u-tan
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Posts posted by u-tan
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I just have to cool my boots. First slide of the season is always good but I am glad I waited for good conditions to make my first outing to Kagura last season.
After almost 7-8 months or so of waiting, another few weeks won't make much difference. I envisage lots of cam checking in the coming months.
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Thanks for the advice. I will hold up until there is some real snow.
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Thanks for the advice Snowdude. I checked the Minakami reports from last season and it seems early... till pretty much New Year... was very much a miss. Maybe that was when Tubby was there.
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Tubby Beaverinho, is it really so bad? There were some slightly more positive reports in the review section.
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Hello all snow Japaners, it is great to see the forums firing up again in anticipation of the coming season.
I have moved to Tokyo from Niigata (where I got into skiing) and I am looking to maintain the habit while living in Tokyo. At the first sign of cooler weather, I started clicking around the numerous sites offering bus/train package deals from Tokyo. I found one deal, 初すべり 11月限定日出発 (first ski, November departure) with tickets to Marunuma Kogen in Gunma, starting on November 22nd. What is the chance of the resort even being open at that time, even partially? Are they using artificial snow there?
This year they are claiming a pretty impressive park, I wonder how much of that terrain they will be able to build so early in the season. You can see the snow park layout on the pdf downloadable from their site.
I just had a click around Kagura and they are hoping to get the lifts moving on November 22nd with a full open (Tashiro area) scheduleｄ for December 7th. I seem to recall them putting the same dates up last season but I believe that things didn't actually get going until about a week after that. I remember because it was my first slide last season.
Also, other than Marunuma and Kagura, does anyone else have any early season favourites in the Yuzawa/Minakami or even Nagano areas?
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Of all things, doing a boneless. Trying to gap between a quarter pipe and a mini ramp (about 4 foot high) and only a small gap, about 1 foot. I made it twice but landed without much speed in the mini ramp. So I tried it a third time and tried to kind of go higher, so I could catch more of the transition on the landing. It is hard to explain and it happened really fast, but I kind of over rotated the 180 and as I landed, one foot bounced off the board and the other was sort of stuck on there. So as I fell, the one foot that was still on the board went down the transition really fast as I sort of tumbled at a really awkward angle. The knee of my right leg got really twisted around and sprained. All big, fat, stiff and purple. Even now it still makes a weird clicking sound.
Still, we have to do something when there isn't snow. If it wasn't for skateboards I might be a drunkard or a pachinko junkie.
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I seem to recall last year in Niigata was very hot until late in October, and the praying mantis were laying their eggs high. All the rice growing types were predicting a very snowy winter but it was very off and on. I remember some days where it was sunny, well above zero and there was epic snow falling in the Kanto area.
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Any fitness regime can't be a bad thing. I think particularly squats and lunges as mentioned above.
I don't snowboard, so I can't compare the exact feeling but I think skating transition (ramp, bowl etc) must be pretty good. Throw some powerslides and imagine the snow spray. Obviously, grinds, board slides etc. are good if you like hitting the park.
If you are in Japan it shouldn't be too hard to find a skate park with a mini ramp or at least some quarter pipes not too far from you. Only downside is you could end up with an injury that will keep you off the slopes for a while. I had a sprained knee this year that left me pretty much immobile for a week back in May.
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Does anyone have any idea how long it will take from Tokyo to Iiyama station on the new Hokuriku Shinkansen? I bet the resorts will be running shuttle buses from there too. Could it make Nozawa a doable day trip option like the Yuzawa area resorts?
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Well, there is my Saturday night entertainment sorted. Cheers SnowBum.
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Ozsnowbum. Might I trouble you for links to your go pro footage from Greenland and Iceland?
The stuff from Rishiri was dynamiiiiite.
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Akakan in Myoko.
http://www.snowjapan.com/japan-ski-resorts/niigata/myoko/akakura-kanko-resort
That is the German style place. looks pricey though.
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How about stay at Maiko resort, near Yuzawa. Definitely Ski in and Ski out but would be quiet at night time.
If you are at Myoko, staying at Akakura Onsen Village would be pretty much ski in and ski out. There is a bit of an international(ish) ski village vibe going on there for your evening beer. There is heaps of beginner stuff around there as well as some more challenging stuff. It is not hard to get to from Tokyo, and will be getting even easier with the new shinkansen. If you want real ski in and ski out there is a big German looking place in the middle of Akakura Kankou. I forget the name but I am sure someone here will know.
Zao is also and awesome place and there is a bit of accommodation only a short walk from the slopes. I stayed in a Ryokan there last year, very comfortable and reasonable with lift ticket, lunch and dinner included with all the onsen and stuff you would expect. I managed to get rid of the wife at lunch time that way...
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Awesome posts everyone! Great variety and I heard about a few new places to check out.
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I ski like a short, fat and blind kid so they should suit me fine!
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Anyone, feeling let down by this season can blame Snowdude or at least the vortex that seemed to suck in all of the snow clouds from the region to his vicinity.
I know you are not gloating, just stating the facts, but still...
You were posting about nice snow fall right through from about mid December if memory serves me correctly.
Jealousy is a terrible thing. I am happy for you man really.
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I know that some of you crazy cats are considering climbing glaciers and doing other gnarly stuff to get your late season snow fixes but for me, the season is over. I have moved away from Niigata to Tokyo. I have a new job and lots on my plate. So until Kagura opens back up in November or December, I will have to content myself by injuring myself on my skateboard.
I thought that this would be a good time, with the 2013/2014 season fresh in our minds to talk about out most memorable days, trips, experiences and what not from this season. When was it? Where was it? What made it stand out?
Snow wise, it was a bit of a strange season indeed. In Shibata, I was getting around on my bicycle most of the winter... something that in previous years was unthinkable between late December and March. Still, the mountains around got a decent amount of snow and I think in general there were a lot more people than previous years. Perhaps that was the influence of the olymypics and the exploits of local hero, Ayumu Hirano.
So I will start.
The best two days of the season for me were on the 18th/19th of February．As many of you probably remember that was just after the massive snow storm that paralyzed the Kanto area, left people stranded in their cars and generally wreaked havoc in a lot of areas not prepared to deal with that kind of winterish action .
I had seen the snow forecasts and booked myself onto a bus tour leaving Niigata City, going to Maiko for the Sunday, Feb 16th. While the southern areas were getting hammered, in kaetsu we were only getting a sprinkling. Then, while watching the snow chaos on the TV, feeling a mix of sympathy and selfish excitement, I got an email on Saturday afternoon telling me the tour was cancelled because of the snow. A nice apologetic lady from the company called me later that evening to make sure I had seen the email and explained that their buses were stranded in various places and they just couldn't run the tour. I got off the phone with her and did the most logical thing in the circumstances, rebooked for the next tour two days later.
On Monday, I got a carbon copy of the same email that the tour was cancelled, 大雪の影響で. I was a bit surprised because the snow had let up and where I was in Shibata, the weather was downright pleasant.
Then, a phone call came that evening and I was ready for the same message as last time. However, the apologetic lady was apologising and telling me that the cancellation was cancelled, and that buses from Niigata would be running but all of the buses from Tokyo etc. were cancelled. Bonus.
So, I got off the bus the next morning and made a dash for Okusoechi bowl. I got up there by about 9;30 or 10:00am. With a lot of roads still closed, trains delayed etc. there were only a few people and a few tracks when I got there, even at that time. The snow was thigh deep on the slopes and past waist deep in places in the trees. I was choking on the stuff. I guess I lapped it for about 2 or 3 hours before going to explore elsewhere. A great day with deep snow, miniscule crowd and the extra surprise of having my hopes dashed for a second time only to be resurrected.
The next day I had a great mellow ski closer to home at Budoh. There was about 10-20cm of fresh on top of the groomers, deep stuff everywhere else, blue skies, almost no wind and about 15 people on the whole hill including my party of three. I was sore and slow from the big day before but it was such a nice day to be on the mountain, only with people I like. I think I have written it before but I will say it again, Budoh has the BEST shokudo of all ski-jos in Japan. Free coffee on weekdays and all you can eat pickles with homemade tasting food everyday.
Well, other than when I fell of the cliff (detailed in another thread), which I would rather forget, I am pretty sure those are my most memorable days of the season.
Let's have some stories....
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I was surprised to see this thread pop up again.
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That was unexpected. It pays to keep an eye on things.
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Helicopter!
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Enjoyed the vid Bushiman. Nice work.
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A lot of optimists have voted since I put my vote in yesterday. I hope it is bottomless, everywhere for you all.
Meanwhile, I have put my skis and boots away and pulled out my skateboard. I already have my first of the inevitable injuries to come. I am sure my bones would be delighted if there were snow all year round.
Gaper day sounds like fun. Actually, like everyday on the mountain for me minus the retro wear.
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I would say the season is pretty much over up here in Kaetsu. We have had a lot of heavy rain over the last few days.
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Guy at Kiroro was riding with 5 other people when he fell down a hole about 3~4meters deep. Was down there 2 days upto his knees in water. No bag. No food. No nothing. Took a search party of 80 people (including the self-defense force) to find him. Barely conscious. Bad hyperthermia. It got down to -10 during the night.
This is according to a Hokkaido news website
Wow 2 days!! That is hell. I was waiting for help for about an hour and it felt like a long time.
Ski Areas that are day trip from Tokyo
in Snow talk, trip reports, Japan avalanche & backcountry
Posted
I know they are making a new station called Jōetsumyōkō Station. I dont know how far it is from any ski places though.