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Sorry SKI, I am just pulling your leg to get a rise- bit slow round here at the moment. Agreed with Mike Pow re foreign companies as well, though I would say the Niseko boom plus visa issues excetera would , like many booms, lead to people starting businesses to fill gaps in the market without being qualified to do so or having thought the process through- and sinking or swimming as the market matures. It also doesn`t help when the core foreign residents were mostly snow bums/ english teachers when things kicked off either... Whistler boomed and busted a number of times b

Not original, but got there. Competentist = Hu/ mour . heu mohr. The problem with waiting for a consensus is that often by the time you decide, the moment has passed- and the resort would still be deciding whether to keep the Betamax if it was up to them.

As I said, it used to be. Around here,it`s fairly old school with Tokyu, Kutchan , NPB et all. I`ve seen it with my own eyes too many times to be dissuaded that that is not the case at hand. I`m not racist , just competentist. Or is it time for me to get out of your Japan then, SKI? ; )

Thats the same thinking here- everything is hierarchy( or used to be ) and the only thing that can eff up your career trajectory is a black mark against your name- so everyone avoids having their name attached to things like the plague. Doing nothing equals winning for the average salaryman.

Me and all my friends buy it, though usually at the preseason reduced rate of 109,000. If i was guessing, I would say a few hundred maybe, though a lot more would buy if it wasn`t so crazy expensive. Most others buy a Hirafu Pass ( still 50,-80,000 depending when) or a night pass and/or 50 hour combo of some sort . Japanese locs usually go the night hirafu pass or even the Moiwa pass as they are in the 20-30,000 range. Every year , its a sad moment when that amount slides across the counter, lemme tell you...

Before 8 years or so, there was no United Pass- you paid for a Hirafu or a Hano or Higashiyama or Annupuri pass separate. The four resorts were separate and didnt even link up to each other- you had to access from the bottom of each or fight accross ungroomed powder flats and duck fences. Annupuri was in danger of closing, as Moiwa already had. It was big news my first year that Hano and Hirafu were joining forces- it meant you could do Strabws without having to buy a lift tix to get back up ( 2,500 was cheapest) or catch a ride from a mate conned into driving over there. In those days t

The season ticket is an amalgamation of the cost of the previous four separate resorts (Hano, Hurafu, Higashiyama, Annupuri) season tickets costs, with no notable discount. In the old days they were all separate and unconnected-until the United Pass came along. Compare to the multi mountain passes in Colorado costing 4-600 bucks . Sigh.

"Fear of biting the hand that feeds them?" Well, most of the smaller companies in town run by gaijin are ski schools, guides or accommodation providers serving to the foreign market that Tokyu doesn`t cater to ( self included) . Ski schools and guides are at the grace of the resort- shock waves were sent through the schools last year when it was rumoured they were going to disallow non Tokyu ski schools to operate at family course as they were gumming up the lift lines. Such rumours are the as common as the falling of the leaves around these parts each autumn. Accom providers earn a

Why are they not doing the extra few hundred metres? Why do they not listen to the presumably large amount of comments on it from the foreigners up there? Can't help but think you aren't pushing it enough if it is such a big deal. Because they don`t listen to us at all, that`s why ( talking re Tokyu). The Niseko Promotion Board was created as a supposed venue for foreigner/mountain interaction but after three years and considerable investment by many foreign and local business is being disbanded this spring, in no small part due to its overall ineffectiveness. To quote from a l

Seems daft for Niseko related stuff to go this way, the company really must have no clue. Well the new " high speed" gondola will continue to spill people out the the same flats where they can ( at twice the numbers) access a two seater ( swinging monkey) or walk 150 metres to a triple chair across flat land. Where as if same gondola went up a few hundred metres more ( and they are redoing the station so expense is not much of a factor) it would now 1) access Hanozono directly 2) provide beginners direct access to Holiday course, therefore providing continuous entry level green

Bit sad to see this on Tokyu website- shows pretty deep lack of communication in town between powers that be and the local gaijins who have helped make the place what it is. The History of Hirafu 50 year celebrations are also computer generated translations- when I am sure if asked, loads of people would have been more than happy to give them a read over so they would look presentable.

My mate Ross is in Nagano now having just spent the last few weeks in Niseko and would love any helpful advice/ directions in regards to where to stay / ride while down here. He is in Southern Nagano and looking to head to Hakuba or surrounds and would greatly appreciate tips on whats open still ( and good) and where to stay ( backpackers/lodges are good). Awesome dude and always good for a few turns and beers so any advice is greatly appreciated! Cheers, Derek

Thorsten put me on to this thread- Woodley is my dog. He is a border collie/collie mix and is two and a half years old. He has a crazy amount of energy and is super fit - he does those peak climbs in about 30 minutes from the base of the mountain and can do three or more full mountain ascent/descents in a day without to much fuss- following people. Why is he up there? Believe me, I try to keep him in the house- if I go out I usually tie him up in the livingroom or lock him in the dry room.He is however smart as hell and escapes by a wide variety of methods ( he has opened the latche

word.

like a mate in the gym biz told me- you never make money off the hardcore in at 7am guys. they shower too much use up space and because of them you have to get the new gear all the time. Without them though, you`ll never get the guys that buy the personal training packs and year memberships that really pay the bills (but stop coming after a month)