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Has the recession hit the ski resorts? to those who have been out on the slopes, how are the numbers to compared to years of past?

 

just looking at the happo web-cam: they look like they have a decentt enough crowd there today

 

screenshot073hn5.jpg

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I was surprised at how few people yesterday. Joetsu Kokusai was busier on Sunday even with the terrible weather condition then. I expect the next few days into weekend to be very busy, but I am not doing 'family duty' lol

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  • 2 weeks later...
Originally Posted By: thursday
that is peak season and more.

cam3_b.jpg


thats generally how center 4 looked (except for first lift on powder days). you never had to wait. Gondola was to the bottom of the stairs once. Rusutsu was even less crowded. Bad news for resorts I bet...hopefully no more close :(
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People are pretty fickle. A couple of years ago it seemed people were staying away because there was too much snow.

 

 

 

This recession thing seems to have really hit Japan in a big way. Friends back from TY are saying how noticably quiet the gaijin hang outs are and how little people are spending. Why has Japan taken such a body blow in this?

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Ever so fickle yes.

 

I've just come back from 5 hours or so with tokabochi at Gala Yuzawa. Great day. Hardly anyone there. Totally no waiting for lifts.

 

Will have photos and more helmet cam videos - maybe later or tomorrow. I'm afraid a few know-it-alls will scold me again for taking photos of empty slopes. Perhaps I should photoshop some people in there.... wink

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Originally Posted By: The Imp
Hey CB,

Isn't this your first trip back to Niseko for a few years? How did you find it? The development, the Aussies, the foriegn presence, etc.?


Yup, been 6 years since I was there. Its changed tremendously! omg I couldnt believe it - looked nothing like the Niseko I knew thats for sure.

There are more "expensive" restaurants and less Izakayas than before, some places had been bought out it appears. Many are still around though prices for most places have gone up.

Same for accomodation - those "million dollar apartments" are nice (stayed in one one night), but NOT worth buying/investing in. Personally, there are 3-4 hotels/pensions Id rather stay than there...but thats just my humble/broke opinion wink

Aussies - tons. Most were really cool and had fun riding the gondie/lifts with quite a few. More HK/Taiwanese than Aussies by far! Had some nice chats with a few families in onsens. Will leave my negative experiences alone.

All in all, a great trip. I realized how flat Niseko is though - and yeah, its flat. There are a few good courses there which have a nice pitch, but theyre so short compared with places around Honshu. I enjoyed Rusutsu more and would prolly stay over there next time I think...though getting a free hotel room on the gelande is pretty epic!!! wink biggrin

sorry its short, but gotta run to a meeting...
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Originally Posted By: The Imp

This recession thing seems to have really hit Japan in a big way. Friends back from TY are saying how noticably quiet the gaijin hang outs are and how little people are spending. Why has Japan taken such a body blow in this?


Can't say I agree with you there. Where I am there has been no change in respect to the credit crunch except for gaij singing and dancing as their respective currency plummets against the yen. It was more of a change when I went back home over xmas, shops closing, pubs closing, mega sales on. To my untrained eye it seems that Japan has been sheltered from the body blow, at least up unitl now
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It might be in the eye of the beholder wink Nikkei down by a record margin during 2008, Toyota closing factories for weeks on end, Honda battening down the hatches, Roppongi Hills very quiet (or so I'm told), TY locals choosing to eat at home more and more (again, so I'm told), the PM in his new year's address liken the current situation to the immediate post war environment. Not exactly business as usual.

 

 

That said, it's always nice to win in the Ex-pat FX game.

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Originally Posted By: tsondaboy
Originally Posted By: thursday
what negative experiences?


Like CB said, too many Chinese.



There will come a day - mark my words! - when people will look back fondly on the harmless larakin Aussies (aka drunken violent louts)that used to visit Hirafu.
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Originally Posted By: tsondaboy
Originally Posted By: thursday
what negative experiences?


Like CB said, too many Chinese.

(and bad vibes from a specific restaurant I wont name)


He didn't say that. He said more HK/Taiwanese by far. Which I find hard to believe at a ski resort.

The Taiwanese are the most numerous visitors to Hokkiado, outnumbering everyone else 4 to 1.
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Originally Posted By: tsondaboy
Originally Posted By: thursday
what negative experiences?


Like CB said, too many Chinese.

(and bad vibes from a specific restaurant I wont name)


too many chinese isnt a bad thing mate - neither are too many japanese. a few of the HK/Taiwanese seemed to think that money would get them whatever they wanted and F'anybody else...a few of the women I had to deal with (on behalf of the hotel) were just blatantly rude (maybe its cultural as I thought that when in Beijing a bit but just accepted it cuz I was in their country).
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