Help - First Trip to Japan 2009

[tfcjaga 0]

Hi there,

 

First post on this forum, so hello all!

 

I am in the process of sorting out my first trip to Japan with a pal for a boarding trip for 15 days at the end of January / Beginning of Feb 09.

 

The plan is arrive Tokyo, and then head up to Hokaido for around 6 nights then back to Tokyo for a weekend before heading out to Hakuba (accommodation booked already) for another 6 days boarding.

 

as background we are intermediate boarders, not into parks (too old for all that stuff ) but love powder and enjoy all mountain messing around.

 

Answers to a few general questions would be breatly appreciated....

 

1. What is the best way to get to Hokaido from Tokyo. I assume it will be to fly. & Can anyone give me a rough idea of cost for return flights?

2. Which resort is best for powder junkies on Hokaido... with a bit of nightlife thrown in!!!!!

3. Is the Train the best way to & from Nagano from Tokyo (transfers from the station are included in our accomodation) and roughly how much does it cost?

4. Are we best transporting bords separately to both resorts & do we need to book in advance or can it be done on arrival in the airport?

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

cheers good people.

 

Patrick

[Tubby Beaver 209]

Dunno the costs but flying to Hokkaido is more convienient and getting the shinkansen to Nagano is also the best way to go. You can courier your board etc from the airport, it doesn't cost much and is usually there the next day. Look for the Black Cat sign

[-30deg 0]

If you want night life in a Hokkaido resort I guess that narrows it to Niseko or Furano. Furano is a proper city and therefore has lots of bars and restaurants within walking distance. There are almost daily day trips to Tomamu and Kamui resorts, and Asahidake, which provide an awesome powder experience.

[@tokyo 14]

Here ends todays Furano promotional message from -30deg.

[Ezorisu 0]

In Hokkaido, you can also stay in Sapporo (where there is an overabundance of nightlife in Susukino) and catch the bus in the morning to Sapporo Kokusai, Teine, Asari, or Kiroro for the day; party all night; then try a different resort the next day!

[snowdude 44]

Yeah if you got a hotel booked, best just 'takubin' your stuff to the hotel like TB said. I think you are looking at less than 10,000 yen for the lot, save lugging it around.

[tfcjaga 0]

Thanks guys. So, flying to Hokkaido sounds like the way to go with packaging the boards off separately.

 

Need to do some research on which resort on Hokaido. Obviously the snow is the main reason we are going and the priority, but a few couple of lively places in the evenings would also be great.

 

Dont fancy a major cummute each day to the slopes.

 

any more suggestions / reccomendations gatefully received!

 

Cheers

[Mantas 3]

Just a thought but if you don't especially have to go back to Tokyo after Hokkaido then why not fly from Sopporo to Matsumoto. It's an easy train ride up to Hakuba from there, cheap too.

[skidaisuki 0]

Patrick,

 

Welcome - mostly well covered already, but:

 

1. Definitely flying. Usual price is about JPY 50,000 return (you may do better than this, though)

 

2. Niseko (or Furano - but a lot more apres ski at Niseko if you don't mind being surrounded by Aussies rather than Japanese)

 

3. Shinkansen from Tokyo Station to Nagano is ther best and fastest route - about JPY 22,000 return (I think). Time is about 90 mins. Then you catch a bus to Hakuba from Nagano station - takes about 1 hour. Alternatively, there's a direct train from Shinjuku to Hakuba (the "Super Azusa") this runs a few times a day and takes about 4 hours, for some saving in money and extra convenience. It's not as good as a shinkansen though, and much slower. (Note: I'm not sure whether you CAN fly Sapporo to Matsumoto as Mantas suggests, but even if you can, chances are that the extra ticket cost would make a Tokyo-Sapporo-Tokyo return + shinkansen the better option anyway, and that way you can enjoy Tokyo as well...)

 

4. Takkyubin from the airport is fine - but check how long the takkyubin company expect it to take to get there. You might get there and be waiting for your gear - major frustration, from our experience. I'd take it yourself, assuming you have a decent travel bag, as airlines to Sapporo are well used to handling skis / snowboards and the train to Nagano has ski racks at the ends of the carriages specially for such luggage.

 

To repeat - Niseko powder in February will be excellent. The other places won't disappoint you but I think Niseko is really the best choice for you.

 

Best regards

 

SdS

[JA2340 16]

Patrick,

Takkyubin from Tokyo to our accom in Furano in January this year took a couple of days. Delivered to our accom while we did a couple of days "touristy stuff". We arrived in Furano to find the gear stored in the drying room of our accommodation. Definitely doing the same thing again next January, this time to Nozawa Onsen, so should be a shorter lead time (not that it matters too much, as we are doing a week tripping around southern Honshu).

 

Previous years we have flown to Sapporo (again used Takkyubin) and used the coach to Niseko, or caught the train around to Kutchan.

 

Furano, as mentioned, is a city in its own right. Plenty to do in town, really good restaurants and a couple of minutes walk from the resort to the centre of town. You'll have a ball there! We also traded in one day of our lift ticket for a day at Kamui Ski Links. Well worth the trip, a longish coach drive but very worthwhile! (No restrictions on where you ski in bounds, trees galore and the piste is not groomed to within an inch of the roped off areas! (like at Furano).

[Ezorisu 0]

Originally Posted By: tfcjaga

Need to do some research on which resort on Hokaido. Obviously the snow is the main reason we are going and the priority, but a few couple of lively places in the evenings would also be great.

Dont fancy a major cummute each day to the slopes.

Looks like Niseko or Furano then. Most everywhere else will be, "you are at the mercy of the resort," with very little outside dining and nightlife. Now as to which place will be better for powder... that's up to the snow gods!

[-30deg 0]

Yeah the above poster mentions a good point. For Furano lift tickets that are five days or longer, 1 day can be traded for a Kamui or Tomamu lift ticket.

[tfcjaga 0]

cheers again.

 

Looking like Furono is close to getting the nod! Although after a couple of dodgy seasons in europe anywhere will be awesome!

[Ezorisu 0]

If I get up that way in the next few months, I'll let you know if I find any cool restaurants/bars/clubs.

[tfcjaga 0]

Originally Posted By: Ezorisu

If I get up that way in the next few months, I'll let you know if I find any cool restaurants/bars/clubs.

Perfect!!!!

cheers

[RobBright 35]

Just a quick heads up - if you can, try and get a seisho 18 pass, or some of the other passes listed on the jr homepage for foreigners visiting for a short time. If you can plan the seisho correctly, you can get from Tokyo to Sapporo in about a day for 5k or something! The JR east pass is also pretty useful too.

 

Tains from Tokyo to Nagano - hmm there is the Super Asuza express that goes all the way to Matsumoto, through Yamanashi and Nagano.

[tfcjaga 0]

Thanks for all the feedback guys.

 

After discussions with my pal it looks like Niseko had got the nod.

 

Any reccomendations on chap / medium priced accommodation? (I assume Grand Hirafu is the best place to be based?)

 

cheers again!

[BagOfCrisps 24]

Yes, a few people seem to like Niseko. It is quite popular.

 

Well there's a bunch of accommodation places on this site (see the light blue button up top). A good place to start.