longboardsk8man

just found this in english http://www.kuronekoyamato.co.jp/english/index.html

grazza, in short. 1. you can send it from your house, hotel, the convenience store (only specially selected stores though). if needed the takkyubin guys will come and pick it up from you... 2. you wont need to package it especially - ive always put my board in the boardbag and sent that as is. Depending on where you send it from you might have the option buy a plastic cover for it for 500 yen (i personally dont think it needs one) 3. if you{re sending from osaka - hakuba - allow three days as a very conservative timeframe (2 days is normally standard for that sort of distance).

was up that way a couple of weeks ago. from asahikawa city - kamui is about 30 - 40 mins by cab and cost around 4000 yen. didnt check out the buses so can`t help u there sorry. goodluck!!

had a good day at gala a few years ago but if i went back now i think id be frustrated at the flatness of it all. very convenient and if you`re in for a quickie (ski trip!) and not too fussed about snow quality itd be OK. karuizawa on the other hand is a shopping outlet with a ski resort close by... or at least thats the way i view it anyway! low snow quality most of the time, and the runs are short and very suited to beginner level.. theres a hatsu suberi deal to kagura that finishes on the 15th Dec but for 8100 you can get shink rtn from Tokyo + lift tix.. sounds like an awesome d

LOL!!! not the answer i'm thinking of but i like that one better...

saw something on another thread and it reminded me of a good riddle i learnt a while back... thought it could be a good thread to start up given the amount of travelling to / from the hills thats going to get done in the coming months! what is: greater than god worse than the devil poor people have it rich people dont and if you eat it - you die...... i would put a 'spoiler' box in here with the answer - but haven't worked that one out yet... Anyone got any other good ones??

in the market myself and have been checking out a few backpacks.. saw the Burton AK a while ago and ummed and ahhed about that but left it till i had done a bit more research... a mate has since forwarded me this website which seems to have a pretty comprehensive list of BC packs - as well as reviews by users. http://www.backcountry.com

check out http://www.softbank-rental.jp for info on phone rentals. i also have a pdf sheet with prices etc on it i can fwd you if you like?? SJ - will send this on to you guys as well.

for a closer option you might want to check out the Yuzawa area which is around only one hour from Tokyo on the bullet train. Gala Yuzawa is perfect for beginners and if you hit it midweek you`ll escape the crowds. If you head a bit further north you`ll have access to Kagura, Pine Ridge and a few other resorts that should match what youre after. run a search on here and see how you go..

Dyna - I`m keen too, and can probably get a few other crew together as well... PM me too pls.. cheers

thanks for all the responses guys.. we`re all based in tokyo so no flight risks there - she`ll also have been visiting the doc on a fairly regular basis by the time we make it up there, but will see what the doc says anyway...

If you cant find any snow and you're sticking around Tokyo - you could check out the Nissan Xtrail Jam at Tokyo Dome on the 8th & 9th december?? http://www2.nissan.co.jp/X-TRAIL/T31/0708/index.html (only in Japanese)

Me Jane - thanks - thats a great list for her - will pass it on.. will also trying to work out what half of those could mean in English!!! Does anyone know any other potential resorts with decent hospitals close by that potentially could cater for her?? guessing Hakuba would probably be our best bet, but Minakami has also been thrown up by the group as a suggestion??

hi guys, quick question for the Hakuba crew on here. a group of us are looking at coming up to Hakuba for the christmas weekend (dependant on snow conditions), but my friends wife (Australian) will be 7 1/2 months pregnant by then.. she`s super keen to come on the trip and just spend time reading etc but is a little worried about hospitals etc if something happens and she needs medical attention.. How far would we have to travel if she does need to head to hospital? I can translate for her, but would imagine there`d be some things she`d want to talk to the doc about on he

I know the Australian Embassy here in Tokyo used to run a few courses thorughout the year. might be worth giving them a shout??