[Ski death provokes helmet debate]

On my own, don't really care if bar up or down. When with anyone else, especialy strangers, always bar down. Never know what stupid thing some other numbskull will do and take me with them. Not very trusting am i. When kids are on the lift..it's a no brainer.

 

Have thought about a helmet for a while, and now am going to wear one. I wear one when riding a pushbike and motorbike, so is skiing any safer? This year a friend fell on softish snow and ended up in wally world for about two minutes after what looked like a very soft fall. You just never know i guess.

[Hakuba vs Niseko - A 37 year old Australian Snowboarders opinion]

Originally Posted By: The Gimp

. Add to that some heavy duty cultural reticence to accommodate foreigners and a general cultural reluctance to change (the nail that stick up gets hit) and it is little wonder the resorts all work to maintain the status quo, particularly while government handouts keep things ticking over.

A book title "Dogs and Demons,The Fall of Modern Japan" by Alex Kerr will give a good explanation of how and why things happen in Japan.

It is true that in general the Japanese people are xenophobic, BUT, i have found that if you take the initiative to build relations with them you will indeed have some wonderful friends. They will rarely make the first move, just a cultural thing.
It is up to us to be good ambassadors for our countries, or bad ones.

[Hakuba vs Niseko - A 37 year old Australian Snowboarders opinion]

Originally Posted By: MikePow

[For the moment, it would seem that the Niseko Resort Area ticks more boxes for most people visiting Japan.

Agreed. That is why Hakuba resorts need to do some serious thinking.
Both Niseko and Hakuba offer good things. They are quite different, and isn't that a good thing.
Hopefully Hakuba can learn from other places and pick up on the good points, whilst retaining it's own unique identity.
I really think the injection of foreign capital into Niseko has at least brought some fresher ideas. Will it happen in Hakuba? Not untill the old brigade have ben pushed aside.
Love both places,but ended up buying my piece of paradise in Hakuba.
I, like many, will welcome some changes in Hakuba.

[Hakuba vs Niseko - A 37 year old Australian Snowboarders opinion]

Have come in late on this topic, but here are my observations.

A lot of the talk seems to be centred on off piste skiing.

. At least 70% of the skiing public do not have the skills ,or, the inclination to go off piste. Any look at the slopes at Niseko will see four times as many people on the groomers as going off piste even when the areas are open.As much as a lot of readers of forums like this do go off piste,us forum members would be lucky to be 10% of the skiing public. The resorts gain the vast majority of their income from skiers who are happy to stay on piste. Why would they change their policies for a few.Niseko should be commended for the effort they do put in though.

Hakuba is a different kettle of fish.Apart from back country there are few areas that permit skiing off piste.As stated, some of this is due to inward thinking on behalf of the resorts.Also the resorts in Hakuba that have inbound trees can be quite dangerous in regard to slides(steeper terrain), and the fact that a lot of the good looking areas are above open groomed areas.The back country is awesome, but way above the abilities of the average punter.

Hakuba needs some basic forward thinking to cater to an increasing overseas visitor numbers. The ticketing system, in particular the Happy Seven passes, need to be able to be used as a single ticket which can be used at any resort at any time of the day, including multiple places on the same day. At the moment, a voucher needs to be cashed in each day at the resort you wish to ski at, and then you are locked in to that resort for the whole day.This is the biggest complaint i hear from visitors.Surely the resorts can work together to come up with a single all mtn pass.

Hakuba's other main problem is with transport between the various resorts. I guess we have all been spoilt by the system at Niseko. Once again it will take co-operation between the resorts to come up with a reliable and timely inter resort service.

There are some big money plans for Hakuba. Whether these plans come to fruition will depend on the local companies playing the game.

To put it into perspective...Niseko's skier numbers these days are predominantly visitors from overseas. Hakuba's predominant visitors are locals, by a huge margin.As with Japanese culture, the locals will not complain, so why would the companies do anything to change.

As overseas visitors increase in Hakuba (maybe)things may start to happen.

I get really cheesed off when i see the local ski patrols in Hakuba hounding people who have ducked the ropes, but at the same time do nothing about groups of young boarders sitting in the middle of a black run (all locals by the way).They seem to condone this dangerous practice even though the skiers code of resposibility is posted everywhere.

I have done two holiday trips to Niseko, and spent the last two seasons in Hakuba, and this is just the way i see it.

[Lodge Tibi-Tibi, Hakuba]

Originally Posted By: Yappy

Hey there

Hope you're all good!!!!!

Looks like Lodge Tibi-Tibi is our accommodation choice for Feb. It's got its own park?!!

Anyone stayed here before??

Cheers, Yappy

It sounds cheap, but you pay extra for most things, like using the hot tub, towels and others. Heaters are turned off at night from all reports from others who have stayed.
You only get what you pay for.

[Ski Hire in Happo One]

Last season there was the demo ski place in Escal Plaza hiring the top end of all the different styles (carve, powder etc). Top brands, and each night they are hot waxed.