NECK
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Posts posted by NECK
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A few snaps from my phone:
Sorry it took so long for me to sort it out
Thanks again SJ.
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Some snaps I took on the day.
http://www.snowjapanforums.com/index.php/gallery/album/305-akakura-kanko-myoko-–-april-5th-2013/
Better late than never
Thanks again SJ.
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Good link. Thanks
I hope it's ok for mr wiggles to post the one he knows
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There's a Japanese guy with a blog who goes to closed ski resorts in winter and I think there were security people at the base when he went.
I went three or four times when it was open. Just to ride, not to stay.
Do you have a link to his blog wiggles? Would be keen to have a read.
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It looked as though none of the damage to the place was due to vandalism. The elements had done their thing to the exterior of the buildings, but from what we could see through the windows, the inside remained exactly how it was left on the last day of operations in 2006.
There were a few signs indicating that the place was under camera surveillance so you shouldn't enter. We did actually see one fixed camera overlooking the plaza, but I doubt that anyone was actually watching the screen. That is assuming that the camera was even real....
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Got to peep through a lot of windows and the place was simply abandoned. I'm talking like, rooms looked made for the arrival of guests and the dining room was set for dinner. Pretty weird really.....
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I used to like Arai.
But it was too over the top for it's own good and then we entered the era when most people didn't want to spend all that money.
Lots of the folk who stayed at the hotels didn't even go skiing.
The snow was great though up there.
I heard the conditions were epic up there peak season!
Thanks for confirming this yamaski
I really wish I'd had the chance to ride there.......
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I hope you did it properly and hiked up there naked?
Ummmm......
I was wearing shorts and a t-shirt, plus a thick layer of sun cream! -
Thanks NECK.
Did you walk up the ski runs at all or just wander round the base?
Yeah, we hiked up to the mid-station of the gondola and then up to almost the top station. The road was still covered in snow so we couldn't continue without snowshoes. Looked like some really good terrain up there though. Be great to get something going up there if you have sleds.
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Yeah, I've come across those online before.
Maybe some of the buildings could be saved, but it would take a lot of work..... Honestly, I would say that the place is done already.
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Thanks for the help muikabochi.
Testing.....
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Just uploaded some to the SJ gallery.
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So I made it to Arai Mountain and Spa on Saturday. Spent a good 4 hours exploring the place with my buddy and taking photos. It was a really good experience and I can report that the place has not done well against the elements since it closed in 2006.
I was amazed by the sheer size of the base area. It is a vast plaza, circled by large hotels, spa buildings, restaurants, lift terminals and all the other buildings you would find at a large ski resort. All of these buildings look fairly battered already, with the 'Inn at Arai' hotel looking like it has done better than the other buildings against the elements. It is very obvious that the sheer volume of winter snowfall, coupled with the lack of people to do the necessary snow work has taken it's toll on all of the structures there.
I can't believe that a resort of that size (and price tag) has just been left to rot. It looked like it was aiming to be the Vail or Aspen of Niigata/Japan when it was in operation, but now it is just another large-scale abandonment, gradually being reclaimed by nature.
It didn't really have a spooky feel to it and I could actually see some beauty in what it has become, but while walking around it's empty vastness, I couldn't help but imagine how it must have looked and felt when it was running and in it's heyday.
I will post a few photos in the SJ gallery when I get home later.
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My main problem is dumbness unfortunately
...... Have tried to upload pics with my past resort reviews, but couldn't seem to attach them to the text to accompany my words. I see others doing so and it looks all pretty, so again I blame my general dumbness for not being able to upload such nice resort reviews/reports.I'm sure I can muster the skills to post the pics separately from the text in the SJ gallery, so I will go ahead and do that with any good Arai pics I get this weekend.
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Will snap some photos for sure. Always seem to have difficulty trying to upload pics to SJ though
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I think it had a gondola. Quite an investment to just leave rotting away...
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Looks like I will be checking it out with a buddy tomorrow. Will let you know how it is now
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Arai is not listed here, so maybe it's not rotting much
I know that the Aokiko Sun Alpina resort has only been closed for about 5 years, but that place has already been partially reclaimed by nature. It's amazing how fast stuff grows here and how quickly concrete falls victim to the elements.
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I would guess that the lifts are now unusable. Just a few years without maintenance is enough to kill them. Curious as to what the city might have planned for it if they do indeed own it now.........
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Presumably keeping those facilities there is still costing someone an awful lot of money......
Well, I'm sure someone (probably Sony) still owns all of the buildings and lifts, but I doubt they are actually putting any money into upkeep or maintenance for them..... I assume they would have just cut their losses after the resort closed and left it to rot.
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Cheers for the info tokabochi. So all the buildings and hotels associated with the resort are just sitting abandoned?...... Sounds like that area would be worth exploring for sure.
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Great snow and lots of it.
It was just too far out of Myoko, and probably too expensive for it's own good, so it just couldn't go on.
Yeah, looks like pretty much the closest resort to the Sea of Japan in the area.
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So how much was a lift ticket when you went? Closed for 7 years now...... Must look pretty crazy already! I guess it's still possible to just drive right up there to the main parking lot, right?
Arai Ski Resort
in Snow talk, trip reports, Japan avalanche & backcountry
Posted
Yes Bushiman, that buddy is you
