dasmoove 0 Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 My friend and I are going to Japan in early March for about 9 days for the first time. Plan is 3 days in Tokyo, then we head for the mountains for about 4 days on the snow. I've narrowed it down to Hakuba or Niseko. I know this topic has been discussed before, but still for the life of me cannot choose between the two. Part of my worry is that Japan snowfall/powder may not be that great in early March, and I wonder if we should either throw all our chips on a Niseko powder bet or hedge our bets with Hakuba, where at least there will be steeper runs and other attractions like a more Japanese culture or a day trip to see the snow monkeys. Some advice, please, based on the following: - we're advanced snowboarders (20+ years experience each), we love powder and natural hits / rock drops / cliffs - perfectly comfortable riding out of bounds or in trees if that's what it takes, but getting old so the less hiking the better - while we are definitely going to ride as our first priority, we'd also really like to see some Japanese culture, and I admit I'm curious about the snow monkeys - time is the big constraint, not budget - Aussies don't bother us one way or the other - not flexible on the timing or on the length of trip, or the time spent in Tokyo -- we have business meetings there Any advice much appreciated! Link to post Share on other sites
RobBright 35 Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 See here fore more discussion: http://www.snowjapanforums.com/index.php/topic/21042-hokkaido-or-nagano-for-late-march/ Link to post Share on other sites
yamabushi 3 Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 There is one thing I can tell you for sure; it is too early to tell. There is always the posibility that it will stay cold well into March, but it is unlikely. My educated guess is that conditions in Niseko will stay fresh for a bit longer than in Hakuba. If it was me, I would research both and wait until the last moment to decide which one to go to. Link to post Share on other sites
panhead_pete 27 Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 If you want the snow monkeys its realistically a day trip if in the Nagano region. Not sure if they are in Hokkaido. There is NO reason to book early so Id be leaving to the last minute. There may be NO pow in either place or waist deep in both. Its been an epic start in Hokkaido and what is looking like a late one from the conditions Im seeing in Hakuba. Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 the monkeys don't live on Hokkaido Link to post Share on other sites
Saitaman 1 Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 Well there surely are monkeys. But THE monkeys live in Jigokudani, Yamanouchi, base of Shiga Kogen area. Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 They only live on the lower 3 main islands of Japan, the northernmost population is in aomori apparently but no native populations in Hokkaido Link to post Share on other sites
Bradley 0 Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 Perhaps there's a particularly gnarly bunch of monkeys that head up north for the powder. Link to post Share on other sites
hellyer 216 Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 Welcome to the forums dasmove. What has been said above is good advice but I am a little intreaged by your seemingly out of place statement - "Aussies don't bother us one way or the other" What's that all about? Link to post Share on other sites
nagoid 4 Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 I've narrowed it down to Hakuba or Niseko. Any particular reason for that? Link to post Share on other sites
panhead_pete 27 Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 the monkeys don't live on Hokkaido Haven't been to Wild Bills late at night??? :) Another thing to remember is travel time. if only 4 days you'll lose 2 going back and forth to Hokkaido although you'll get night skiing in at Hirafu. Link to post Share on other sites
RobBright 35 Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 Woohoo, night skiing, aka sliding on ice unless it has been snowing throughout the day. Just wait as long as you can before booking and check the dailt reports. Re: monekys, best bet would be nagano. Link to post Share on other sites
dasmoove 0 Posted December 30, 2011 Author Share Posted December 30, 2011 Thanks, guys! I will wait and see how conditions evolve to make a decision. How long can I wait to choose if I'm arriving Tokyo around March 2? My worries would be (a) accommodation availability and ( flight availability to Chitose (if I chose Niseko). @nagoid - Niseko for obvious reasons (pow potential). Hakuba, because Happo One is supposedly one of the best resorts in Japan, and apparently Cortina can be great too. But I'd consider other areas (Shiga Kogen? Nozawa Onsen?) if you think they fit my goals well... any suggestions? @panheadpete - the 2 internal travel days are already accounted for, so I would actually have 4 days on the snow @snowjunky - I mention that b/c a bunch of websites say things like "young loud Aussies have invaded Niseko, so if you don't like that avoid Niseko"... but that doesn't affect me. Link to post Share on other sites
hellyer 216 Posted December 31, 2011 Share Posted December 31, 2011 Fair enough dasmove - I am an Aussie and I don't like young loud Aussies, home or away. unless they are buying me a beer Link to post Share on other sites
Saitaman 1 Posted December 31, 2011 Share Posted December 31, 2011 If noisy gaijin are something you want to avoid, the list of places to try out is huge. Even in a place like Yuzawa, you can spend a day and hardly see a gaijin out there. There is so much more to Japan than Niseko and Hakuba and the other few big names, it's almost funny. Link to post Share on other sites
panhead_pete 27 Posted December 31, 2011 Share Posted December 31, 2011 Rusutsu if it has snowed will be permanently on my to do list. Its on the bus route from the airport too. Last bus leaves the airport at 930pm. You should be able to work in Tokyo and get a flight that connects to that. Last bus out is 440pm from the visitors centre I think - you can ride most of the day then be in Sapporo that night. Getting accommodation should be a breeze this year too. Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted December 31, 2011 Share Posted December 31, 2011 This is so true Saitaman. I went to Joetsu Kokusai the other day and in the 3 hours I was there, I can't recall seeing one other gaijin there. Same for Kandatsu when I was there. Link to post Share on other sites
Slippery Jim 65 Posted December 31, 2011 Share Posted December 31, 2011 The part I don't get (aside from the silliness about travel times) is the monkeys. They're monkeys. You can see monkeys in any zoo on a nice summer day. Anyone who wastes skiing/boarding time to look at monkeys deserves to be stripped of their equipment, branded with a very large ばか on the forehead, tied naked to the highest available lift pole and left there as an example of monumental failure. Link to post Share on other sites
grungy-gonads 54 Posted December 31, 2011 Share Posted December 31, 2011 Yeah, anyone who doesn't have the same opinions as me, or wants to do stuff I don't want to do is a right moron! Link to post Share on other sites
Slippery Jim 65 Posted December 31, 2011 Share Posted December 31, 2011 You've got that right! Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted December 31, 2011 Share Posted December 31, 2011 The monkeys are a unique experience and I highly recommend it to anyone going to the area... It's nothing like going to see some monkeys at a zoo on a fine summer day. Link to post Share on other sites
Slippery Jim 65 Posted December 31, 2011 Share Posted December 31, 2011 They're monkeys. They're filthy, nasty & aggressive. Descending into the Tokyo sewers to watch rats would also be a unique experience. These particular simians are smart enough to take advantage of a pool of hot water when it's cold enough to freeze the brass off a bald monkey -- that's hardly a level of mental dexterity deserving of wonderment from anyone with a double-digit IQ, even sheep will huddle for warmth in winter. Ski season and available time are both short enough as it is, wasting any of it on monkeys is criminal. Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted December 31, 2011 Share Posted December 31, 2011 They are not in the least bit aggressive. For the most part they totally ignore the humans staring at them. They let you get right up and take pics of them. Like this: http://www.snowjapan...-february-2011/ And they ain't dirty either.... do they look filthy to you as well? Anyway, surely you should encourage people to get off the slopes so they are less busy for you DiGriz. Does it really matter if people want to do things that you don't want to do? Link to post Share on other sites
Slippery Jim 65 Posted December 31, 2011 Share Posted December 31, 2011 It's the moral issue, Muika. Sometimes we must sacrifice self interest for the good of the community Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted January 3, 2012 Share Posted January 3, 2012 the monkeys don't live on Hokkaido Haven't been to Wild Bills late at night??? :) Another thing to remember is travel time. if only 4 days you'll lose 2 going back and forth to Hokkaido although you'll get night skiing in at Hirafu. I did look in there when I was up, but was quite disappointed that it didn't live up to the stories.......was dead when we were in. had 2 beers and left Link to post Share on other sites
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