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Canadian Cage Fighter keeping the peace in Niseko...


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Personally I think trouble is inevitable. It's what happens when you mix part of the skier demographic with booze and a let-go-because-you're-on-holiday mentality. Its not going to go away. The issue then becomes how people deal with it. Strictly is fine by me, and the Niseko model sounds pretty good. Involve the local police with some mediators to handle the language issue.

 

Since I'd imagine most incidents are pretty late on in certain bars, it's going to be pretty easy to avoid for the average punter. Most punters from Anglo cities will have places they don't want to go to in their own home town. Even if you do go out, an atmosphere will often develop before things kick off. Common sense will tell you to get out of there. It's good to hear that the trouble is in bars or outside bars because it's far better than things kicking off inside lodges with other guests trying to relax or get some sleep. That would really ruin it for other people.

 

I suppose the other one is that Japanese lodge owners etc. in the general area need be warned. For starters, its standard practice for people to leave the keys in their car, bus, bulldozer, snowblower etc. If there are p!ssed young uns wandering around at night, you can't do that any more.

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Originally Posted By: Mr Wiggles
I suppose the other one is that Japanese lodge owners etc. in the general area need be warned. For starters, its standard practice for people to leave the keys in their car, bus, bulldozer, snowblower etc. If there are p!ssed young uns wandering around at night, you can't do that any more.


They must be so pleased.
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It's not like many of them haven't benifited financially though. And remember it's only for about 3 months of the whole year. For 9 months it's a pretty quiet little village.

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Originally Posted By: JA

Not quite sure what you're saying here. Tonight, I am somewhat affected by alcohol (as most evenings, as it happens, by this time.) I have had a beer after work, a glass of wine with dinner, and an after dinner drink. I do not believe I'm "pissed" by any stretch of the imagination.

To me, pissed is when you lose control of your body (and consequently your brain).


I don't really want to go on about this, but I will. You may not be "pissed" by your definition, but statistical evidence suggests that you are more likely to be violent. So perhaps you need to stretch your imagination a little. I think most Australians struggle to do this when questioning whether the society has major issues with alcohol consumption. Yes, even little bits. I like a drink as much as anyone, but I know what I am doing when I have a drink. I am taking a drug which will effect my judgement, this has been scientifically proven. That is why we are not allowed to drive our cars after only TWO drinks.

Here is a study on alcohol and violence, http://marininstitute.org/alcohol_policy/violence.htm
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Fewer punters means more closed lifts like at Kandatsu. Struggling along with a bit of foreign assistance is still much better than entering the death spiral of fewer people->cut costs->worse experience->fewer people->cut costs->worse experience->....

 

Even people with no foreign customers whatsoever benefit. Aside from the number of lifts running there are more restaurants, more rental options, more shops in town, fewer uncared-for buildings showing the place up, etc. The same lodge owners will already lock their front door at night. Locking your snowblower just in case is a very small price to pay.

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Thats all very lovely.

 

But the reality is rather more complex than that with a growing amount of resentment from Japanese lodge owners and increasing frictions. A fair few of the gaijin dudes running legit and/or shady businesses won't even realise that, or simply ignore it, so wrapped up as they are in their own battles against each other, but it is cetainly there and quickly increasing.

 

I don't know how Niseko was back 5-10 years ago whatever when it was perhaps going through this kind of situation, or even if it is similar, but I know that as a place I don't like this place as much as I used to. There's a real sense of bad feeling lingering in the air.

 

With growth comes stuff like this, though I don't see why it needs to be so pronounced and bitter. $$$ I suppose.

 

Of course hopefully tourist visitors to the place won't notice that which is good.

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to answer- I wear a hat that says Niseko Patrol and the same brown fur collared jacket- after two years its fairly recognized.

 

I think local in Japan and Niseko especially is more about a sense of ownership.

I have lived here ten years, paid taxes throughout, raised a family and invested a fair bit of myself and my energy into making Niseko a cool place to live. For those of us with interracial kids , it really is a great place to raise them and we would like to see it continue.

 

It gets tiring for us when trying to do things the @this is Japan attitude still persists- I was in Niseko 10 yeaqrs ago and can honestly say without the boom, this area would be as dead in the water as Yubari -the bankrupt Hokkaido town on the other side of Sapporo- yet it gets frustrating that we still feel like interlopers- not from all, but enough times to notice.

 

Hell, taxation without representation is what started the American revolution. I would love to see a more autonomus Niseko/Hirafu able to manifest its own destiny.

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I still do - I have one in Tokyo in March. run a little gym here in Niseko too- its small but the few that come love it- wish I had 1000 yen for ever person that told me they were coming tho...

 

MMA is awesome. I was a wrestler since I was a kid and really when I was fighting before- it was in the Tank Abbott /bar basement days. Now days its technical and you need to really commit to learning all aspects- boxing wrestling juj jitsu muay thai- the works.

 

great workout- great fun and despite what everyone thinks a very safe sport.

 

I can also say I have trained with some of the big names in the sport - GSP, Rashard Evans, Nate Marquadt, Mark Bocek, Dan Henderson, Ryuta Sakurai - and all of them are super nice, super mellow people. Class acts every one of them- try saying that about the top 10 guys in any other pro sport.

 

Was out of it for a while, but its with me for life now.

 

ps - if anyone knows who is calling me a thug and bully who should be in jail in the stab mag comments- I would LOVE to sit and have a chat with them...

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With some people, there is lingering resentment about people choosing to ride on snow on one plank instead of two. Some folk will never accept change. You can't let them set the agenda.

 

The biggest fault line in Hakuba though is between Hakuba locals and non-local Japanese ("yosomono"). It's been that way for years. It dominates local politics. Hakuba had and still has lots and lots of problems of its own.

 

That said, I don't like what you mention and you're right to point it out. I just think people go overboard on "gaijins are ruining the place" type generalisations and mentions of the "atmosphere" without identifying what the specific problems are.

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Quote:
Some folk will never accept change. You can't let them set the agenda.


Not suggesting otherwise. Doesn't distract from the problems though.

Heres a few for starters.

Running businesses that are not licensed (health & safety etc); not paying taxes; not joining in the community activities or organisations that they are expected to and kicking up a fuss about it; bad-mouthing local businesses in order to gain themselves.
Basically doing things for themselves without any respect at all for the local community.

The list goes on, but it is difficult to go into more detail without naming names etc. It's not everyone of course, far fom it but it's certainly there and getting more prominent.

I can understand why people do not want dirty laundry to come out and be public as it is damaging to their business and the overall image of the place. (Funny how some of same people might find it fun and just fine to dis and emphasise problems in other places, places where they are not).
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There's been similar issues in Niseko before any foreign presence. Many of the lodge owners up here are originally from Tokyo and have been treated with similar resentment over the years as us relative newcomers. In small towns such attitudes are unavoidable and as Mr Wiggles points out you can't let those attitudes set the agenda.

Some locals resent what has happened here whilst many more have welcomed the influx of paying customers in a village that was basically dying. When real estate prices went through the roof here many sold out with some relief as they were finally able to sell without making huge losses against the prices they'd bought back in the bubble years.

 

In response to the above. Some of that may have gone on in the very early days but I'd say very little going on now. If you want to talk about health & safety though it was quite a grey area here for awhile. Many developments were given approval by the Yakuba to go ahead and then a year or so later the fire department decided they didn't come up to code. Many owners had to pay very large amounts of money to get things up to scratch. At the time it seemed that many of the new developments were having to meet standards that were not to be found in existing accommodations already here.

 

I should also add that the formation of the Niseko Promotion Board (although not perfect) has created a forum in which all interest groups can participate in forming a common vision for the future here. It's a step in the right direction.

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Originally Posted By: Go Native
It's a step in the right direction.

I reckon that is all you can ask for!
If this year is better than last, and next year planned to improve yet again - then you are making progress. Change doesn't happen over night.

I get it here in my little piece of suburbia. I have lived here for 7 years - my kids have been at the local private school for just as long. Yet there are STILL those whose parents lived here, and went to those schools themselves who look through their noses at me in my gym gear and trainers (as opposed to their Gucci and Manolo Blaneks) and object to me having an opinion about council activities here. Small town attitudes. Gotta love it.
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Originally Posted By: gurgle


Aussie surfers are GENERALLY speaking, pretty narrow minded and quite racist.

What experiences are you basing this statement on? Did you spend some time in Cronulla or something?
I've been part of the surfing community for nearly 40 years in Australia, that's surf clubs, board riders clubs ect. and I've never heard such rubbish. Most surfers I've encountered are GENERALLY open minded and well travelled. Guys like Indo and myself married foreign women through our surf wanderings, so have some of my mates. True, the sport is dominated by mainly anglo Australians, not really sure why that is, but I fail to see how that translates to racist. There are some red necks in the surfing community but don't tar us all with the same brush.
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Originally Posted By: Mantas
Originally Posted By: gurgle


Aussie surfers are GENERALLY speaking, pretty narrow minded and quite racist.

What experiences are you basing this statement on? Did you spend some time in Cronulla or something?
I've been part of the surfing community for nearly 40 years in Australia, that's surf clubs, board riders clubs ect. and I've never heard such rubbish. Most surfers I've encountered are GENERALLY open minded and well travelled. Guys like Indo and myself married foreign women through our surf wanderings, so have a lot of my mates. Sure there are some red necks in the surfing community but don't tar us all with the same brush.


Mantas - I thought that statement would ruffle some feathers, but I have to stand by it and yes, as you suspect, it was Cronulla that pushed me over the edge. I grew up on the Northern beaches of Sydney, Long Reef to be exact. I have been a surfer all my life. Like you guys I also have a foreign wife and I hope to go back and settle in the same area, but when I see things like the Cronulla riots in the news, I can only (sadly) think that nothing much has REALLY changed back there since my childhood. Yes, there are plenty of open minded surfers and many are well travelled, but I still think most are white, narrow minded, eggheads who don't like foreigners or things foreign and are secretly happy with what went on in Cronulla.

When I was younger surfers and clubies used to fight all the time. It didn't turn into national news or a riot though, I supect because it wasn't racially or culturally motivated.

I honestly hope you are right and I am wrong on this one, but it's going to be hard to convince me. Do you really think Crounlla would have boiled over to the extent that it did if the red-necks were just a small percentage ? That was seriously out of control and I think a strong reflection of real attitudes in Australia towards "outsiders".
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Mate I cant believe your using Cronulla and Australia in the same sentence as if they are one and the same.

What about the 99% of surfers that don't live anywhere near Cronulla?

I hope your not a typical Sydneyite that thinks that the world begins and ends in Sydney.

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I had lived in Avalon in the latter half of '80s . Surfing was a different culture then. Drop out, take it easy, meditation with the wave which there are no two the same. We went out to just have fun, meet up with friends, bit of a friendly chat with the locals. There were local rules to be observed and gradually the locals will invite you out to the point breaks. That was a ritual in a way. Although, places like Narrabeen was different. Always territorial there and very competitive, probably that environment produced world champions like Barton and Damian. Being involved with Aloha surfboards in a big way, I was part of that industry and partially responsible to get surfing into a competitive professional sports where the surfers now can make a living out of it and be like ambassadors, travel the world and learn ... A vision Greg had for the young "bums" - people called surfies that then.

I'm not sure If I really like the change. I don't surf anymore. It's hectic.

The racist attitude I see really comes from the younger generation. It's comes from a cultural difference combined with gang attitude. I do not blame the anglo Aussies in Cronulla for what had happened. It had it coming. I had been to Cronulla in the past working as an interpreter to train up Japanese lifesavers at SLSA , so I know what it was like there in the old days. The change there is that a lot of Anglos and Middle Eastern goes there to fight and mug each other. They come all the way from West Sydney.

Even in the northern beaches, I've seen shit like some 17 yo copping a beating from a 11 yo Lebanise. He knows if he punches back, out come the mobile phone and car loads full of his relatives will come. In fact, Middle Eastern and Vietnam gangs in cars venture out to pick fights.

If anyone tells me Australia is a harmonious multinational country and these are isolated incidents, I'm gonna puke. I was really surprised to see how the younger generation have changed when I went back to Uni in '98 . It's violent out there. Now they have guns and won't pick a fight on their own. (Bit like Army dudes and Bikiies, one picks a fight and the whole lot comes in), Am I being racist when I say the ones that have guns are vietnams and middle eastern?

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Oh, yeah, gangs of Fijian pickpockets in the inner suburbs. Car loads of Tongans grabbing grog from the bottle shop and bolting ...

Why do we all get the impression it's the island/middle eastern/vietnam as criminal elements.

back on topic, anything the outsiders do, is going to influence the status quo.

The reaction can seem to be in the likes of narrow mindedness and racism. In general...

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Originally Posted By: best skier in hakuba
Quote:
Some folk will never accept change. You can't let them set the agenda.


Not suggesting otherwise. Doesn't distract from the problems though.

Heres a few for starters.

Running businesses that are not licensed (health & safety etc); not paying taxes; not joining in the community activities or organisations that they are expected to and kicking up a fuss about it; bad-mouthing local businesses in order to gain themselves.
Basically doing things for themselves without any respect at all for the local community.

The list goes on, but it is difficult to go into more detail without naming names etc. It's not everyone of course, far fom it but it's certainly there and getting more prominent.

I can understand why people do not want dirty laundry to come out and be public as it is damaging to their business and the overall image of the place. (Funny how some of same people might find it fun and just fine to dis and emphasise problems in other places, places where they are not).

I think you are just hanging out with the wrong people. Step aside from the local bickering and your perspective will change back. I don't discuss my business with anyone yet many people pretend to know what I do here. Everybody should be licensed and I like the fact that the hokenjo and shobosho do spot checks. I hope they pursue all of those who are not licecned and enforce the law. We have spent a lot of money to be complient and I suppose I should worry about what others are doing however I don't as I concentrate on what I am doing.
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Originally Posted By: MitchPee
I find it very sad that people who take a good upkeep of their body (I'm assuming you do and fairly certain that is correct) are sometimes given these diseases that others whom engage in heavy drinking will never see until they die at 95.

Seems like a rather anti-alcoholics statement. You think we deserve to die?
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Originally Posted By: Jynxx
I had lived in Avalon in the latter half of '80s . Surfing was a different culture then. Drop out, take it easy, meditation with the wave which there are no two the same. We went out to just have fun, meet up with friends, bit of a friendly chat with the locals. There were local rules to be observed and gradually the locals will invite you out to the point breaks. That was a ritual in a way. Although, places like Narrabeen was different. Always territorial there and very competitive, probably that environment produced world champions like Barton and Damian. Being involved with Aloha surfboards in a big way, I was part of that industry and partially responsible to get surfing into a competitive professional sports where the surfers now can make a living out of it and be like ambassadors, travel the world and learn ... A vision Greg had for the young "bums" - people called surfies that then.
I'm not sure If I really like the change. I don't surf anymore. It's hectic.
The racist attitude I see really comes from the younger generation. It's comes from a cultural difference combined with gang attitude. I do not blame the anglo Aussies in Cronulla for what had happened. It had it coming. I had been to Cronulla in the past working as an interpreter to train up Japanese lifesavers at SLSA , so I know what it was like there in the old days. The change there is that a lot of Anglos and Middle Eastern goes there to fight and mug each other. They come all the way from West Sydney.
Even in the northern beaches, I've seen shit like some 17 yo copping a beating from a 11 yo Lebanise. He knows if he punches back, out come the mobile phone and car loads full of his relatives will come. In fact, Middle Eastern and Vietnam gangs in cars venture out to pick fights.
If anyone tells me Australia is a harmonious multinational country and these are isolated incidents, I'm gonna puke. I was really surprised to see how the younger generation have changed when I went back to Uni in '98 . It's violent out there. Now they have guns and won't pick a fight on their own. (Bit like Army dudes and Bikiies, one picks a fight and the whole lot comes in), Am I being racist when I say the ones that have guns are vietnams and middle eastern?

Isolated? yeah isolated to Sydney.
Sydney isn't Australia. You and Gurgle talk about your experiences of racism without mentioning the other 17 million people not in Sydney. I grew up in Newcastle, Australias 6th largest city and never seen anything like that. Ask Spook if it's like that over west?
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Who said Sydney is Australia? I say that myself to others Sydney isn't Australia but it means shit. I don't take that Sydney crap anywhere, or Melborne suburb attitude elsewhere or have that Western Australia we are the biggest state crap. On the other hand when you come from the big smoke, you get attitude from country towns.

But that's not the point. It's like comparing Ashland Kentucky and LA central and one would say to the other, I've never seen anything like that.

If we are talking about surfing, if not racist, surfers are highly territorial and competitive, certainly I have that impression about W.A coming from the eastern states. And territorial is what I see that leads to violence, and add that with some big ethnic societies, you get Sydney.

Putting a little bit of ethnic flavor here and there with a established WASP community is a different story. One big happy family, no problem.

I don't call that multicultural. Maybe token-cultural. You came to live with us and you fit in very well, goodonyamate. Those times are gone in the big city, and you are lucky if you live in paradise.

I did for sure for a while.

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Maybe you guys are associating with the wrong surfers.

My brother has been riding waves off the Perth coast (and elsewhere) for nigh on 30 years and he has never once seen or been involved in agro or racial intolerance.

He is the most laid back man I know, and certainly not racist or territorial.

Not saying those guys don't exist -but like drunken hooligans at ski resorts - they are the vocal minority.

 

Tripler... doh

No...of course he is not saying alcoholics deserve to die.

It is just very sad when people who have lived healthfully die of diseases prematurely, and seems unfair to them when there are plenty who live extremely unhealthfully and managed to live to a ripe old age without encountering any of the diseases that commonly are associated with their choice of excess.

 

Case in point a girl I knew from high school died last year at 40 from lung cancer, she was 'special', a little slow, and had an awfully hard life with kids making fun of her, but she had a heart of gold and never ever smoked. It seemed unfair to me that she endured so much and was taken so young, and yet still always had a smile on her face.

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