TochigiTim

Doesn't seem to make much of a difference round these parts..

Ah, so the area near the base of the gondola?

When you say the village, is that the bit around the train station?

Not busy was a big thing with me. The first place I went was packed crowded. Not fun at all I felt very uneasy. Next place was almost empty. Made a huge difference.

Getting cooler up here in Tochigi as well. The last few days especially.

WIN 10,0,2,54

The locals in the onsen near me are used to me now so don't check out my private bits but I am always but when going to a new place I'm always conscious. I can see why some people will not be wary.

There always seems to be talk of resorts in this area like that, but I have no idea what is true. I wonder how many of the places actually make a profit as they certainly never seem to get really busy other than at the very peak weekends.

Live in a town with quite a good choice of onsen and I'm in there at least once a week. One of the best things about living in Japan any time of the year.

I just wish the town fit in more with the brilliant temple area. The town (city) of Nikko is the usual Japanese mess and looks like so many others - there's even the run of run-down buildings on the way in. It really spoils it I think and it would be great if Nikko town could be redone in a style fitting the history and atmosphere of the main attractions. I know it's a typical problem in Japan but...

Great photos! A fine place indeed.

I wish I could easy get over there from here in Tochigi in winter but as mentioned in another thread the road is closed in winter. Quite close really but just can't get there!

I simply can't believe it.

I love seeing old photos wherever they are of. You can look at some for such long times and still get things out of them. Where I live here in Tochigi though seems to have been in some kind of frozen state for the last 50 years. Photos from back then look pretty much the same, just without the vending machines!

Holiday in Canada was the first time. Not a whole lot before coming to Japan.

OK sorry been busy. Basically there's not that much in Tochigi itself. The main 3 are Edelweiss Ski Resort Hunter Mountain Shiobara Mount Jeans Ski Resort Nasu I have been to Hunter most. Also going north into Fukushima and further into Yamagata. Like I said will post some resort reviews eventually for the above.

Sorry I wouldn't know as I don't cc.... but as others said can't imagine it being a skijo as I don't think there are any there.

Nikko is a really nice place and the Nasu area of Tochigi as well. Sorry I haven't got round to those write-ups yet. Will do, honest.

4 for me. Grew up in England. Moved to Australia. Worked in NZ. Moved to Japan. Tochigi!

American father. Australian mother. Grew up in England. Moved to Australia. Worked in NZ. Moved to Japan. Tochigi!

I'm in Tochigi-ken. Countryside area not too far away from Nikko.

I reckon Japan would be one of the best and most interesting places to travel alone like that, the safety being a bit part in that. My older sister came to visit last October and she went off on here own for a week adventure. Only a few words of Japanese and an adventure spirit is all she went with. Some of her stories! One day she was hungry and ended up eating "okayu" with a bunch of monks in a temple (for some bizarre reason).

Thanks for the welcomes. Bit busy at the moment but I will get round to it? Lonely? TochigiTomiko sees to it that I'm not. Actually I'm not bothered by not being surrounded by lots of other foreigners.

I went to Zao from here in Tochigi this last winter for 2 days. I loved it, really good place I thought and planning on going in summer too. I'd recommend it.

Hi there Second year in Japan and this last season I started skiing in and around Tochigi. Not much before then. I have been lurking but thought I'd take the plunge and sign up. Anyone else in or near Tochigi? Not the biggest of resorts here but there are a few. I'll do a write up of a few of them.