantage of the remaining open runs dwindles,
allowing the staff to catch their breath. Personally, it permits a welcome
respite from the constant pressure of work, and gives me a chance to reflect
back on the latter part (February to April) of the 2003/04 White Season.
(Please note that the images in this volume of the setting journals
represent a selection of the
best ones to come my way this season.)
February
This month at the start featured 361 cm of snow
at the upper elevations of the mountain, and 135 cm at the base. Though not
much compared to previous years, the accompanying chilly temperatures in the
negative single digits (degrees Centigrade) ensured that the snow present was
both soft and light - definitely worth cherishing.
Such a steady base of high quality snow during this month acts like a magnet
for drawing all kinds of guests that will go out of their way to find you (as
opposed to the other way around during other times of the year). Although it is
always one of the busiest months at the resort, a decent English website up and
running prior to the start of the season definitely helped to ease the
workload.
Given the new site, reservations were more evenly spread out this season
compared to previous ones when we would always get slammed. For some February
guests their visit to the resort was the climax of holiday arrangements going
back several months, while for others it was a last minute whim to visit
following an encouraging weather report. For those guests visiting on a whim,
they pack up their cars, head out north on an expressway and THEN get on the
phone to look for accommodation!
The resort was also fortunate to have a professional bilingual hotel
executive this year and his staff also featured for the first time many
bilingual (TOEIC scores exceeding 800) workers. Operations improved
dramatically as the following comparison of the same February weekend over the
past four years demonstrates.
White Season 2000/01
Some expatriate guests came but most/all were booked at the resort via
Japanese intermediaries.
White Season 2001/02
Expatriate guests independently made direct bookings with the resort in
English for the first time. Resort Services were at that time not completely
bilingual, however, leading to occasional confusion.
White Season 2002/03
Formal preparations at the company wide level to receive expatriate guests
were made from six months prior to the start of this White Season - the first
time that this had ever happened at the resort. The hard work paid off however
as though operations were stretched, staff overall managed to handle services
much better compared to recent years.
White Season 2003/04
Expatriate guests from previous years returned and brought friends. Each
division of the resort handled these guests on their own for the first time
without seeking the help of others or yours truly.
March
March featured some excellent snow from the
start of the month. Almost a meter fell in the first week to achieve a season
high of 472 cm at the upper elevations of the mountain and 200 cm at the base -
relatively low figures. Most of the conditional zones had also opened up at
the mountain, so along with the two half pipes, terrain park and night skiing -
operations were in full swing.
Although it is fascinating to see a mountain going all out, the time is
fleeting. By the third week of March spring begins to set in at the lower
elevations, meaning fresh powder falling only higher up the mountain.
Night operations also end, marking the finish of the main part of the season
as well. Such conditions permit senior staff to begin to go home at normal
times (from December of the previous year these staff took
turns pulling the graveyard shift of the 24-hour mountain operations base
throughout peak season).
April
April is always a very pleasant month at the resort as long as you are not a
powder hound. The month began with 315 cm of snow at the upper elevations of
the mountain and 50 cm at the base. Cherry blossoms bloom in the valley,
creating a natural juxtaposition with snow on the mountain. The air is fresh
and crisp, with warm afternoons and cooler nights that are perfect for
sleeping.
The snow on neighboring Mt. Myoko also begins to melt, and a patch of trees on
that mountain forms the outline of a horse that is jumping.
With spring in full gear, April marked the beginning of the exodus of winter
workers from the resort. For the Seasonal International staff it is a time to
face the next step in their lives, and for me it is a time to thank them for
their support over the past season. My job has become much more manageable
recently with the support that Seasonal International staff brought, and it has
been tough to see them go.
I really feel that the resort arrived on the international scene this white
season as a legitimate player within Japan's expatriate skiing and boarding
community. A lot of this had to do with the fact that for the first time Native
English speakers hired via the Internet worked at the resort (4 Kiwis for the
restaurants, & 2 Aussies - professional ski guides - in the ARAI GUIDE
CENTER). The latter part of this article takes a look at their experiences in
Japan.
Working in Japan as a Seasonal
International staff member at a Full Sized Winter Resort
The resort is now wrapping up it’s second white season of employing
Seasonal International Staff Members (other than our two house bands). It has
been quite the experience for all those involved - including myself, given all
of the dynamics that needed to be considered (realized and unrealized) of
living and working in a culture gap. Perhaps the overriding impression for me
has been how much legwork was required in the process each time it was
undertaken - six months in some cases to prepare all the relevant
documentation.
In the run-up to this white season, the resort received enquiries concerning
employment from Australia, Canada, Hong
Kong, Iceland, Japan, New Zealand, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, The United
Kingdom & The United States. To deal with all the enquiries, candidates
were asked to answer the following:
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Have you worked in the service
industry before? |
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Do you speak Japanese? |
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Are you physically healthy? |
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Do you qualify for the Japanese
Working Holiday Visa in your native country? |
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Are you prepared to do all of
the significant legwork at your own expense in your native country before
you have even received a tentative job offer? |
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Are you willing and able to pay
for your transfers to/from the resort and your native country? |
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Do you have any
experience/qualifications for teaching skiing and/or boarding? |
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Have you ever been to Japan
before? |
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Do you have a university
degree? |
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Is your domestic situation one
that can be left unattended for several months? |
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Are you willing to work long
and irregular hours in the depths of winter? |
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Are you presentable to an
International Clientele? |
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How do you feel about
informally teaching English to fellow workers on-the-job? |
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Are you willing to live in a
Japanese style dormitory? |
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Can you provide documentation
such as a resume in Japanese? |
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Do you have any problems with
eating food from a Japanese company cafeteria? |
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Do you mind stating in some
detail your situation and why you want to be in Japan? |
Candidates that answered the questions above positively were then considered
on an individual basis, and related documentation such as resumes forwarded
internally at the resort. This took time given that Japan is not an easy
country to do business or get a job in - sometimes people are deliberately
negative. The society has some hard edges and complex means of interrelating.
There are different expectations of etiquette and a strict approach to
hierarchy. As a foreigner you have a lot of leeway to shortcut the protocols,
but you still need to learn what the limits are. It is essential to get used to
it and learn the ropes.
For those that did make it through and actually worked at the resort, none
found it easy - including myself (I talked about my time as a Seasonal
International Staff Member at the resort over the White Season 1996/7 in Volume 1 of the setting journals, "Skiing
Out of Bounds"). I can safely say however that it was
definitely a challenge which proved to be interesting and educational.
Positive Feedback on the experience since then from Seasonal International
Staff Members has included:
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Something different than the
standard routine; |
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Enjoying Japanese cuisine at a
subsidized price; |
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Living with Japanese people
from all over Japan and working for a Japanese company; |
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Bathing in traditional Japanese
style; |
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Working shifts that are
flexible outside of peak periods (meaning you can ski/board); |
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Skiing and Boarding on weekdays when the powder is fresh and the slopes are quiet; |
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Experiencing some of the
awesome fresh powder that Japan has to offer; |
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Seeing a more innocent part of
Japan that is worlds away from the metropolis of Tokyo; |
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The chance to sightsee other
parts of Japan on your way to/from the resort; |
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An opportunity to brush up your
Japanese skills; |
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Being slightly famous as being
a foreigner in this area is still a noticeable trait; |
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Receiving free accommodation
and access to the slopes while you are an employee at the resort; |
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Establishing business
connections that may be invaluable to future employers; & |
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Making Japanese friends. |
From dealing directly with Seasonal International staff members over the
past few years, in my mind most came to the resort with slightly different
aims. To be clear, some left unhappy and others were indifferent, but the
majority who made an effort to put themselves out while here did well.
Next time in the setting journals I’ll map out a peak day in white season
resort operations in a volume that will be called, "A Day in the Life of a
Full Sized Winter Resort".
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