Oli54321 0 Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 Hello everyone. This is my first post here and I was wondering if you might be able to help me! I'm going to be in Tokyo in mid-December (around the 16th-17th) and was hoping to do some skiing. I was initially quite keen on Zao Onsen or Gala Yuzawa, but after looking into it in a bit more detail, it looks like there's a decent chance there won't be snow then. How feasible is it to just turn up in Tokyo and book a few days in advance if there is snow? i.e will trains/accomodation be expensive, and will accomodation easily be available? I understand that there will be skiing in Snow Town Yeti as they use a lot of snow cannons, but it looks a bit basic (I'm a lower-intermediate skier - ok with easy-ish red runs). Otherwise, I could fly into Hokkaido (from Hong Kong) a bit earlier - more like 14th December. Am I right in thinking that I'm pretty much guaranteed skiing of some description in Niseko or Furano at that time of year? I'm less keen to do this, as it doesn't fit in my itinerary, but it's starting to look from my research like it may be the best option. Thanks for your help!! Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 Hello everyone. This is my first post here and I was wondering if you might be able to help me! I'm going to be in Tokyo in mid-December (around the 16th-17th) and was hoping to do some skiing. I was initially quite keen on Zao Onsen or Gala Yuzawa, but after looking into it in a bit more detail, it looks like there's a decent chance there won't be snow then. How feasible is it to just turn up in Tokyo and book a few days in advance if there is snow? i.e will trains/accomodation be expensive, and will accomodation easily be available? I understand that there will be skiing in Snow Town Yeti as they use a lot of snow cannons, but it looks a bit basic (I'm a lower-intermediate skier - ok with easy-ish red runs). Otherwise, I could fly into Hokkaido (from Hong Kong) a bit earlier - more like 14th December. Am I right in thinking that I'm pretty much guaranteed skiing of some description in Niseko or Furano at that time of year? I'm less keen to do this, as it doesn't fit in my itinerary, but it's starting to look from my research like it may be the best option. Thanks for your help!! Hi Oli54321 and welcome. If you look around here you'll find a fair few "December OK?" threads. December is never a guarantee, we could luck it or not. How feasible is it to just turn up in Tokyo and book a few days in advance if there is snow? i.e will trains/accomodation be expensive, and will accomodation easily be available? Extremely feasible. Hotels will be gagging for your business. And be cheaper than peak season. Trains are the same price throughout the year (as far as I know anyway!) If you are hoping to do that, the only worry is the snow! Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 If you're looking to ski more piste than off-piste, then there's normally plenty of runs open in the Niseko Resort Area, Rusutsu and Kiroro by mid-December. Off-piste is always more of a gamble. But normally not as much of a gamble as ski areas on Honshu. From what I've been told and read. Link to post Share on other sites
tokabochi 9 Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 Kagura in Yuzawa (Niigata) is one of your best bets. Tres easy from Tokyo - like, 90 minutes - and always open then. Check out the daily reports (Yuzawa Now and Naeba Now) for that area on here to see how it fared in previous seasons: http://www.snowjapan.com/e/daily/yuzawa-now.php http://www.snowjapan.com/e/daily/naeba-now.php Link to post Share on other sites
Slippery Jim 65 Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 Niseko/Kiroro should be OK on-piste by mid-December, as Mike said. Furano's been a little sketchy pre-xmas when I've been up there in recent seasons. Link to post Share on other sites
tokabochi 9 Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 How long you planning on being here/there? Link to post Share on other sites
Oli54321 0 Posted August 21, 2012 Author Share Posted August 21, 2012 How long you planning on being here/there? I'm planning on being in Japan for about 7 days - of which I'd like to spend 3 days skiing. Link to post Share on other sites
Chriselle 158 Posted August 28, 2012 Share Posted August 28, 2012 Yeti will be WELL into their season by then.... Just putting all options out there... Link to post Share on other sites
Oli54321 0 Posted August 28, 2012 Author Share Posted August 28, 2012 Yeti will be WELL into their season by then.... Just putting all options out there... Would you think that it'd keep someone with an ok-ish level of skill, and looking to improve, occupied? I like to scare myself a little bit - and the runs look pretty tame from the info I've been able to find online! Link to post Share on other sites
tokabochi 9 Posted August 29, 2012 Share Posted August 29, 2012 it is lame. it depends on how desperate you are. Link to post Share on other sites
Metabo Oyaji 71 Posted August 29, 2012 Share Posted August 29, 2012 I suspect it's scarier in October, when the skiable ribbon is at its thinnest. Link to post Share on other sites
klingon 10 Posted August 30, 2012 Share Posted August 30, 2012 Kagura and Yuzawa town (for the food/digs) sounds like a good option for you. Link to post Share on other sites
Oli54321 0 Posted September 2, 2012 Author Share Posted September 2, 2012 Thanks for the help everyone. I've decided to book Niseko. Fingers crossed! Link to post Share on other sites
Chriselle 158 Posted September 3, 2012 Share Posted September 3, 2012 Yes.. sorry Oli. My post about Yeti was purely tongue in cheek. It's lame, lame and more lame even at the best of times. It's kind of a running joke. Cheers and fingers crossed as I go to Hokkaido in late Dec. every year, too. Keep an eye on Snowdude's winter forecast. He's usually pretty accurate but his summer prediction was a miserable failure...A HOT STEAMY miserable stinky pile of dung actually. Snowdudes own words....I still say this summer is going to be rather on the cool side. Im sure we will get some very hot spells but on the whole it is NOT going to be a long hot summer! Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted September 3, 2012 Share Posted September 3, 2012 Lets pretend that the old wives tale of a hot summer = tons of snow is actually true! 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Chriselle 158 Posted September 3, 2012 Share Posted September 3, 2012 That has been a strong rationale to putting up with all this.....yes, we deserve a "colder than a witches tit" winter. Cold with copious amounts of snow. Link to post Share on other sites
Slippery Jim 65 Posted September 3, 2012 Share Posted September 3, 2012 From your lips to god's ears, Chris Link to post Share on other sites
mina2 6 Posted September 4, 2012 Share Posted September 4, 2012 Is that "story" ring true? Link to post Share on other sites
Chriselle 158 Posted September 4, 2012 Share Posted September 4, 2012 It certainly seems to. Anyone got any stats handy? Link to post Share on other sites
merryJim 1 Posted September 4, 2012 Share Posted September 4, 2012 Presumably then if there is a winter with tons of snow, the following summer is "not hot"? Link to post Share on other sites
Chriselle 158 Posted September 4, 2012 Share Posted September 4, 2012 The summer 2 years ago was cooler with more rain than usual and the following winter was really slow starting if I remember correctly. Link to post Share on other sites
Slippery Jim 65 Posted September 4, 2012 Share Posted September 4, 2012 Last summer was pretty hot and conditions at Niseko the week before xmas were some of the best I've seen in years for that time. Definitely hoping it holds true this year as aiming at doing a few days up there from 12/17 -- yo SJ guys, we need a ``fingers X'd'' smiley! Link to post Share on other sites
yamaski 0 Posted September 5, 2012 Share Posted September 5, 2012 I don't think there's really a lot of link between the two. Co-incidence from time to time. What I want is regular snowfall, rather than a lot at one time. I want a lot all the time! Apart from perhaps the daytimes when I am out in it. Link to post Share on other sites
echineko 1 Posted September 8, 2012 Share Posted September 8, 2012 I hope there is a link thus year after the hot one was having. Link to post Share on other sites
RobBright 35 Posted September 10, 2012 Share Posted September 10, 2012 I don't think there's really a lot of link between the two. Co-incidence from time to time. What I want is regular snowfall, rather than a lot at one time. I want a lot all the time! Apart from perhaps the daytimes when I am out in it. You and me both mate. Would love 20cms a day for 5 months rather than a few dumps here and there. Link to post Share on other sites
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