glass 0 Posted May 11, 2009 Share Posted May 11, 2009 Hi New here. Hoping to visit Japan next season. If the exchange rates get a bit better perhaps! Sorry newbie question - I heard that in recent years snowboarding became really popular in Japan. What's the ski/snowboard breakdown like at resorts over there these days? Thanks! Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted May 11, 2009 Share Posted May 11, 2009 It feels like 50/50 in the Niseko Resort Area but Go Native will have the correct ratio Link to post Share on other sites
gerard 6 Posted May 11, 2009 Share Posted May 11, 2009 Down here everyone has a snowboard and goes to Daisen once or twice a year in their SUV. Nobody's much interested in skiing. Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted May 12, 2009 Share Posted May 12, 2009 I would say round here it was something like 45 skiers / 55 snowboarders. I find it depends on the resort though, some seem to be more popular with one or the other - like Maiko when I go always seems to be almost all boarders. Hakkai-san is very popular with skiers and I'd say it was 60/40 there. Link to post Share on other sites
SKI 15 Posted May 12, 2009 Share Posted May 12, 2009 I heard a few times how skiing was making a 'comeback' (after the snowboard boom), but didn't really notice. Link to post Share on other sites
Ezorisu 0 Posted May 12, 2009 Share Posted May 12, 2009 That's definitely noticable in The States and Canada. Give Japan a year, maybe two... Link to post Share on other sites
kintaro 0 Posted May 12, 2009 Share Posted May 12, 2009 I'm much too lazy to learn how to ski. I'll be sticking with only snowboarding. BTW, I was told the other day that it's much harder to learn skiing than snowboarding. True? Link to post Share on other sites
gerard 6 Posted May 12, 2009 Share Posted May 12, 2009 Skiings probably easier at the very beginning but harder to get good enough to rip pow. (Hmm.... Seems like a vaguely familiar topic) Link to post Share on other sites
Go Native 70 Posted May 12, 2009 Share Posted May 12, 2009 Originally Posted By: MikePow It feels like 50/50 in the Niseko Resort Area but Go Native will have the correct ratio Not sure of exact figures. All I know there are way too many knuckle draggers for my liking Link to post Share on other sites
HelperElfMissy 42 Posted May 12, 2009 Share Posted May 12, 2009 LOL I have noticed that Niseko (at least) is not nearly as skier-centric as other parts of the world. Also not so ready to jump to silly assumptions - like the mother of 4 (3 of whom are taller than her) is a skier... Link to post Share on other sites
thursday 1 Posted May 12, 2009 Share Posted May 12, 2009 When I was in Club Med Bali, met this really sporty couple who did almost everything. tennis, swimming, golf, sailing, horses, and snow sports. The guy was a skier and boarder and said it was much easier to learn to board coming off skiing. Maybe it would be the same the other way round. Dunno. Link to post Share on other sites
HelperElfMissy 42 Posted May 12, 2009 Share Posted May 12, 2009 Dunno Thursday but as a skier or boarder it would be easier to pick up the alternate than it would be to start from scratch simply due to being comfortable in the environment and having a clue about snow conditions, run difficulty, and the like. When I learnt to board I had to also conquer a fear of heights having never been on a chairlift before, and also learn the very basics about snow - like how to walk on the darn stuff .... I think now that I am comfortable in that environment and on a board and 'speak the language' if ya know what I mean - picking up skiing would be a lot easier than if I was starting at a level of zero knowledge. I do know that my skier friends who tried to board all say the same thing. The very hardest thing about transitioning for them was trying to get off the darn lifts. First insinct is the turn your feet facing forward which sends your board parallel to the lift and see's you face down, often along with all your fellow lift riders! Link to post Share on other sites
Slippery Jim 65 Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 Ooooooh, yeah. Seen a LOT of that! Link to post Share on other sites
joshnii 2 Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 Yes Hakkai-san still seems to hold out with skiers. Probably has a lot to do with the moguls. Link to post Share on other sites
Jynxx 4 Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 Moguls aren't that bad ... I'm finding it all depends on the snow condition and at least a minimum of grooming being done. Ski or snowboard, moguls are all about your knees imoh. Link to post Share on other sites
Timmyhugecans 0 Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 Happo has more skiers than boarders by quite a bit but Goryu 47 would have to be about 50-50. Link to post Share on other sites
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