Myoko Guy

It's been awhile but from some high points on the Tangram side you can see all the way to the nihon-kai on a clear day. What are the two new runs (Air Wave and Usagi) there like? Air Wave sounds pretty good.

It's really not a bad place. Just not that well known. Crowds are hassle though.

Originally Posted By: Black Mountain NIK22, Suginohara is a great place for boarding but I also feel that way about Akakura Kanko. It's a toss up for me because both have some pretty fun and not so dangerous tree runs (I find Suginohara is a little busier than Akakan and lunch isn't as good). Unfortuantely, the weekend of Feb28 - Mar1 one of the better runs will be closed at Akakan for some kind of competition. That would mean that Suginohara will probably be busier than it usually would otherwise. There's always Ikenotaira or Seki Onsen too (not to mention Madarao, Tangram, etc. et

Originally Posted By: Creek Boy Originally Posted By: Black Mountain By the way... did anyone notice that Seki Onsen got 100cms of snow in the last 24 hours!? WTF! Why am I at work! I bet thats a stable snow pack Yep, we've had some avalanche warnings but they still keep the lifts running up there.

It's a nice ride out on the Chuo Line from Shinjuku but takes much longer than the shink/bus option. If you enjoy train rides and don't care much about time, take the first option.

Sounds a bit like what they had to do in some cases for the 98 games

I once met a mate in Naoetsu after a day boarding in Myoko. I left my board on top of the lockers in the station at Naoetsu. It was still there three hours later when I came back. There's stuff happens crimewise in Japan, but never really to me, and not like in other countries I lived in.

Not bad ;/, but not great compared to last year's awesome conditions

If booking in English ToCoo is about your only option. Got any Japanese speaking friends who can check out Japanese booking sites? We usually get small cars starting around Y3,000 a day.

Noto-hanto is too far away. Great place but you can't go past about Itoigawa on hat side of Honshu. I'd definitely recommend Nikko too or maybe Karuizawa (if the Asama volcano settles down). Izu Peninsula would also be nice, or maybe around Mount Fuji. Think you're still coveed by the East Pass there.

Ski set is Y2500 per day according to Aoyama Sports. Get to Off House in Joetsu and you could buy yourself a set cheaper, as long as you don't need big boots.

I got into boarding more than 10 years ago and would never go back to skis - although I might not have a choice next year when my daughter will be big enough to start learning to ski.

Aoyama Sports and/or Yodel Ski School - both in Akakura. Do a search with these names and they should come up.

I've alwas had a soft spot for Ikenotaira. Fewer crowds than Akakura and Suginohara (not that it gets that crowded there either) and quite a few good tree runs.

That was last updated on 12th December 2007, so it must've been closed for more than one season. A lot of these smaller resorts simply aren't viable anymore and are a drain on a town's resources. Tsubame Onsen has also closed this season. In Akakura they've amalgamated a lot of the smaller resorts into two entities to save costs. But smaller independent resorts can't do that so they'll just fall by the wayside.

True Rob, must check they have that symbol. My experience with Australian cards is that they've always worked in the post offices.

Make your way into a recycle shop like "Off House". Should pick up something cheap no problem, as long as your feet are not too big.

That time will be fine in Myoko, and they're usually cool with off-piste if you don't make it obvious, but you'll need to bring your Japanese-English dictionary

I'd agree with daytripper and pie-eater, plus wattie's last comment. I've skied three on the list but not sure I'd put Myoko in there. Nonetheless the best day I ever had boarding, by a mile, was in Myoko

The JR East Pass is great value because you can buy it at Narita and use it 4 sep. days within a month. The JR Pass has to be seven consecutive days. I would catch the the express train from Itoigawa-Kyoto and back. A bit longer but cheaper. Then use your JR East pass for the other legs. You can catch a Keinan Bus from Myoko to Nozawa

What for? Lift tickets? Hotels? Restaurants? If staying at a major hotel or eating at some restaurants you should be okay. The smaller establishments will unlikely take cards. Not sure about lift tickets. There are post offices in Akakura and Myoko Kogen where you can draw out cash on the ATM if you get stuck.