Jump to content
Our independent daily snow & weather reports from popular ski areas around Japan ×

Multi-resort season passes

Metabo Oyaji
 Share Followers 0

Recommended Posts

Metabo Oyaji

Metabo Oyaji 71

Posted
Posted

Been looking at season passes that can be used at multiple resorts. Some were mentioned in the Hakuba 47 thread, but Hakuba is not the most convenient location to me, and anyway it would be nice to find something a little more wide-ranging.

 

One that caught my eye is the Gran Deco season pass (40,000 yen for adults if purchased before 10/31, 24,000 yen for kids, with further 10% discount for family purchases), which also lets one ski for 1,000 yen at several other Tokyu resorts: Mt. Jeans, Hunter Mountain, Tambara, Tangram, Togakushi, Fujimi Panorama, and Ski Jam Katsuyama. Plus, for 2,000 yen one can also ski at Inawashiro (Chuo and Minero) and Niseko Grand Hirafu. Don't think Hokkaido or Fukui are in the cards, but we had a great time at Gran Deco and Mt. Jeans last year, and most of the other areas on the list get reasonably good reviews (except for Tambara, which seems to be universally panned). Depending on where one goes, one would only have to go 7 or 8 times to break even, too, but then again, we are unlikely to make it out more than about 10 times anyway, most likely, so the savings would not be huge in any case. But anyway, fun to think about: Gran Deco Season Pass

 

Another pass I found, a true multi-resort pass, is the JTB 23 Ski-area pass: JTB 23-Ski-Area Season Pass. Again, a reasonable (if somewhat random-seeming) selection of resorts, but probably even tougher to justify economically, with a price of 49,800 yen for both adults and kids.

 

One nice thing about both passes above is that they cover relatively wide geographic areas, which suits the exploratory stage I am in at the moment; I'm not ready to settle down and get married to one hill yet. (And I'm not close enough to any one hill for there to be an obvious choice anyway.)

 

Anyway, just wondering what other multi-area passes folks may know about. I cannot, for example, find anything for the Prince resorts -- do they not offer anything like that? Any other resort chains (similar to Tokyu) or aggregators (similar to JTB) I should be looking at?

Link to post
Share on other sites
Thundercat

Thundercat 60

Posted
Posted

Myoko Kogen has a pass for 4 resorts in that area. Akakura Kanko, Ikenotaira, Seki Onsen and Suginohara. Maybe its called the Big Mountain Pass or something and it's about 40,000Y. All the resorts are quite near to each other. Be careful though, it doesn't include Akakura Onsen which is the neighbouring resort to Kanko. (strange)

I've often thought about buying it as I really enjoy those areas. The only thing stopping me though is the fact that each individual resort offers coupons from there internet sites ranging from 1000Y off to free lunches etc. so I've never felt that the season pass is cost effective for the number of times I go there (about 10-12 times a year)

Link to post
Share on other sites
muikabochi

muikabochi 208

Posted
Posted

Unless things have changed this year ( lol ), only for Yuzawa residents. And I'm not even sure if that allows all residents of Yuzawa to be able to buy one, maybe just for those with kids at school or something. Not sure.

 

There are tickets that can be used at any resort in Yuzawa, usually for promotions - like the ones SJ have often given away during the season.

Link to post
Share on other sites
Thundercat

Thundercat 60

Posted
Posted

Thanks SJ for pointing out the Myoko Now page. Kind of a mixed bag of good and bad news. Happy to hear that Onsen and Akakan have reunited... completely gutted to hear that the top lift of Akakan might not be running. To be honest, its the reason I like that area so much. Fingers crossed that its only rumour!

Link to post
Share on other sites
RobBright

RobBright 35

Posted
Posted
Originally Posted By: stemik
A multi resort season pass for Hakuba could be the best thing that Hakuba could ever do....Great for the Japanese weekend warriors.


How about a Shinkansen that starts at Tokyo and only stops at Hakuba?î—ƒ
Link to post
Share on other sites
stemik

stemik 14

Posted
Posted
Originally Posted By: RobBright
Originally Posted By: stemik
A multi resort season pass for Hakuba could be the best thing that Hakuba could ever do....Great for the Japanese weekend warriors.


How about a Shinkansen that starts at Tokyo and only stops at Hakuba?î—ƒ


RB, that will be good for the ski areas but not good for the hotels & lodges. The accommodations need the weekend warriors to stay for at least a night. With a shink route you will probably see more day trippers
Link to post
Share on other sites
HelperElfMissy

HelperElfMissy 42

Posted
Posted

Stemik,

I am not sure how that would actually translate in reality.

 

Day trippers are a good thing, they come up for the day and inject some cash - lift passes, shink tix, food and drink - and there would perhaps be more people coming as a direct result of a direct-express Shink service.

 

And some of those people who would stay for a day previously may choose to stay for longer -over night/a couple of nights - just because there is such a convenient Shink service.

 

The easier you make it to access Hakuba and the slopes from Tokyo the more opportunist visitors you will get - the people visiting on business will add a couple of days to have a slide to their itinerary. And if they have a blast they will come back for their vacation.

 

What initially might look like a negative for accommodation providers would probably end up being a positive.

 

The easier you make it - the more will come.

Link to post
Share on other sites
NoFakie

NoFakie 45

Posted
Posted
Originally Posted By: stemik
Originally Posted By: RobBright
Originally Posted By: stemik
A multi resort season pass for Hakuba could be the best thing that Hakuba could ever do....Great for the Japanese weekend warriors.


How about a Shinkansen that starts at Tokyo and only stops at Hakuba?î—ƒ


RB, that will be good for the ski areas but not good for the hotels & lodges. The accommodations need the weekend warriors to stay for at least a night. With a shink route you will probably see more day trippers


Lots of folks say upgrading of the road to Nagano for the Olympics only made it worse for accommodation.

It was a mega bonanza for those that sold the land though. Hokuriku based truckers haven't done too badly either.
Link to post
Share on other sites
Thundercat

Thundercat 60

Posted
Posted

I kind of agree MB. I used to make the trip to Hakuba all the time...until I had a few bad driving experiences when what should have been a 4 hour drive turned into over 8 hours (snow storm and terrible road maintanence) Since those times, I've been sticking to the resorts that are closer to the expressways as I live in Shizuoka. Reliable, quick train service would bring me back there!

Link to post
Share on other sites
RobBright

RobBright 35

Posted
Posted

Same for me - want to go to Hakuba more often, but accessibility is an issue for me as from Yokohama, it's about a 4hr journey one way, perhaps more. And don't forget the apres ski crowd as well - those who have onsens, buy omiyage, beers and snacks for the train home also help.

 

Combine this with a season pass and I'm sold-would definitely stay more often as well as doing one day trips as happens now with Yuzawa, well except for the season pass bit.

Link to post
Share on other sites
HelperElfMissy

HelperElfMissy 42

Posted
Posted

But where would you spend it Thursday?

On visiting more often, another lift pass day, more beer? That is still spent in the resort.

 

And your space in the accommodation is freed up for someone who will change their plans to include a visit with a stop over.

 

WIN WIN

 

I think it would shortsighted to reject improvements in infrastructure and convenience for fear of losing customers. It will only bring more customers.

 

It's a bit like saying that it is better to force people to wait for ages for a bus to support the little shop that is at the bus station - when people will use that shop anyway, but more people will use the bus when the service is better therefore bringing loads more customers through in the end even though people are no longer waiting around for ages...

Link to post
Share on other sites
thursday

thursday 1

Posted
Posted

That sounds nuts. I dunno what you're saying, but I'm saying that if I could fit it into a day trip, then I will.

 

The money saved from the lodging extravaganza will be spread to those who have not. I'll spend it anyway, but not at a hotel when I can get home in 2 hours. Simple.

Link to post
Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver

Tubby Beaver 209

Posted
Posted

I'd def be up in Hakuba more if there was a direct Shink link. I generally don't stay overnight anyways, usually just do daytrips. Yuzawa is the easiest destination for me due to the shink stop. Getting the Shink to nagano is fine but then its another trek on the bus to the slopes, far too long in my opinion.

Link to post
Share on other sites
Metabo Oyaji

Metabo Oyaji 71

Posted
  • Author
Posted
Originally Posted By: RobBright
Would be great if there was one for the Yuzawa area. Is there one?


Googling around, it seems that Prince has offered some kind of Yuzawa-area Prince resorts pass, covering Naeba, Kagura, Hakkaisan, and Yuzawa Nakazato. But I see no evidence of such a thing being offered for this year, at least not yet.

They have also had a 5-resort pass covering Karuizawa Prince Hotel, Manza, Ura-Manza, Myoko Suginohara, and Yudanaka Shibu Onsen.

Hmmm... as I think about it, the Kan-etsu is always such an unrewarding experience, heading out the Tohoku Expressway seems more appealing. Too bad the weather (especially wind) at the Tochigi resorts is such a dicey proposition.
Link to post
Share on other sites
 Share
Followers 0
Go to topic listing

The independent guide to skiing and snowboarding in Japan
Online since 1999
snowjapan.com

DAILY SNOW REPORTS

×
×
  • Create New...