Snow in Japan 2009/2010

[thursday 1]

and now, since the snow is sucking in Japan, I'm thinking of going to Europe.

[foreversnow 5]

Better take out a bank loan Thursday . Not only do you have the high ski lift pass, lets not forget how expense Europe is for food, accomodation and the all important alcohol etc!!!!

[tripler 0]

Originally Posted By: snowhuntress

and the all important alcohol etc!!!!

in france supermarket alcohol is ridiculously cheap - cheaper than japan. Bar is probably less of a bargain but with the strong yen probably still less than here.

Thursday, ditto, may be ditching the wife and hooking up with a frog if it doesn't snow soon.

[thursday 1]

Now, that is a good idea. The fashion shows are off 'cos there is too much snow. Dun worry, I'll go n pick up some spoiled sales for you, my darling wife, while you stay home and look after the baby.

 

Would love to see those metres and metres of powdery fluff just waiting for me and nobody else up in those alps places.

[greg 4]

I love Niseko and have been coming back for many years and hopefully will for many to come. I have met some great people, been exposed to a wonderful local culture, seen the place change over the last ten years and had the best snowboarding experiences of my life. Both my wife and son have learnt to board at Niseko.

 

It appears to difficult however to discuss certain topics. Below are some of my observations from my experience going to Niseko only.

 

- It can tribal/clicky.

-It is not always great snow despite the hype in publications. Nisko has some shite days/weeks...so what

-Niseko has a good Apre scene, but Japan is different and can't effectively be compare to the Apre scene in Europe and North America.

- People will walk around saying how there was a foot of fresh up there all day when you know for a fact it is slim pickings.

 

I sometimes feel like because it is Niseko, people have to rave about all the powder they saw today etc etc. You can have great days on the mountain without fresh snow. You should be able to say I had a great day and the snow was average in the same sentence. Without some d!ckhead eaves dropping coming over saying how sick sick the narley pow pow was bro and you just don't know where to go.

 

This is not intended to be a negative post but just some observations.

 

Coming back in January for another month and I can't wait.

[RobBright 35]

Have to say, except for that crappy season three years ok, it's been pretty good every other year really in terms of snow.

 

While there might not have been any big dumps, as Tubby said, the mountains are lower down than in comparison to the European mountains.

[BillTheBinMan 0]

Love the facepalms

 

But hey, no snow! Perhaps rainmaker is right!

[tripler 0]

Originally Posted By: RobBright

While there might not have been any big dumps, as Tubby said, the mountains are lower down than in comparison to the European mountains.

You're using small mountains as a justification for lack of snow? I don't think people who can choose between Japan, Europe or North America will be very impressed by that excuse.

[Tubby Beaver 209]

Originally Posted By: tripler

Originally Posted By: RobBright

While there might not have been any big dumps, as Tubby said, the mountains are lower down than in comparison to the European mountains.

You're using small mountains as a justification for lack of snow? I don't think people who can choose between Japan, Europe or North America will be very impressed by that excuse.

eh...no we're not. My post (even although its Rob that you're replying to) said that people forget that the mountains over here are smaller and the resorts lower down compared to Europe, and INSPITE of this Japan gets snow that is comparable and in some places more than the higher resorts of the European Alps.
There is no excuses being made at all. .

[thursday 1]

what???? what excuse?

 

Snow falls in Japan in abundance, everywhere, more so in Hokkaido.

If people are after the American experience, then go to America.

If people are after the European experience, then go to Europe.

If people are after a unique Japanese experience, then go to Japan.

 

I don't get this competitive thing about skiing in Europe versus skiiing in Japan. It's not the same product. For poser value, go to Chamonix and say "I was at Chamonix and guess who I bumped into"

[Tubby Beaver 209]

Originally Posted By: thursday

what???? what excuse?

Snow falls in Japan in abundance, everywhere, more so in Hokkaido.
If people are after the American experience, then go to America.
If people are after the European experience, then go to Europe.
If people are after a unique Japanese experience, then go to Japan.

I don't get this competitive thing about skiing in Europe versus skiiing in Japan. It's not the same product. For poser value, go to Chamonix and say "I was at Chamonix and guess who I bumped into"

well it wasn't quite Chamonix BUT I was at meribel and guess who I bumped into?

[thursday 1]

who? AH, I remember, smelly spice. or some tart.

[Tubby Beaver 209]

thats the one......Posh Spice.....little bint had her entourage covering pretty much the whole damned piste, just below the brow of the hill, as I came whizzing down I literally came within a whisker of the poison dwarf!!

[SKI 15]

Doesn't she get smaller every year as well?

[Mike Pow 52]

Originally Posted By: Gtrain

I love Niseko and have been coming back for many years and hopefully will for many to come. I have met some great people, been exposed to a wonderful local culture, seen the place change over the last ten years and had the best snowboarding experiences of my life. Both my wife and son have learnt to board at Niseko.

It appears to difficult however to discuss certain topics. Below are some of my observations from my experience going to Niseko only.

- It can tribal/clicky.
-It is not always great snow despite the hype in publications. Nisko has some shite days/weeks...so what
-Niseko has a good Apre scene, but Japan is different and can't effectively be compare to the Apre scene in Europe and North America.
- People will walk around saying how there was a foot of fresh up there all day when you know for a fact it is slim pickings.

I sometimes feel like because it is Niseko, people have to rave about all the powder they saw today etc etc. You can have great days on the mountain without fresh snow. You should be able to say I had a great day and the snow was average in the same sentence. Without some d!ckhead eaves dropping coming over saying how sick sick the narley pow pow was bro and you just don't know where to go.

This is not intended to be a negative post but just some observations.

Coming back in January for another month and I can't wait.

Some interesting observations made there Gtrain

I tried to be as objective as possible last winter

http://www.snowjapanforums.com/ubbthread...html#Post289494

and outside of the rain events (of which there were too many) if you're able to move around the area you can find great conditions on almost a daily basis - on and off the piste.

[SnowJapan 178]

I am not actually there myself, but I would very much hope that our Niseko Now and other reports are seen as being 'hype-free'. That is certainly very strongly our intention for those reports and we take that concept quite seriously.

[tripler 0]

Originally Posted By: Tubby Beaver

Originally Posted By: tripler

Originally Posted By: RobBright

While there might not have been any big dumps, as Tubby said, the mountains are lower down than in comparison to the European mountains.

You're using small mountains as a justification for lack of snow? I don't think people who can choose between Japan, Europe or North America will be very impressed by that excuse.

eh...no we're not. My post (even although its Rob that you're replying to) said that people forget that the mountains over here are smaller and the resorts lower down compared to Europe, and INSPITE of this Japan gets snow that is comparable and in some places more than the higher resorts of the European Alps.
There is no excuses being made at all. .

So no big dumps means loads of of snow, sorry for misunderstanding you.

[thursday 1]

"So no big dumps means loads of of snow, sorry for misunderstanding you."

 

WHere the hell did that come from?

 

Pauline: "please explain"

[skichef 0]

I am not going to get personal as Sanjo. But l thought the idea of this site was for frank chats and ideas.

If you don't like what people say Sanjo, then join another site.

My topic was simply an open one at the state of skiing, closures, snow, etc.

I hope it dumps big time for everyone, but l think some people have missed my point.

[Jynxx 4]

no worries rainmaker,

but you did make generalized comments by stringing words together, to a point we couldn't understand were you are coming from.

First, your comment is Swiss specific about the decline in snow. Doesn't apply to Italy or Austria.

About the Apre scene, and comment about quote/ [ It is not about culture/new adventure, it is about the snow only. There is no apres Ski in Japan, so you must rely on the snow. If you are not getting snow and apres ski, which Europe is famous for, then I see big problems for the Japanese market. ]/unquote

well I'm sure people in Japan are happy that people aren't just showing up to party and be seen , like in St.Anton or Soelden, And they have good snow.

Like we said it's not all about snow for everyone.

you got a lot of response out of that for sure ...

[rider69 18]

Your posts sure sounded like Japan would fail without the Europeans.

[rach 1]

Originally Posted By: rainmaker

But l thought the idea of this site was for frank chats and ideas.
If you don't like what people say Sanjo, then join another site.

Makes me laugh when people come up with "I thought the idea of this site...." and "join another site" comments. From the mods/owners, accepted. But from someone with 40 or so posts, it just sounds funny.

[sanjo 2]

What was your point? So it wasn't the part that you quickly edited? The bit that said

 

"Do you think Japan will get any snow in the 2009/2010 season?"

 

It was funny, I wish you had left it there.

 

Perhaps you could have expressed yourself without the extremely silly bits? People might have taken you more seriously if you had.

[skidaisuki 0]

rainmaker, your initial post was both provocative and inaccurate, even if you didn't intend it to be. You wanted a debate, and you got one.

 

Seasons vary everywhere. The decline in Japanese ski resorts is not due to the amount of snow - in an average year it's plentiful - but primarily the result of the domestic economy and because, simply put, there was a ludicrous amount of overcapacity.

 

Ski trips from Europe to Japan will remain a very small part of the market - the potential for growth is visitors from Asia and Oceania, especially China.

 

SdS

[Sciclone 2]

I also thought rainmaker didn't really get his point across properly, and came across as someone who was looking at pushing their own area.

 

Yes, this is a forum for enthusiasts of japanese snow, but it is also the one that comes up first in google when people type japan snow. Because of that, negative threads in the forum (as "Will Japan get any snow in the 09/10 season?" could be taken) can be seen as a harmful. When a few people here including the SJF Mods make their living from snow tourism/marketing, negative posts with misleading/false information about the snow in Japan is counter-productive.