best skier in hakuba 5 Posted August 4, 2011 Share Posted August 4, 2011 Originally Posted By: smostyn Hi guys and gals, My wife and I went to Hakuba in January and loved it. Our Japan experience has really changed us, even now; all we seem to talk about is Japan. We are keen to go back again next year and for the most part I am quite comfortable about it. From all that I have read here are on the net else ware, we should be relatively safe by visiting Osaka for a few days, then to Tokyo for a day or two then up to Hakuba for a week or so skiing. By safe, I mean that we shouldn’t be close to the main area of contamination. My wife has brought up the question on food. All of the places we would eat will cook using fresh ingredients so we are asking is it safe to eat? I am the last one to run scared of the media hype and we really want to support the tourism industry for Japan. But not at the risk of our own health. Can any of you locals please share your thoughts on this? Thanks for your input. I appreciate it. Really you are the last one to run scared of the media hype? Well, I don't think people are keen on buying things from Fukushima, but people are eating as they normally would. I know people who are being more careful about where they buy from and noticing labels. I'm eating and shopping as normal. Link to post Share on other sites
surfarthur 22 Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 Mamabear, you can have the Quantas flight from Perth for the same price - they throw in a free flight to the east coast, so it will take a bit longer! Link to post Share on other sites
HelperElfMissy 42 Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 Originally Posted By: surfarthur Mamabear, you can have the Quantas flight from Perth for the same price - they throw in a free flight to the east coast, so it will take a bit longer! Well..I'll be! I have never had my flight up to Sapporo included. I must be putting my faith in the extortionists I will most definitely be looking around next time I need to book. HOPEFULLY that wont be too far away. Young 'un is trying to get work at the moment - and Niseko would be his first preference. Link to post Share on other sites
Metabo Oyaji 71 Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 Originally Posted By: smostyn My wife has brought up the question on food. All of the places we would eat will cook using fresh ingredients so we are asking is it safe to eat? What do you mean by fresh? Locally grown? Hakuba is outside of any contaminated area. Quote: I am the last one to run scared of the media hype and we really want to support the tourism industry for Japan. But not at the risk of our own health. Can any of you locals please share your thoughts on this? There is a lot of food testing going on, though of course there are not enough monitoring instruments to test everything, so sampling has to be used. For what it's worth, I don't worry about what we buy and eat. But you and your wife are going to have to decide what you are comfortable with. Link to post Share on other sites
seemore 66 Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 MB Yes thats right if we stopped in Tokyo for a stopover then it would cost extra to go to Saporo. But if we fly straight through the price is the same. Thats why we were always missing the connection as it can get pretty tight. Seemore Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 I don't worry either, here in Niigata. My lady does most of our shopping, and she likely looks where something is coming from, but nothing really more than that. Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 I don't worry either, as far as I know, the nutritious food at McDonalds is radiation free........better have 2 big macs Link to post Share on other sites
yoroshiku onegai shimasu 2 Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 Sounds like you deserve a good rest ILoveZao. And don't forget the pics and updates next season. Link to post Share on other sites
HelperElfMissy 42 Posted August 8, 2011 Share Posted August 8, 2011 Was interested that conversation turned once again to booking trips in Japan this week. Previously the indications were that people were going elsewhere or thinking of not going at all in the aftermath. But this week a family of 5 who has returned to Niseko multiple times indicated an intention to book again this year for 2-3 weeks in January. And #1 son said that he and his mates are all planning a February trip. This was about the same time last year that firm plans started to be made. Will be interesting to see if the booking start picking up in the coming months. Link to post Share on other sites
SKI 15 Posted August 8, 2011 Share Posted August 8, 2011 I think it will. Reckon bookings will come decent come the last quarter. Lets hope so anyway, and for no bad news and some brighter news as well. Link to post Share on other sites
Fonty 1 Posted August 8, 2011 Share Posted August 8, 2011 Originally Posted By: surfarthur Mamabear, you can have the Quantas flight from Perth for the same price - they throw in a free flight to the east coast, so it will take a bit longer! Is this through a travel agency Seemore? As I am looking to book my flights at the moment but you can't book all the way through to Sapporo on the Qantas site. Thanks Link to post Share on other sites
acpowman 0 Posted August 9, 2011 Share Posted August 9, 2011 Originally Posted By: Fonty Originally Posted By: surfarthur Mamabear, you can have the Quantas flight from Perth for the same price - they throw in a free flight to the east coast, so it will take a bit longer! Is this through a travel agency Seemore? As I am looking to book my flights at the moment but you can't book all the way through to Sapporo on the Qantas site. Thanks Yep package airfare through an agent, can't be done online with Qantas. Generally needs to be purchased with some form of land content, hence package airfare. Link to post Share on other sites
Fonty 1 Posted August 9, 2011 Share Posted August 9, 2011 Originally Posted By: acpowman Originally Posted By: Fonty Originally Posted By: surfarthur Mamabear, you can have the Quantas flight from Perth for the same price - they throw in a free flight to the east coast, so it will take a bit longer! Is this through a travel agency Seemore? As I am looking to book my flights at the moment but you can't book all the way through to Sapporo on the Qantas site. Thanks Yep package airfare through an agent, can't be done online with Qantas. Generally needs to be purchased with some form of land content, hence package airfare. Excellent thanks for that acpowman. Such a bummer they cancelled those direct flights from Perth to Tokyo. Link to post Share on other sites
seemore 66 Posted August 9, 2011 Share Posted August 9, 2011 Hi Fonty Sorry mate been under the pump. You can get it if you ring Quantas direct or go into the city office (Be careful of the grey ghosts)(cost me a $100 last time). Or through your friendly travel agent. Seemore Link to post Share on other sites
Fonty 1 Posted August 9, 2011 Share Posted August 9, 2011 Thanks Seemore.........scuse the ignorance but what is a grey ghost???? Link to post Share on other sites
seemore 66 Posted August 9, 2011 Share Posted August 9, 2011 Grey Ghost (Parking inspector) I think the name comes from there ability to appear ghost like from anywhere. Instead of getting our tickets over the phone and paying a booking fee I went to the city office to save money and parked in the wrong spot. Seemore Link to post Share on other sites
Fonty 1 Posted August 10, 2011 Share Posted August 10, 2011 Oh dear....... Link to post Share on other sites
lin 0 Posted August 17, 2011 Share Posted August 17, 2011 Still a fair bit of caution in the group of people I know. True picture only in November/December I think. Link to post Share on other sites
sand 17 Posted August 17, 2011 Share Posted August 17, 2011 I am also additionally worried for the industry as it looks like we are heading into global recession number 2. Not good at all! Edit: however I do like what Eric Roner said in the film Re:session: "It does seem like the people that don’t have a lot, you know if your mountain culture, are least effected by a world of recession. You know, it’s “How am I gonna eat, sleep, and go ride.†No matter how every thing’s going, as long as that’s there, that’s what they’re going to do." Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 And good for them! However. It's the high paying families rather than the cheapo bums that the businesses want. Link to post Share on other sites
sand 17 Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 Originally Posted By: muikabochi And good for them! However. It's the high paying families rather than the cheapo bums that the businesses want. and it's the money spent by those same families that help keep the businesses economically viable. Link to post Share on other sites
seemore 66 Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 I have just had some quotes from an agent and the accomodation cost is still the killer for us. I hate to say it but maybe they should be more realistic in their pricing and more people would come. Seemore Link to post Share on other sites
Metabo Oyaji 71 Posted August 19, 2011 Share Posted August 19, 2011 Originally Posted By: seemore I have just had some quotes from an agent and the accomodation cost is still the killer for us. What are they charging for accomadation? Might have better luck booking that straight through this site... Was hearing on NHK radio news this evening that foreign visitation is down 40% or more this summer in Japan as a whole. Don't suppose that will suddenly turn around this winter, so some good deals might still be had. Link to post Share on other sites
best skier in hakuba 5 Posted August 19, 2011 Share Posted August 19, 2011 7月ã«æ—¥æœ¬ã‚’訪れãŸå¤–国人旅行者数(推計値)ã¯ï¼•ï¼–万17ï¼ï¼äººã§å‰å¹´åŒæœˆã‚ˆã‚Šï¼“6・1%減ã¨ãªã‚Šã€ï¼•ã‹æœˆé€£ç¶šã§å‰å¹´åŒæœˆã‚’下回ã£ãŸã€‚  減少率ã¯ã€æ±æ—¥æœ¬å¤§éœ‡ç½å¾Œã®ï¼”月ã«éŽåŽ»æœ€å¤§ã®ï¼–2・5%減ã¨ãªã£ã¦ä»¥é™ã€ï¼–月(36・ï¼ï¼…減)ã¾ã§æ”¹å–„ã—ã¦ãã¦ã„ãŸãŒã€ï¼—月ã¯è¶³è¸ã¿çŠ¶æ…‹ã¨ãªã£ãŸã€‚  独立行政法人・日本政府観光局ãŒï¼‘8日発表ã—ãŸã€‚å¤ã®è¦³å…‰ã‚·ãƒ¼ã‚ºãƒ³ã‚’è¿ŽãˆãŸã‚‚ã®ã®ã€éœ‡ç½ã‚„æ±äº¬é›»åŠ›ç¦å³¶ç¬¬ä¸€åŽŸå力発電所ã®äº‹æ•…ã®å½±éŸ¿ã€ã•ã‚‰ã«å¤–å›½ç‚ºæ›¿å¸‚å ´ã§æ€¥æ¿€ãªå††é«˜ãŒé€²ã‚“ã ã“ã¨ãŒè¶³ã‹ã›ã¨ãªã£ãŸã€‚  7月ã¨ã—ã¦ã¯ã€æ–°åž‹è‚ºç‚Žï¼ˆé‡ç—‡æ€¥æ€§å‘¼å¸å™¨ç—‡å€™ç¾¤ï¼ï¼³ï¼¡ï¼²ï¼³ï¼‰æµè¡Œã®å½±éŸ¿ã‚’å—ã‘ãŸï¼’ï¼ï¼ï¼“年7月(51万5692人)以æ¥ã®ä½Žæ°´æº–ã¨ãªã£ãŸã€‚国・地域別ã®æ¸›å°‘率ã¯ã€ä¸å›½ï¼”7・2%ã€é¦™æ¸¯ï¼”1・2%ã€éŸ“国4ï¼ãƒ»ï¼—ï¼…ã€ç±³å›½ï¼’3・4%ãªã©ã ã£ãŸã€‚観光局ã¯ã€ŒåŽŸç™ºã®å½±éŸ¿ãŒå°¾ã‚’引ãã€å††ç›¸å ´ã‚‚高æ¢ã¾ã‚Šã—ã¦ã„ã‚‹ãŸã‚急速ãªæ”¹å–„ã¯è¦‹è¾¼ã¿ã¥ã‚‰ã„ã€ã¨è¦‹ã¦ã„る。 China - down 47.2% Hong Kong - down 41.2% Korea - down 40.7% USA - down 23.4% Link to post Share on other sites
Go Native 70 Posted August 19, 2011 Share Posted August 19, 2011 Originally Posted By: seemore I have just had some quotes from an agent and the accomodation cost is still the killer for us. I hate to say it but maybe they should be more realistic in their pricing and more people would come. Seemore You need to broaden your horizons on accomm options Seemore. If you want to stay in places like The Vale it's gonna cost you. If you are prepared to stay in say a pension you'll find the costs are pretty damned cheap in comparison. Link to post Share on other sites
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