Hi, maybe a bit late to response to this topic.. but let me do.
I had a great good-bye Japan party last year in snowbed with barok, danz, kuma, emi and more people from Forum. Because of Mitch knew that was my bye-bye Japan snowboard trip, he tried set up a party for me(or us). I really apprecieted! And it was fun.
I know Mitch and Yoshie work really hard for keeping snowbed for both Japanese and Ganjin to have a lot of funs in Hakuba. Not that many place is cheap and both Nihonjin and Ganjin confartable place in Japan, like Snowbed, Niseko Chalet,Hirafu Chalet and The Kinta.
In my bye2 trip, we broke into a small restaurant where served food so slow (due to our group was bigger than 15 people). Because of we cannot wait food, we used there KARAOKE system for WITHOUT PAYING (well...sorry, I hope they are not upset and complained to Mitch and yoshie..) Well, I applogies to owners in Japanese, but that give bad images on Gaijins and Snowbed which always Yoshie and Mitch fight for.
We do some crazy stuff in local Japan area, and often those people who owned Gaijin hostels have to say sorry on behalf of those party animal or holiday dude. I remember last year, Mitch and Yoshie told me that they often have hard time with local people and start to get tired to running business, yoshie wants to study more on Business and Mitch wants to go back to Europe to have funs as a person, not owner in Ski resort. But they knew there are many people wants to stay Japanese ski resort for budgetted price so they are tring their best.
Why owners cannot have fun with customers? why owners cannot enjoy party with guests who often come to snowbed?
You are not staying Hotels, you are staying backpackers with budgetted price, do not expect that Mitch and Yoshie MUST WORK as HOTEL PEOPLE. Are you paying enough to get such a perfect service which you expected. If you do not want to have it, then go back to HOTEL RESORT and give up fun in Snowbed.
Again, I really had great time in Snowbed last year (well, yes I drunk too much tequila with Mitch and others in Snowbed and had serious hang over...) but snowbed is pretty cool place.
I am sure that Mitch concern about drunken matter and Yoshie will be look after him. So people who haven't been Snowbed, do not think that owners are rude dude, they are really cool and really funny people like old friends of yours!
Nat
p.s.
Greeting from Germany to Mitch & Yoshie!