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It seems that one of the biggest operators in Madarao is under control of lawyers and will be bankrupt soon. They own the Sympathigue hotel and small ski-jo close to the main one at Madarao as well as about 4 other hotels and lots of facilities in Madarao. It's unclear as to what might be salvaged from all of that, but word on the street is to expect most of that lot to close down.

 

This is not secret any more as it was on the local news.

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Yes, the news about Urasa is true.... we heard about that yesterday and it has been on the local news today.

 

For those who don't know, Urasa is a very small resort in Minamiuonuma, to the north of Yuzawa...in the past famous for their famous ski school.

 

In the 70's, some 150,000-160,000 skiers in a season, but last season less than 10,000 people went.

 

Officially they are going into 休止 mode.

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Originally Posted By: iiyamadude
It seems that one of the biggest operators in Madarao is under control of lawyers and will be bankrupt soon. They own the Sympathigue hotel and small ski-jo close to the main one at Madarao as well as about 4 other hotels and lots of facilities in Madarao. It's unclear as to what might be salvaged from all of that, but word on the street is to expect most of that lot to close down.

This is not secret any more as it was on the local news.


Sad news indeed. iiyamadude for the past tree years I have looked over to Madarao from Nozawa, Shiga & Myoko and have decided to stay there next Feb. I have heard there is a bus from Nagano station. Do you know how often it runs or if there is a timetable on-line (even if it is previous season). While I am picking your brain can you tell me how to pronounce Madarao? Is it 'mad are rayo'?

Appreciate your input
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It´s the old Toyoda resort is it? There were a few village owned ski resorts in Madarao, and they cooked the books (trying to hide losses) and Simpatekku bought it up. I heard something like that a while back. So, that´s bust again...

 

 

btw,

I wonder if they will close the Urasa (railway) station, too ...

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The Sympathigue people bought the small Toyoda skijo a few years ago, yes.

It's round the corner from the main Madarao Kogen resort on the Iiyama side.

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Originally Posted By: Jynxx
I wonder if they will close the Urasa (railway) station, too ...


You mean the Urasa Shinkansen Station?
Why would they do that? It as hardly there because of Urasa skijo!
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Well, like you know, I´m just an old timer who doesn´t and hasn´t been living in Japan, as to know the scene.

 

I have no idea why there´s a Shink station in Urasa. Would there be any other reason than the famous Urasa resort?

For those who don´t know, Urasa is famous for:

"The most hardcore ski school in Japan" and

"The shitty snow that they advertise for - If you can ski well with us, you should have no problems elsewhere"

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I don't know exactly why there is a shinkansen station in Urasa. The main story I heard is that Urasa beat the more likely Muikamachi (too close to Yuzawa?) or Koide (needs too much of a turn?) because that Tanaka politician, who has a statue of himself outside the station, is from Urasa and he wanted one there. The massive station is certainly out of place in the very small Yamato town area, now part of 'Uonuma city' of course.

 

But it certainly was not built because of the tiny Urasa skijo that has recently been attracting about 10,000 mostly local skiers each season. I know that for sure.

 

dsc01802.jpg

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Ah.

Tanaka Kakuei

I forgot about him. Station created by politician for his home town.

Funny thing is, Tokku (special express) or Kyuko (express) trains don´t even regularly stop there. Like 1 in 14 stop there.

I haven´t got off Urasa in donkey´s years, but I bet there´s not much there even after the bubble in the old days. Example, small street with shops and a shrine and it´s bush and mountain at the end of the main stretch...

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A quick look at the timetable shows me that usually 18 Shinkansens stop at Urasa on the way to Tokyo and 17 on the way to Niigata each day.

 

I'd say that represented more like 1 in 3 shinkansens running on the Joetsu Shinkansen line, perhaps as little as 1 in 4.

 

Definitely nowhere near as little as 1 in 14 though.

Lets not exaggerating!

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Had a look at the time table.

Geez, things have improved.

Sure did looked bad when only 1 in 14 Toki special express and 1 in 4 Sado express stopped even it is a Shink station.

wink

 

Now the Shinks are called Toki (max) !

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I don't know how far back you are claiming to go back, but the timetable has been pretty much the same for at least 15 years, very probably more.

 

I know it opened in 1982 (the Shinkansen bit).

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Sad to hear that.

Urasa, while very snow and not the best snow, has a long history and well known.

It could not survive with such tiny numbers though - 150,000 to 10,000. That's just about 7% of what it used to be!

Shocking.

Makes you wonder who all those people were going there back then.

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Unfortunately I didn't get any specific names Metabo, I think they were being 'respectful' or something. But not major places that would cause a shock or anything from what they said. I'll try to dig further.

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