[Beer 2014]

If you ever have the misfortune to be in Ise then check out this microbrewery. Pick of the crop was the Brown Ale and the IPA was pretty decent too. Ended up spending two nights in there predominantly on the Brown Ale. Apparently we had food too but couldn't tell you anything about that. Their website isn't working for me so this a third party one.

http://www.miejets.org/gb/index.php?title=Ise_Kadoya_Brewery

 

On a side note, is the Kumazawa brewery near Chigasaki worth a visit? It's only a 35 min walk from here but in the pissing rain not sure I can be arsed... Website says they do German beers, not my usual tipple.

[Christmas 2014 - early planning]

Xmas flights to Japan booked 20 Dec to Jan 8th so hopefully a week before New Year and maybe a couple of days after New Year if not bankrupt before.

Will be there May/Jun too flying back in time for opening of season here. Gonna be an expensive year...

Now back to the mundane that is life in the meantime..

[Christmas 2014 - early planning]

 

Deep down I guess I was hoping for something a little less obvious and more intimate than Hakuba. Would love to hear about good early season alternatives that are good for a weeks skiing

 

 

Nozawa is really nice for both skiing and enjoying the town. Very nice feel about the place. Pleasantly touristy with lots of hot spring hotels. Might also think about the resorts around Mt. Myoko which are pretty close by.

 

Yup Nozawa Onsen is heavily marketed here as being the quieter more traditional alternative to Hakuba. Certainly interested if there is snow on the ground, and Myoko another option. Maybe should buy some snow tyres for the old banger as needs new wheels anyway and defy all advice and drive up that way if snow looks good. what could possibly go wrong...

[Christmas 2014 - early planning]

That would be the case for lesser resorts, but for the Big N, be cautious and check 12 months beforehand.

Will avoid Niseko, the wife would prefer somewhere a little less Australian and a little more Kegani. After all if we want a resort full of pissed Aussies we have Queenstown for 10% of the Japan fare.

Thinking splitting the week between Rusutsu and Furano, Perhaps Rusutsu first followed by Furano as wifey will be ski'd out after 3 days and in need of coffee shops. As I understand it Rusutsu dosn't have much of a town other than the hotels. Is this right?

Presume booking accom in these two places can be done at fairly short notice? That way if snow is thick on the Honshu ground we can do something a little more local and economical.

[Expressways stuff]

So what is the fastest you have shot an ETC gate at and not uttered an audible scream? Anything over 60 and I start pooping it.

[Christmas 2014 - early planning]

 

We all like to joke about booking now, but you shouldn't have any problems finding a place to stay.

 

Ah, the old 'Forum in joke' gotcha, thanks

[Christmas 2014 - early planning]

Thanks all, Train or Plane then, will leave the car growing more cobwebs. Will start investigating these options.

Initial view is that cost of Shink vs Flight isn't massive, although the cost of the bus from Chitose to Niseko skews heavily in favour of Honshu. For ease and cost from Chigasaki, Hakuba via Hachioji and Matsumoto seems best option, Only an hour longer than Shink/bus via Tokyo and Nagano. Last time I went to Matsumoto by rail someone threw themselves under the train. We were sat there bloody hours.

Deep down I guess I was hoping for something a little less obvious and more intimate than Hakuba. Would love to hear about good early season alternatives that are good for a weeks skiing (I know you get heaps of first time posters asking 'where should I go', so apologies, it's just that with so may options it's a bit like pinning the tail on a donkey).

One immediate question, what do you do with your skis on the shink? When they're full It's hard enough to stow a backpack let alone Ski's, do you end up with them between your knees or can you usually get them in the racks at the end of the carriage?

 

I noticed whilst browsing a few days ago that some one on here appeared to be a Hokkaido based travel agent as they seemed to know everything, can't remember who, can anyone remember? If I went Hokkaido option then maybe a package is the way to go and locally based agent I would think I would get better deal and better accom than using a kiwi agent? A friend used Kiwi agent and ended up in accom serving burgers and pizzas each night, not what you go skiing in Japan for.

 

cheers

 

Tim

[Christmas 2014 - early planning]

Hi All, you will notice first time poster.

Anyhow I am after advice regarding a hatching plan.

For years my wife has been badgering me for a New Year trip to Japan. Considering as her parents home is made of cardboard and has a stiff breeze blowing through it I have always responded unfavourably. We have been in March before and the house was f'ing freezing so why would I fly out of a perfectly decent summer to spend 3 weeks freezing my butt off in a house unsuitable for sane habitation.

Anyhow this dosn't seem to wash anymore so I have had to compromise and do a deal, "Okay but I get to go skiing for a week". And this is where you good people come in.

 

I am aware that the Christmas week leading up to New Year can be a bit a bit hit and miss snow and weather wise and you will all say 'come in Feb'. Well the only time I can take 3 weeks leave is July and Xmas time so I am stuck with 21st- 29th dec.

 

Next of course I will ask Where? and you will all respond 'Niseko' the snow will be better and you can hurl abuse at Australians all day and night. This is sound advice of course but with two major drawbacks. 1) it's not a simple Narita to Chitose and back, we also have to go to deepest darkest Kanagawa before and after the ski week so that is 4 Narita trips incl all our ski gear. 2) we own a car in Japan and having gone to that extravagant expense we feel duty bound to use it at every opportunity.

So looking at Central Honshu...

 

Now then, the car is a pile of crap, dosn't have snow tyres, is 2WD and in all likelihood dosn't have a working heater. So we need somewhere that even the least prepared idiot (me) can get to and from without ending up in some road side drain.

 

As Mentioned we are coming from Kanagawa so using the Chuo expressway as I don't fancy going through Yokohama Or Tokyo in the middle of the New Year migration. Thus Hakuba or Nozawa Onsen (unless anyone has a better idea) ?

 

The wife is a an occasional skier with all the daring of a Health and Safety inspector so will want to spend the day pottering around something wide and flat. I have been skiing since I was a nipper and am happy on and off piste so will want as much variety as I can get in a day whilst still being able to get back to have lunch with the missus and generally harass her for being happy mingling with the snow ploughers.

 

So finally getting to the point, and given all that has gone before... which is the better of the two options and why?

 

Cheers

 

Tim