Popular Post muikabochi 208 Posted February 4, 2012 Popular Post Share Posted February 4, 2012 Very strange weather today and it was forecast and looked like it would be snowing for the day but it was quite sunny around lunchtime so we decided to try out another 'first', and another little tiny place here in Minamiuonuma. This one is called 'Ishiuchi Hanaoka' and I believe it is owned by one of the main companies that owns close-by Ishiuchi Maruyama. It is located next to Ishiuchi Maruyama and between that resort and Mt Granview (here's my report from there). Like Mt Granview, it kind of feels like it belongs in a different era. While the one pair lift looks fairly modern, everything else (apart from one thing, more on that below) is old, rustic and the people skiing and snowboarding there all seem to have gear from the 70's as well. Not that there were that many, but I would guess there were 50 or so people there. Ishiuchi Hanaoka only opens on weekends I think. Just the one pair lift that probably runs less than 1km - but takes an age - and a few ways down the hill. It's low as well, almost at town level. One thing that was totally bizarre about this place though. Here in Minamiuonuma and Yuzawa area, I can't think of one ski resort that uses an electronice gate system - it's all paper tickets including the big places like Naeba, Kagura, Gala Yuzawa etc. EXCEPT ISHIUCHI HANAOKA! Couldn't get over it. You need an IC chip to get through the gate! I think I was so shocked I forgot to take a pic of that. Anyway here's some photos. I know the 'old color' thing has been done before, but hey what the heck!! This place feels more comfortable in oldy browny kind of tones Sprinklers in the road Temple near the base This way! Yes, this way! Ishiuchi Hanaoka in all it's glory. Well 2/3 of it! Ishiuchi Hanaoka Tourism Office, Patrol Center and Hanaoka Pro Ski School! View from the top. That's the top of Ishiuchi Maruyama you can see there... Hmmm really not sure what is going on with the Kiwi thing here... Views Apres ski - karaoke! Neighbourhood Afternoon 'snack' in Muikamachi 2 Link to post Share on other sites
Mick Rich 78 Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 Love it!!! Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted February 4, 2012 Author Share Posted February 4, 2012 I've already been inundated with requests from people wanting to know how to get from Mt Granview to Ishiuchi Hanaoka. Not sure if you could fit both of these mega-resorts into a few day - heck even a few days - but here we go: http://www.snowjapan...velMode=DRIVING They are just a few km away from each other. Bonus! Link to post Share on other sites
Mick Rich 78 Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 That's almost walkable!! Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted February 4, 2012 Author Share Posted February 4, 2012 And if you look at that map I think you could probably manage to short-cut it as well, might even be able to go straight there instead of round. Not sure, very narrow roads round there. Link to post Share on other sites
joshnii 2 Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 How strange about the IC card thing. Another one I didn't know existed muika! Link to post Share on other sites
igloo 3 Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 Can I rent that model of ski in the ski rental place, muika? Link to post Share on other sites
snowbender 3 Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 Really like the "olde" photos. Seriously none of the big resorts around Yuzawa use electronic ticket system? Link to post Share on other sites
snowdude 44 Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 Nice Muika, great to see smaller resorts too. Always nice to see places that I haven't heard of before! I like the black and white pics, fits the area nicely! Link to post Share on other sites
scouser 4 Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 Love the pics, muikabochi. Big question -- will you be going back to these places? Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted February 4, 2012 Author Share Posted February 4, 2012 Er, no. I don't think so. Link to post Share on other sites
Metabo Oyaji 71 Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 I've already been inundated with requests from people wanting to know how to get from Mt Granview to Ishiuchi Hanaoka. Not sure if you could fit both of these mega-resorts into a few day - heck even a few days - but here we go: http://www.snowjapan...velMode=DRIVING They are just a few km away from each other. Bonus! A gondola linking the two is just crying out to be built. Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted February 5, 2012 Author Share Posted February 5, 2012 Haha, it probably was in someones planning stages at one time! Link to post Share on other sites
HighlyTrainedNovaTeacher 2 Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 Did it used to be called Kiwi Ski Links? Link to post Share on other sites
grungy-gonads 54 Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 Er, no. I don't think so. Any more undiscovered delights to discover in that area, muika? Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 in my job as a Youth Worker in a high school back home, I used to take groups of 6-8 kids out every Thursday on Outdoor Education Programme. Along with an Instructor from the local Outdoor Ed. facility, we'd take the kids out and do various outdoor activities and sports. In winter we could go skiing. Sometimes we'd go to the proper ski area and ski there but other times the Outdoor Education Centre had an agreement with a local farmer that we could use his field. They had an old tractor engine rigged up with a rope pulley system, we'd set it up on the hill and start it up and voila....the kids had a tow rope to pull them up the hill!! Was pretty cool actually Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted February 5, 2012 Author Share Posted February 5, 2012 Er, no. I don't think so. Any more undiscovered delights to discover in that area, muika? Well, there's Hakkaisanroku and Itsukamachi in the area that I haven't been to yet. But I think I will save them for another season, as fun an experience as these tiny places were, I feel the need to get some proper skiing in at decent sized places. Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted February 5, 2012 Author Share Posted February 5, 2012 I took this from Maiko today showing you just how close they are and how easily a new 'mega-resort' could be created with the addition of a gondola. Haven't fully thought through the marketing yet but what do you think? Time for a petition? Here is a close up of Hanaoka from Maiko Link to post Share on other sites
JellyBelly 1 Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 I'd sign it. Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 I think you should aggressively market it as "Mt. Minamiuonuma: Bottomless Resort of Dreams! Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted February 5, 2012 Author Share Posted February 5, 2012 That's a good one Tubby. But I think they would need to perhaps bring in one or two of the marketing 'wizards' from ****** to get it all done proper and truly cheesy! Link to post Share on other sites
griller 9 Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 Funny Link to post Share on other sites
Metabo Oyaji 71 Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 You need a mascot. Something that suggests power and speed, yet is stylish and fun. And something indelibly linked with Mt. Minamiuonuma. Taking the middle character from 南魚沼, I think the obvious choice is... a fish! Need a graphic design wizard to work up some artwork. A fish poised kowabunga-style on a snowboard, with a wink and a raised thumb. A fish doing big air on skis -- a flying fish?? The gondola could be named the Uondola, 魚ンドラ. Or the Minamiuondola, depending on what the focus groups say. Just putting some thoughts out there. Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted February 5, 2012 Author Share Posted February 5, 2012 And excellent thoughts they are too! Link to post Share on other sites
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