flipside

Yes, it's called Pine Ridge, but, sorry, can't tell whos sister she is. I'm thinkin' they may have had a decent season for the Westside this season, however.

Originally Posted By: spacefrog Some sake can`t be heated. it depends if it has been pasteurised or not amongst other things.Unpasteurised sake should never be heated! there should be a pic on the back label with some pictogram displaying if it can be heated or not. In fact only cheap honjozo can really be heated(atsukan) and some of more expensive ginjoshu can be warmed(nurukan). Warming should never really be above 45 degrees, what I do is use a ceramic jar that my ceramic sake bottle fits in and fill it with boiling water and keept it in there for about 3.5- 4 mins. naruhodo! do yo

Originally Posted By: big-will I went to have a look. Those new 905s are really expensive aren't they? Seems some of them have a listed price of 70,000 yen and being sold for around 50,000 yen. Did the top of the line used to be so expensive? I suppose when they have tv, gps and all those other things they will be more expensive. I think Docomo have gone back to the system of you pay more for the phone but you get a cheaper plan. My Docomo bill too has dropped from about 8-9K to around 5K. noice! For the record I have the old n704i myu. Very slim, not so big on functions. paid

Awesome. I guess ultra thin would be best. Don't have any other use for them right now. hehe. Do they sell shockproof memory cards?

Was in Geihoku last Saturday and there was powder in Hiroshima! Yes... powder... in ... Hiroshima. Must have been the snow gods rewarding me for going up on my birthday!! Praise the snow gods. Champagne in the snow. I can just imagine how it was up in Northern Japan.

Will be up there for a few days in March (6th - 9th). There's always snow just depends whether it's fresh puff-puff or not.

I think BP was suggesting skip the small (but obviously impressive) Canon if you're a photobuff and go up to a digital SLR and have the lightweight as the happy-snappy cam that slips into your pocket. Which I intend to do. I consider myself a bit of a photobuff and will probably buy a bigger camera at the end of the year. But what I want now is lightweight point and shoot. I'm going the 1030SW from what everyone says about their 700s. They've bumped up the spec to 10.1M so should be perfect for where I'm going. It gets released March 2008 but I can't find a date on that. Does anyo

Hansei shita. That's a very cool word. Thanks.

nice! I'm definately getting one before my (all too short) Hokkaido trip. btw... What's a 'hansei'?

Those pictures were taken with the 720? or the 1030?

Sasebo in Kyushu has hundreds of real 'slow food' burger joints. Possibly started from the US Navy/Army presence in the vicinity. But you've got to go down there and get the burger shop tour guide map. Big flat ones, tall chunky ones.... they've got 'em all. man I'm hungry.

I've been on the lookout for a new digital camera. So I thought, would love to have one I can drop in the snow, accidentally step on or take snorkelling for my version on Le Grande Bleu. Anyone have any recommendations - I've pretty much decided on the Olympus 1030 SW (which apparantly has a wideangle shot and landscape function)

I heard that there's a lot of international investment up there in Niseko so (apart from jobs) the local businesses are not take much of the boom profits as all the businesses are foreign owned. Is there anyone looking out for the local interests?

Recently did this and no-one said anything - Japanese being polite. But, words were said to the manager and later passed onto us - ie. others didn't like it.

by the way... I scammed a week holi as well. Yosh!

A friend in whistler was complaining of 'aisu-baan' the other day. Or was that a hot coffee burn. Anyway she said the rain didn't stop for a day or so.

Less than usual which is nearly nought! Big-will> hope you are right about the February dump!

Ok, I know, I'm not the most keenest of SJForum posters, in fact you could call me Lenny Lurker. But hey, doesn't help when snow has only dumped (sorry, fallen lightly) in your region once this winter! Sheesh! Nevermind the bollocks, I have a ticket to Hifaru, Niseko next month and am looking for the best places to go. I've been twice before but usually only for a few days. This year, 8 days in pow-land. (tears well in eyes in extreme happiness) Let me know your favourite bars, eats and playzones, if you will, to make it the best tour ever. Here's what I do know

Snosurf, is that Hirafu, you're talking about?

oops... that would be Fukuoka.

Seems ages since I was here. Damn, that's because it has been ages. Talking about tours and the like with some Australian friends got me coming back to SJ. Now, I've got that pow-wow feeling back. Targets: I'm just hoping to get into double figures. (look at where I'm at)

ps... Rach, I believe if you don't speak, there's no giri, no obligation. Usually obligation means you feel like you owe something like friendship, money or special favours!!

I reckon, if she's got personality, go for it. See how it goes.

Never been approached like that. Slightly off the point but a friend told me he buys travellers cheques and sends them back for someone to deposit in the bank for them and saves fees. Anyone done this? If so, was it worth it? Right now I think I pay about 2000 yen for the right to send my money. A penny for your thoughts

Yes, I'm a part-time lurker. I guess if you're somewhere on the other side of the world and you google 'snow' and 'japan' this is probably where you'd end up. Lurk on.