SnowJapan.Com#3

A new Setting Journals Feature - "A Day in The Life - Midnight to 3AM", has been put online. http://www.snowjapan.com/e/features/setting-journals-18.html "The weather has been cold and overcast for several days with almost a meter of fresh powder having fallen - and more on the way. As the clock strikes midnight to welcome Sunday, February 22, 2004 - most guests are tucked away in their beds dreaming of the lovely virgin powder to be tackled in the morning. On the operations side of the resort however, many of the staff are up and busy with their jobs that will keep them busy t

A new Setting Journals Feature - the first in a new series - "Day in The Life of a Full-Sized Snow Resort - Introduction", has been put online. http://www.snowjapan.com/e/features/setting-journals-17.html "It is a pleasure to once again have the privilege of first writing The Setting Journals and watching it go online, and then corresponding with Snow Japan Forum members on the related thread. Such is especially true this time around, as I need the help of SJ Forum members in shaping up the forthcoming series of articles concerning the topic, "Day in The Life of a Full-Sized Snow

We're going to be (at last!) introducing a Snow Japan Chatroom after the summer. It's pretty much set up already, but we need a few volunteers to check it out and give it a try so we can make sure it is working ok for most people. If you're interested, let us know at editor@snowjapan.com and we'll send on details of our test chat page.

Sorry not at the moment. Will try though...

It sure is. And apart from pair lifts replacing the ropes and some debatably better fashions, it doesn't seem to have changed much at all. It's the small place at the bottom of the Yuzawa Ropeway, just off the main onsen road on the west side of the station. You can slide down from the top of Yuzawa Kogen resort and this is where you end up.

A new Photo Feature, "Yuzawa - How it used to be", has been put online. http://www.snowjapan.com/e/features/features-82.html "If you've ever used the Yuzawa Kogen Ropeway in Yuzawa town (Niigata Prefecture), you might have noticed some of the really old photos of Yuzawa on the walls by the side as you wait to board. The photos depict the huge amounts of snow in the town and the Nunoba ski resort. We've been able to get hold of some of those photos, courtesy of our good friends at 'Shashin no Takahashi' and we present them in this Photo Feature." http://www.snowjapan.com

big-will Actually we've heard the same about Yuzawa Kogen as well - rumour time again. But while we've heard lots of rumours about some of the really small places around here fighting to survive (but they still seem to be able to keep on going each season), it's the first year we've heard it about Yuzawa Kogen.

A new Backcountry Boardroom feature, "Spring Pow", has been put online. http://www.snowjapan.com/e/features/boardroom-11.html "Any of you remember my Hakuba Now report of April 1st, 2002 that reported 30cms of fresh in the alpine? Well that was a cruel hoax I know, but it was actually close to being true this year as on a backcountry jaunt April 1st this year we were carving lines into 20cms of great spring pow that fell the day before and continued to fall that night in the Hakuba Alpine. No Joke!" http://www.snowjapan.com/e/features/boardroom-11.html Please note that

A new The Setting Journals feature, "2003/04 White Season Wrap & Working in Japan", has been put online. http://www.snowjapan.com/e/features/setting-journals-16.html "The phones are ringing daily at the resort with potential visitors finding it hard to believe that the 2003/4 White Season will carry through until Sunday, May 9. How is it possible to ski and board when you need to have the air-conditioning in your car on as you approach the resort? A lot has to do with the 1,000-meter differential in elevation between the village and the peak of the mountain, as well as the nig

A new feature, "Hakuba 47 - Q&A" has been put online. http://www.snowjapan.com/e/features/interviews-hakuba47.html In late 2003, we asked Snow Japan readers to send in questions for the Hakuba 47 resort in Nagano Prefecture. We sent on the questions to the resort, and their responses make up this Feature. We would like to thank the Japanese staff at Hakuba 47 for offering to answer the questions, and for taking the time to do so. http://www.snowjapan.com/e/features/interviews-hakuba47.html Please note that the views expressed in any Features on Snow Japan a

Quite a bit later than planned, but here are the stats from the 2002/3 season for the Shiga Kogen region of Nagano and the resorts in Iwate Prefecture. SHIGA KOGEN: http://www.snowjapan.com/e/features/features-80.html IWATE-KEN: http://www.snowjapan.com/e/features/features-81.html -------- Look out for some stats for the current season in the coming months, as well as the (also delayed) Q&As from Hakuba 47, Nozawa and more.

A new Backcountry Boardroom feature, "The Japan Sessions, So Far", has been put online. http://www.snowjapan.com/e/features/boardroom-10.html "First off I would like to thank all of you who have helped to make my first winter here in the mountains of the rising sun, such a good one. Thanks for your help, and for all the great times and great lines, there will be many more to come. So, wow, it’s been a pretty wild ride so far, and it’s only just creeping up on March with the spring touring season just around the corner. Things have definitely improved since I arrived in this k

A new feature, "A Whisper....", written by Simon Wright, has been put online. http://www.snowjapan.com/e/features/features-78.html "....became a mumble, developed into a rumor and soon enough the word was out. Let’s face it, could it ever really be kept a secret? You will soon receive inquiring stares and searching glances when you mention your Niseko powder experience at the pub. And it’s not just the beer. An average snowfall of 15 meters gets dumped on the resort each year while cold temperatures provide the final touch for luscious powder. Untracked lines remain hidden for d

SNOW JAPAN GIVEAWAY This week, we have another 10 one-day lift ticket vouchers that can be used at one of the following resorts in Hakuba - Happo, Tsugaike Kogen, Hakuba Iwatake. THIS LIFT TICKET VOUCHER IS VALID THIS SEASON, AND SO PLEASE ONLY ENTER THIS GIVEAWAY IF YOU WILL BE ABLE TO MAKE USE OF IT! Thanks. TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY AND FULL DETAILS http://www.snowjapan.com/e/insider/special.php Many thanks to the resorts. PREVIOUS WINNERS CAN BE FOUND (to be updated soon, honest!) HERE .

A new Setting Journals feature, "Terrain Park", has been put online. http://www.snowjapan.com/e/features/setting-journals-15.html "Without fail the start of this white season had some surprises in store. Perhaps the first was the late arrivals of the snow, unprecedented in recent years. The late snows caused the resort to consider weather-based scenario planning at the start of the season for the first time. Just when it got to the point of slashing hotel rates, snows came on and made regular operations possible. In January, two snow boarders ventured out of bounds and were l

A new feature, "There's Skiing in Japan?!", by Bryan Ralph, has been put online. http://www.snowjapan.com/e/features/features-77.html "There's skiing in Japan?" That's the reaction I received from friends and family, when I announced a spur of the moment decision to set out in search of an epic powder experience in the land of the rising sun. The Island's of Japan are home to more than 500 ski resorts!! "Takusan no kona yuki" There's lots of Powder! That was the rumor anyway! I have to admit that I was skeptical from the beginning, I hadn't prepared properly for the jour

Another 5 vids added

Take a look at this, the photo used on the posters for Yuzawa town this season. Anyone care to take a good shot at that Japanese phrase in English....? The prize is....er, ... well, no prize this time. We're just interested. Nice picture too, don't you think?

Shimba's video has now been added: http://www.snowjapan.com/e/gallery/index-vids.html

A new feature, "Hakkoda", by Simon Bernard, has been put online. http://www.snowjapan.com/e/features/features-76.html "Fast becoming the worst kept secret, Hakkoda has become known as the Number 1 mountain for hardcore snowboarders, telemarkers and skiers. There is no other place in Japan for the steep and deep powder courses that it offers. Can you imagine a place where you board all day and still be in untracked powder?" http://www.snowjapan.com/e/features/features-76.html Look out for the second page of photographs from Hakkoda too: http://www.snowja

A new feature, "Nozawa Dosojin Fire Festival", by Kat Laine (nekobi), has been put online. http://www.snowjapan.com/e/features/features-75.html "Every January, the Nagano JET email list gets bombarded with talk about the craziest thing you’ll see in Japan- the Dosojin Fire Festival. Promises of snow, sake, and fire entice lots of Japanese and foreigners to the quaint ski village of Nozawa Onsen. This year was my third time to witness the annual event." http://www.snowjapan.com/e/features/features-75.html Please note that the views expressed in any Features on S

It sounds like a really good idea - good luck! Do let us know if we can help out somehow (and we'll see if can) best

A new feature, "Giving It Away", by Fattwins, has been put online. http://www.snowjapan.com/e/features/features-74.html "While thinking of titles for this piece about the ski areas around the Gifu area I came up with these - Gifu why Gifu, Gifu why not Gifu, The secrets of Gifu. I just couldn’t find a title that I could build a story on. I decided I would focus on the resorts and the secrets I know best - Takasu Snow Park and Dynaland. Canada has Whistler. America has Mammoth. These mountains are the freestyle hotbeds in North America. Japan has a freestyle hotbed t

The next part to our series of features on statistics brings you data from Hakuba in Nagano for the 02/03 season. http://www.snowjapan.com/e/features/features-73.html "In this report, we present the statistics from some of the main resorts in the Hakuba region of Nagano Prefecture. As can be seen from the numbers, some of the resorts in the region saw a healthy increase in numbers from the previous season, while most of the other resorts kept a fairly steady number of guests. The statistics are from November 2002 until May 2003, provided by Hakuba Village." http://ww

The next part to our (often delayed!) series of features on statistics from snow regions for the 02/03 season is now online. http://www.snowjapan.com/e/features/features-72.html "This time we will take a look at the percentage of skiers and snowboarders at resorts in Niigata Prefecture during the 2002/2003 season. Please note that the statistics are for December 2002 until March 2003." http://www.snowjapan.com/e/features/features-72.html Please note that the views expressed in any Features on Snow Japan are not necessarily those of Snow Japan.