[Where to ski bum?]

Right. The US has no such thing as a working holiday visa for anybody else, and the love is consequently reciprocated.

[Where to ski bum?]

Originally Posted By: Go Native

Can Americans get working holiday visas for here?

Don't think so.

[Sydney - Tokyo - Hokkaido ?]

Originally Posted By: thursday

I had never been in a Disney thing park all my life, until I had my baby. Now, I'm an annual pass holder and go about twice a month. I really hate myself

But your kid loves you, and really, which is more important?

[What Provoked you to start Skiing or Snowboarding?]

If there are, Mapion doesn't know about them.

[What Provoked you to start Skiing or Snowboarding?]

Surprisingly, yes: Daihatsu-cho

 

Seems to have been named after the company, however, so I reckon it's a bit of a cheat.

[Where will open first?]

Thanks. Maybe I can slip in a visit before being forced to take the long way around.

[What Provoked you to start Skiing or Snowboarding?]

Matsuda

 

No car companies, though. You'll have to take that up with Mr. Matsuda.

 

[Best Ski / Snowboard Movie]

[Where will open first?]

Originally Posted By: best skier in hakuba

I'd take Marunuma over Karuizawa any day.

Anyone have any idea when the back road to Marunuma from Nikko typically shuts down for the winter?

[What Provoked you to start Skiing or Snowboarding?]

Originally Posted By: thursday

is there a place called Toyota?

Toyota-shi, in Aichi-ken.

Some car company based there -- name escapes me at the moment.

[What Provoked you to start Skiing or Snowboarding?]

Grew up in a skiing town, before snowboards were invented. Stopped skiing when I moved away. Just recently taken it up again -- a form of mid-life crisis, I suppose. (Hey, cheaper than buying a sports car... I think!) Plus, I realized that I had inadvertently landed in the middle of skiing paradise here in Japan, so it seemed a shame to waste the opportunity.

 

May give snowboards a try at some point, but still having too much fun rediscovering the old feel and thrill of skiing.

 

[Where will open first?]

Originally Posted By: muikabochi

Good name Matabo Oyaji!

Thanks! Still trying to figure out yours...
A take-off on Muikamachi, with the implication that the place is like a graveyard at times?

Quote:

Marunuma is fun for a one-off, but it's a small place.

I don't mind one-offs, since I'm still in the exploring stage of trying lots of different places. Last year I don't think we ever went to the same place twice, unless we were staying there overnight. Mostly day trips here and there, to get a feel for what's out there.

Quote:

I wait until the real snow arrives.

Well here's the deal: the little one does a pretty mean ha-no-ji, and will gamely snowplow down big moguls -- or rather, snowplow right over the middle of them, going up and down them like a series of little hills -- but it is time for some professional coaching to get parallel turns down. (Kid won't do anything I say -- takes after me that way...) So I plan to devote the first time out this year to kiddie ski lessons, in which case the quality of the snow is not so important. Save the good snow and scenery for when the season proper gets underway.

[Where will open first?]

Originally Posted By: SKI

You want real snow or silly crushed ice stuff?

Hey, I'll take what I can get, early on.

I hadn't even realized there were other options in Oct./early Nov. besides Sayama. Thanks for the suggestions!

Hmm, I had been thinking of checking out Marunuma last year, but never made it there... Will also keep an eye on the other places mentioned.

Thanks again, guys.

[Where will open first?]

Greetings everyone,

 

New poster here, though I read this site many times last year as a reference. With the weather cooling off, the kid and I are getting excited about the coming of ski season. Last year we warmed up at Sayama in November, and wrapped up at Kagura in May. Only six short months.

 

So... within, say, 4-5 hours drive of Tokyo, which ski area is likely to open the earliest? (Besides Sayama, or course.) Something in the Nagano area, or somewhere in Tohoku?

 

Gotta make use of those 1000-yen highway tolls!