Ezorisu

Thankfully(?) never had the chance to have brains! Doesn't it taste like tofu or scrambled eggs? I've been subjected to a Chinese version of jellyfish, but it was made from dried jellyfish, so it tasted as well as looked like rubber bands (not like I'm given to tasting rubbber bands...)

Shirako Yup, it's fish sperm, or more correctly, the seminal vesicles and included sperm of a fish. Looks sort-of like brains... It's served with some hot red condiment and minced green onion, but it's still fish sperm.

Always wanted to try Teine, but never got there. Have been hearing good things about Kamui Ski Links. Anyway, all this is off the subject. I don't begrudge Patrol for doing their job in any of the instances I mentioned - they were all performing their stated duties and were acting in the best intersts of their employer. I would like to see more terrain opened up, but as a counterpoint I also wouldn't like to see a favorite resort close, or have the lift-ken double in price because of a lawsuit in the aftermath of some incident in these newly opened areas.

Quote: Originally posted by Creek Boy: where "else" have you ridden then? Most places I went to were just as relaxed as Niseko Kiroro, Onze, Sapporo Kokusai. Onze isn't very big and there isn't much opportunity for off-piste riding, but if a little kicker appears on the edge of the groomed run, or someone goes past the edge of the corduroy into the fluff, the magic crossed poles almost instantly go up. Sapporo Kokusai was pretty relaxed last season, and I was riding a deep powder stash in the valley between the "deep snow area" and the "Echo course" with some locals and ran into

There used to be a used clothing shop in Nagoya near Osu-kannon called, "Uncle Meat"... haven't been by that way in a while, so I don't know if it's still there.

3da5snow, glad you got down there to check it out! Peace, Ez

Pretty easy if you get the "All Mountain Pass", then you can ride the Higashiyama gondola all the way up, and ride down the Hirafu side and use the lifts there. Alternatively you can catch the free shuttle bus over to the Hirafu base using the "All Mountain Pass". If you have the "Higashiyama-only" lift pass, you can't do any of this. This subject might have been done to death already, so search the forums or check out the Niseko Engrish homepage.

Never seen a T-bar in Japan yet. There's at least one rope tow on Niseko - near the top on Hirafu/Hanazono. It's Satan's very own creation - replete with floppy red donkey d1ck handles to grab ahold of. Lake Louise near Banff put me off with the abundance of T-bars. Most of the good upper terrain is only accessible by T-bar...

I'll echo what Maninjapan says - twist your body on the chair so you can get your board in line with the direction you're going to be shot off at. That'll keep the edges from catching when you start sliding. The other thing that might help is sitting to the left if your stance is goofy and to the right if regular - that'll reduce interference with your chair mates if you're not alone on the chair. When I was first learning, I tried ot sit on the far end, so I only had to worry about another rider on one side. That way if I fell, I didn't take everyone out. Gambatte!

Heck, I've had a patroller blow his/her whistle at me at Rusutsu when I was on the unridden fringes of a groomed run on Mt. Isola. I wasn't even in the trees or anything! They were busy hassling some dudes who were O/B beyond the ski-area boundry, so they didn't chase me down and give me "the talk". Halfmachine, perhaps the only reason you haven't been hassled or known anyone who hasn't been hassled at Rusutsu was pure good luck or lack of patrollers. I hope your luck holds. Pretty much everywhere else I've been to in Hokkaido other than Niseko has pretty strict O/B policy.

Keio Plaza Hotel Tokyo - right near JR Shinjuku station West exit. An JET buddy of mine always stayed there when he had to go into Tokyo for meetings. It's pretty schnazzy, but I don't know if it ranks 4 or 5 stars. Short walk to lots of dining and nightlife.

Yes - exactly as Advantyper says, if you are staying in the same hotel on either end of your riding session, the hotel will usually store ("azukari") your stuff that you don't want to lug up to the resort, since they know you'll be back to get it. I've never been charged for this service. The last time I looked, all the big coin lockers have been removed from Shinjuku-eki when they did some remodeling. There used to be some really big ones in a "secret spot" up some stairs by the West exit. Besides, I'm not sure if they clear them out after 24-hours, which would suck.

You can try the Minami and Murasaki Sports in Ochanomizu, but I don't think they are particularly cheap. There are a bunch of small shops in that area that you can pop into and browse - maybe you'll find a good deal. With any luck you'll be able to try on a bunch of different models that way. There is (was?) an Oshmann's in that building by JR Shinjuku-eki Southeast gate inhabited by Tower Records... I seem to recall some snow-sports related stuff there... It's been a couple of years.

Snowboarder. Tried skiing once. One good - two bad. One ping, Vasily. One ping only.

The last JR Narita Express #47 leaves Shinjuku at 19:41 and Tokyo station at 20:03 - you'd miss it at either location. The other rapid service, the Keisei Skyliner, has its last train for the airport #61 leaving Ueno at 20:40, also before you arrive. Although the local trains run until around midnight, it seems that nothing goes to the airport terminal after about 21:00, and nothing leaves the terminal after 22:00 or so. I wonder if the train station at the Narita terminal shuts down at 22:00 or something like that. The last Limousine Bus from Shinjuku station to Narita leaves at 18:00.

Where specifically in Japan are you going to be? That may help narrow down the options...

I have a Red Hi-Fi that I really like. A riding buddy of mine has a Pro-Tec and another has some Euro-lid (can't remember the manufacturer right now). Saw some of the new Pro-Tec models when I was in Banff in November and they look pretty nice and are a lot lighter than their previous models. Definitely try a bunch on before buying - even within brands, some models fit different. Oh, and get one with ample ventilation or you'll suffer during early or late season when it's warmer. You can always wear a liner or plug the holes if it drops below -20C... I was at Sapporo Kokusai the seco

Hawaii50 Sorry, a little late to the game (I just signed up here yesterday!), but here's my two cents, if it means anything. I've used the Keisei Skyliner, JR Narita Express, and whichever company (orange) "Limousine Bus" between Narita and various parts of metropolitan Tokyo. JR Narita Express is by and far the most painless and "English friendly". The carriages are comfortable and there's ample space to stack your luggage. If you're getting a JR rail pass, it's a no-brainer: Go JR. It's been a few years since I last used the Keisei Skyliner, but I got the impression that althou