[Chiba guy w/ van lookin for passengers to Nagano]

Some time this week (12/31-1/7) would like to head up to Nagano or Nigata for 1 or 2 days. Anyone from Chiba or Tokyo wanta ride? Share gas and tolls.

[boston boarder looking for a hotel]

Jake, if you're interested in staying in Sapporo there are a number of hotels to stay in that can help with the language barrier. But i think you aint gonna find cheap ones too easily. If you want to stay on-mountain I'd recommend Nisseko as they are numerous pensions(like a B+ and bunkhouse type places to stay and a small, but very active foreigner presence(considering you're in the middle of nowhere..in Japan!) There's a cool village at Nisseko and a lot of powder and great boarding I hear(I'm still on two sticks). Nisseko is not unknown about so you can and probably will get a lot afo info here in the forum.

By the way, where from in Boston? I grew up in Marblehead. .........jim