2006/2007 Retrospect Thread

[SirJibAlot 0]

I came across this article (not sure if it had been posted before) and it got me thinking about this past season...

 

http://web-jpn.org/trends/business/bus060316.html

 

I also saw a news special on the Seibu company's history and future. These guys own the 'prince' chain of hotels and quite a few ski jo. During the bubble period, they were swimmin in dough and everything they touched turned to gold. However, after the bubble, companies that were heavy into real-estate were up the creek. They had a ski jo called Tsubetsu in Hokkaido that was loosing millions of $'s a year. Last year, they finally decided to shut it down and as a result it devistated the village's economy - it's a ghost town now.

 

With a declining population, less disposable income, and the declining trendiness of skiing and snowboarding, Japan is probably in for a long road. Probably the only thing that can save this country's ski industry is:

 

1) a miracle in the winter olympics that is able to capture the imagination of a new generation of Japanese skiiers/boarders

2) Foreign visitors

 

While I enjoy the fact that the runs are almost completely empty on a typical weekday and only marginally crowded on the weekends, a healthy industry is important to all of us on this forum. Let's hope that thier fortunes turn for the better.

 

I had a great season and i'm looking forward to a nice warm summer followed by next season's snowfall. While it was less snowfall this past season then the previous, let's hope that next season brings a bit more.

 

would love to hear everyone's thoughts on your season...

[scouser 4]

I saw that on Tsubetsu as well SirJib - last night, right? Very interesting it was. The bloke there said that on many weekdays they welcomed around 30 skiers/boarders and that the resort had never made a profit since opening in 1993. They did an interview with the mayor at the bottom of the slopes, and 1 snowboarder came down the slopes during the interview. Sad it was.

 

(I'm definitely looking forward to the snow next season, but not the heat before then!)

[Mantas 3]

Dont worry the Aussies are comming to the rescue......

 

The word is out. I saw a full page ad in the Sydney Morning Herald about skiing in Japan, it had a picture of a bowl of noodles and the attached price as well as a lift ticket comparison, ie. $98au Tredbo compared to $38au. Happo We now get 100yen for the dollar. About five years ago it was in the 50's. People are just starting to realise that Japan is no longer expensive.

[lin 0]

The foreign market will be important for the main resorts, but for the majority of them it will be irrelevant.

[Mantas 3]

Sushi pies and more beer vending machines in the onsen and they will come in droves.

 

Seriously, if the smaller resorts want to tap into the potential market down here, they just need to cater them specifically. Obviously language is going to be the biggest thing.

 

SJA- I had a fantastic 2 weeks this season, best ever, thanks for asking.

[samurai 0]

Tourists won't save the industry. You need locals. Japan, as a country, will never be a destination resort. Many more resorts will finally close. While staying at Hachimantai, I was shocked the place was open. Zao too is stacks upon stacks of empty hotels.

 

To be honest, I think the ski-scene in this country needs a major re-boot into the modern industry. Powder, which Japan is famous for outside Japan, is not popular amongst the locals. A few highschool kids poach the trees, but that's it. Until the locals learn how fun pow is, and therefor chase it, I think Japan is in for a pretty major downsizing. The die-hard ski scene in this country is not the same as the die-hard ski scene that is sustaining the rest of the world. Quite frankly, the people here just don't care for skiing. In order for skiing to boom again, the sport in this country will have to jump some pretty major cultural boundaries. And, i just don't see that happening anytime soon. I have dreamt of taking control of these chairs and marketing them to pow skiers all over the world, but the truth is, tourists don't pay the bills.

[big-will 7]

 Quote:

Seriously, if the smaller resorts want to tap into the potential market down here, they just need to cater them specifically.

Smaller resorts most likely would not be able to compete with the machines promoting the biggies (Niseko, Hakuba) now - as well as that they probably wouldn't know how to or more importantly even be that interested or convinced that it would be worth it. A place has to have enough appeal to be able to succeed in getting people to travel across the world to visit them.

[Fattwins 0]

Here at least it isnt just high school kids hitting the trees or the BC.

 

There is still a huge population of snow riders in this country but there are just too many resorts period. As more close the other resorts will become viable again.

 

Japan is already a huge destination country actually.

[ausi ski bum 1]

Don't be so sure re the smaller resorts, Aussies will start off at the bigger ones but then they will start to explore the smaller ones looking for their special little mountain.

 

I for example am basing myself at Niseko this season because I have access to a great townhouse there but I will be traveling to the smaller resorts in the area.

 

You never know I may find the next ig thing and buy a property there.

 

Aussies don't like crowds so they will push themselves to the smaller resorts (which are still bigger than most Australian resorts.

[skidaisuki 0]

The thread contents once again belie the title.

 

As for me - I got in a total of 13 days skiing this season, which of course pales in comparison to plenty of the crew here, but not bad for a desk-bound 'weekender' in Tokyo. Would have done rather more if work hadn't forced me to cancel my planned Niseko trip at the end of January.

 

The snow wasn't everything we were looking for, certainly - I am already looking forward to November (I really hope we have some good early snow in 2007-8)... Summer's my least favourite season, too, but here are a list of activities that I will be participating in over the next few months:

 

1. Beer gardens

2. Beach

3. Fireworks

4. Sailing

5. Hiking some high mountains

6. business trips and holidays to cooler places - like Singapore and Dubai!

7. Buying gear for next season

 

It's SO easy to wish your life away waiting for snow, but as I remember the slogan "waiting for snow is OK - most people spend their lives waiting for nothing"

 

Enjoy your summers...

[lin 0]

Imagine the effort needed to get the message out over Niseko and the other places that are busy pushing themselves on the foreigner.

 

Imagine the local staff at the smaller resort who have hardly ever seen a foreigner on the slopes and the management who are not entirely convinced or interested and not prepared to spend much money if any.

 

More foreigners will end up at more smaller resorts, but the numbers are not going to be anywhere near big enough for them to completely change the way they do things.

[Fattwins 0]

basing yourself out of niseko is not orignal enough to find that one shot in the dark resort. Everyone has been doing that there for years.

[Mantas 3]

I cant say wether or not foreigners will save the Japan ski industry or not. I don't work in the industry and I don't live in Japan.

 

What I can say is that you will see a lot more Aussies coming over in the coming years (a lot more). The similarities with the expansion of surfing Bali in the 70's 80's and 90's are uncanny. From my first visit as a 10 year old boy in 1976 i watched Kuta grow from a small fishing village to a metropolis. Surfers slowly branched out to other islands more remote. Some of the places I visited 20 years ago, where the only place to stay was in the village chiefs house, now sport resorts with swimming pools! Some Indonesians became rich on the back of the Aussie/tourist surfer.

Why did this happen......because they had something we wanted and we were willing to travel there to get it.

Add to that Japan is safe, clean and cheap, and it offers a different cultural experience than what you would get in somewhere like Whistler or Jackson Hole.

[gerard 6]

Some Japanese things that are out of fasion, suddenly become popular again here, after being 'discovered' in other countries. Things like 'reiki' (some sort of mystical healing thing), or other things --like certain brands of shochu have suddenly become popular when Japanese discover that they are hip outside of Japan, especially in the U.S. So I'd say --don't underestimate the power of outside interest. That seems to be what has happened with Niseko. There's tons of domestic interest now that Japanese people know that foreigners are pining after Niseko snow.

 

btw Mantas... have you checked out Furano? That could be where you want to get your property. I reckon Niseko's still on the rise too though, if you can afford it..

 

(sorry Skidaiski, --can't get back on topic)

[Mantas 3]

Never been Ger. next time maybe.

[SirJibAlot 0]

well, I think i have certainly done my part to get more japanese on the slopes. I managed to convince the GM to hold our kick-off meeting in Niigata (2nd year in a row) in which a crew of us went up to Iwappara. And I roped a bunch of j-friends for 2 seperate trips to Hakuba...What is everyone else doing to promote the sport (accept for TJ OZ - that guy is on TV or in some magaine every other week!).

[Fattwins 0]

Ill be on US Sat HDTV in 2 monthes or so.

[BagOfCrisps 24]

I'm, er, well I tell people here.

 

Good old SJ does a most wonderful & far-reaching job. Hurrah!!

[SirJibAlot 0]

That's not the discovery channel special where you run around naked in the Hakuba wilderness yelling out "I'm FatTwins, hear me roar" is it?

[Fattwins 0]

no its on a show called nomads

[69 5]

When most gaijin living in Japan only consider visiting the main/bigger resorts, it is hard to imagine that people from overseas will come and visit those smaller ones.

[bushpig 0]

yeah that was my thought too. People don't generally shell out thousands of dollars to go overseas to go to the smaller places when there are bigger and better places on offer. If they are doing a season somewhere, then maybe, but not if just on a normal ski holiday.

[rach 1]

Definitely. Easy to say that they will flood in and go everywhere but I just don't think they would.

[SirJibAlot 0]

kewl...a friend of mine just wrapped a shoot in the Pacific (near Palau) with BBC/Discovery, he showed me some of the footage - absolutely amazing underwater stuff. Look for it in Dec.

[lin 0]

 Quote:

When most gaijin living in Japan only consider visiting the main/bigger resorts, it is hard to imagine that people from overseas will come and visit those smaller ones.

Thats what I wanted to say.