D train

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)

entirely possible. I have had a few j-cameras stuffed in my face his season- usually by a vapid cute girl or some dude who makes a ridiculous dance or pose after I say something.

4) what the hell is Whistler Vancouver then? 5) if we can keep the dolars /yen/yuan in niseko all the better I say.

I LOVE Rusutsu too- If I could live there and make a decent wage id be all over it. Reminds me of Canada whenever I go. Great responses so far- thanks everyone. NOW - speaking of the village and its layout...I rarely have a night off but when I do I quickly realize the options here are ski.drink.watch movies on the laptop. As we continue to grow ( and after this season - we are cemented as a world ski destination)here are a couple of ideas i have- 1) a designated ski out through to the bottom of the village. The village is being revamped and as part woul love to see an acces

thats a part too the marketing of the place? is it (was it) that bad? i could imagine- those kinds of booms Niseko had 02-08 will bring out the best of snake oilers. how common is the name niseko known in general conversation? i know mazda made a niseko car and a pair of shoes - but whats nisekos cache? I know for us ( i work for the NPB) signatures put us on the north american map for sure, ski industry wise. is niseko marketed in OZ? like i mean "drink coke for a chance to win a trip to Niseko powder heaven etc"? the aussieness will continue to peter but never

I know- it just triggered the thought- I remembered someone remarking last year about how the whole town seemed to be for sale.

Just read in another post about " prison space now for sale" in reference to Niseko being for sale and it got me thinking. I`ve lived here for a few years now and esp in winter, barely leave. So I am curious to know what kind of impression Niseko gives off to the outside world beyond "powder heaven". Opportunistic Realty boom town? Punks on a lark party town? Undiscovered secret? overhyped letdown? Coolest place on the planet? what? Newbies responses especially interesting...

Really- I didn`t know there was mma in HK. be fun to fight there. hook a brother up

It`s actually called mma - mixed martial arts. Usually in Japan its still in a ring- not many cages here yet- but they are getting more common. the only real difference is the angles and abilty to get up by leaning against the cage. mma is not big in Oz yet but the UFC is there this month and by next year will be huge there imho. go to www.sherdog.com or www.ufc.com for the lowdown.

I still do - I have one in Tokyo in March. run a little gym here in Niseko too- its small but the few that come love it- wish I had 1000 yen for ever person that told me they were coming tho... MMA is awesome. I was a wrestler since I was a kid and really when I was fighting before- it was in the Tank Abbott /bar basement days. Now days its technical and you need to really commit to learning all aspects- boxing wrestling juj jitsu muay thai- the works. great workout- great fun and despite what everyone thinks a very safe sport. I can also say I have trained with some of

to answer- I wear a hat that says Niseko Patrol and the same brown fur collared jacket- after two years its fairly recognized. I think local in Japan and Niseko especially is more about a sense of ownership. I have lived here ten years, paid taxes throughout, raised a family and invested a fair bit of myself and my energy into making Niseko a cool place to live. For those of us with interracial kids , it really is a great place to raise them and we would like to see it continue. It gets tiring for us when trying to do things the @this is Japan attitude still persists- I was i