frannyo 2 Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 So how busy are places you are going to right now? Today was Joetsu Kokusai in Niigata. It was much less busy than I was expecting. The main slope in front of the hotel was fairly crowded, but further out and in the Atema part it wasn't so busy and in those places didn't wait for a lift, and they weren't full capacity by any means. Snow wasn't brilliant. Decent up top but sugary lower down - they need snowfall. Other places? Link to post Share on other sites
snowdude 44 Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 I have found a mix, sometimes rather busy other times not that busy, but I think in general this year maybe less busy accross the board, due to much less snow than usual and of course the economic situation not being good at the moment! Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted January 26, 2009 Share Posted January 26, 2009 I posted some numbers a few weeks ago for New Year over Minamiuonuma. My observations - very quiet on weekdays (having to look out of an office window at almost empty slopes on a fine day is unfair!), fairly busy on weekends though still when I went to Ishiuchi on a Sunday it wasn't that bad. Just a minute or so before getting on a list. Nozawa wasn't 'busy' as such, but lots of foreigners! Link to post Share on other sites
stemik 14 Posted January 26, 2009 Share Posted January 26, 2009 In Hakuba overall figures are down from last year, Foreigners about level though Western foreigners are up, not so many Korean visitors this year. Good increase in Russian & Chinese. Japanese visitors sharply down. Link to post Share on other sites
SKI 15 Posted January 26, 2009 Share Posted January 26, 2009 Sharly down? Oh dear. Link to post Share on other sites
Go Native 70 Posted January 26, 2009 Share Posted January 26, 2009 It's a busy week in Niseko (probably the busiest of the season) with Chinese New Year visitors from SE Asia. One ski school had their busiest day ever yesterday (few of them really know how to ski well so lots of lessons ) Link to post Share on other sites
weetabicks 0 Posted January 26, 2009 Share Posted January 26, 2009 Yes I think the ski schools do well from us lot. Link to post Share on other sites
stemik 14 Posted January 26, 2009 Share Posted January 26, 2009 yes the ski schools are going crazy for English speakers this week here as well. Link to post Share on other sites
PWL 0 Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 Again I have never experienced this but are there big queues of people waiting for lifts generally? I can imagine being a real nuisdance to everyone as a beginner and falling over when those lifts come up behind me. The pair lifts don't slow down, right? Perhaps I should stick to one of those that slows down! Link to post Share on other sites
joshnii 2 Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 Weekdays - no waiting at all PWL, round these parts anyway. Weekends - maybe, but nothing too bad this season from what I hear. Again, round these parts. You'll find that you will ALWAYS want to use the faster quad lifts PWL. Pair lifts are sometimes unbearably slow (though almost seem to "speed up" just as you get on them, haha). Link to post Share on other sites
motioneye 0 Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 Not been yet this season due to work + flu but hoping to get out this coming weekend to somewhere in Gifu. Heard numbers were down on last year, but they are always busy at weekends there. Link to post Share on other sites
Zaoman 0 Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 I haven't been many times yet but when I have Zao hasn't been busy at all. (3 times all weekdays). I hear weekends as (perhaps expectedly) busy. Link to post Share on other sites
iiyamadude 6 Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 Don't know about numbers, but there is totally no worries about busy levels during the week. It's just totally not an issue. In fact, you might find yourself wishing there were more people! Link to post Share on other sites
SKI 15 Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 Quote: Japanese visitors sharply down. Heard from a Japanese colleague about that too. Very worrying, that being by far the biggest percentage of visitors. Link to post Share on other sites
Rag-Doll 0 Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 Weekdays were always really quiet. So quiet that it felt a little spooky. Given the economic news coming out of Japan these days, there will probably be stiff competition for liftie jobs and no one on the slopes in the coming seasons. It looks pretty grim. Link to post Share on other sites
stemik 14 Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 what has surprised me the most is not the weekedays but the weekends are a lot quieter than before. Car parks just dont seem to be as busy as well. Link to post Share on other sites
Rag-Doll 0 Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 It isn't a great season though is it? And the J-crowds are a fickle bunch; too much snow or too little snow and they're off to akihabara. Link to post Share on other sites
veronica 2 Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 Quote: And the J-crowds are a fickle bunch; too much snow or too little snow and they're off to akihabara. To a certain extent you can understand that. Skiing isn't cheap. There's all the hassle of getting there, accommodation, eating out --- and then if you get there conditions are pretty awful. I can understand people deciding not to go faced with that. Fact is, most people aren't 'hardcore' or whatever you want to call it. Link to post Share on other sites
Rag-Doll 0 Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 yeah, it is fair enough. Link to post Share on other sites
thursday 1 Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 if I lived in a country full of ski resorts, I'd perhaps go about once a year. if I lived in a country not full of ski resorts, I'd perhaps go about once a year. Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 I really can't say how often I'd go if I lived in Tokyo or somewhere where it wasn't snowing. Even now though, living on the doorstep, I'm not going again until we get decent snow. But then again, perhaps it's just the fact that I can pick and choose that lets me do that. I can totally understand someone not spending all that cash and time to get out to rubbish conditions. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't. Link to post Share on other sites
foreversnow 5 Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 See that is the thing if you live near a ski resort you can pick and chose when you go. Bad snow don't go, Good snow Hit it. The problem for us ski lovers is that we have to work so many things around getting to the snow that if it is a bad season and we are booked TO BAD!! We can't just go okay they are having a great season LET'S GO!! I really think the Aus Ski Fields are going to feel the pinch this year. With Japan most of us were all booked and paid for months ago. BUT will we be able to afford to go next year????????????????? Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 Yes like I said snowhuntress, I totally realise that I am in a good place that enables me to pick and choose. I just understand why some people would not go given lack of snow (especially those day trippers - realise that a longer trip is a different story). Being in this nice location, I'll do what I can to help with info when I can and share photographs to let people see what it's like. Link to post Share on other sites
sanjo 2 Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 Well I'm 70-80 minutes or so away from it. Was thinking about this weekend but the thought of being miserable in the rain just doesn't appeal! I think I'll wait for the next snowfall. Link to post Share on other sites
thursday 1 Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 You should go anyway to support the resort. Link to post Share on other sites
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