rausmade 0 Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 Hi there, during my trip around the world I will be in the region of Nagano 11-16th December 2012. I'm wondering (experiences of the past?) if the ski areas will be already opened; or if I ask another way: In which of the mentioned ski areas do I probably have the best chance for snow? I cannot change my travelling dates, I also cannot go to Hokkaido. Help much appreciated! Link to post Share on other sites
ProbablyaCrazyPerson 2 Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 Hi there rausmade, if you want to check the actual conditions of those places over the last 5+ years check the archive reports here: http://www.snowjapan.com/e/daily/shiga-kogen-now.php http://www.snowjapan.com/e/daily/hakuba-now.php http://www.snowjapan.com/e/daily/nozawa-now.php Lots of reading for you Link to post Share on other sites
BagOfCrisps 24 Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 Been a few like this in recent days/weeks, take a look at some of the other threads on the first few pages here. Bottom line - could be dodgy, definitely no guarantees. Link to post Share on other sites
rausmade 0 Posted October 2, 2012 Author Share Posted October 2, 2012 Thanks a lot for your links & information. I was not aware of the fact that there is so little snow at the beginning / mid of December because I read at several sources that some ski areas open mid/end of November. I have never been in Japan before and have never really checked the snow situation of the past years, now I'm feeling a bit down because I cannot change my travelling dates and have to expect a worse snow-situation... Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 You should have come here sooner. Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 Or if the snow doesn't materialise on Honshu but it does on Hokkaido then make your way north. Link to post Share on other sites
rausmade 0 Posted October 2, 2012 Author Share Posted October 2, 2012 Hokkaido seems to make no sense for me. Flights are already booked; arrival/departure is Narita/Tokyo 10th (landing 12th December at 5pm and I leave Japan 19th in the morning). I'd have to book additional flights and would loose 2 days of my already short available time in Japan. Seems that I have to cross my fingers that snowfall starts early this year in Japan... Link to post Share on other sites
SKI 15 Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 I'm sure MikeGoToHokkaidoPow will find a way to get you to Hokkaido and back in that time Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 It's MikeOfferingAlternativesPow Why have someone leave Japan with a less than optimal snow experience.. You have to ask yourself how important the skiing/boarding is to you rausmade. If it isn't, then base yourself in Tokyo / Kyoto and enjoy the sights. If it is and Nagano or Niigata is going off then go there. If Honshu is dry and Hokkaido is getting the goods, then you can fly from Narita at 18.40 arriving in Chitose at 20.20 You could be tucked up in bed in the Niseko Resort Area by midnight and ready to play first thing next day - no different to getting a bus or train to the Honshu resorts, and no loss of holiday time. You don't specify what time you fly out of Narita on the 19th but the first flight from Chitose leaves at 08.00 and arrives in Narita at 09.45 If that's too tight then a flight the night before is the answer. This would give you up to 6 days of play on Hokkaido. Link to post Share on other sites
SKI 15 Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 I'm sure MikeGoToHokkaidoPow will find a way to get you to Hokkaido and back in that time See, told you! To answer the question you asked though, probably Hakuba. Link to post Share on other sites
rausmade 0 Posted October 2, 2012 Author Share Posted October 2, 2012 Hi MikePow, skiing as part of my Japan trip is important to me. It seems that I should add Hokkaido on my list, you are right with the "loss of holiday time"; travelling from Narita Airport is not that bad when getting a direct connected flight (which is affordable). I'm coming from Auckland (flight NZ0099), expected landing the 10th is excatly 17:00. I checked the flight schedules already but cannot find a flight at the time you mention (18:40, there's only a ANA flight at 18:55 which is already too expensive with ~900$ roundtrip Toyko - Sapporo - Toyko). Apart from that there is a very early flight the 11th (06:25), getting back the 16th to Tokyo would be a ~150$ roundtrip. And just to clarify: 10.12. at 17:00 arrival in Narita (coming from Auckland) 19.12. at 10:25 departure from Narita to Frankfurt Within this period I want to ski ~3-5 days and spent 3-5 days in Tokyo. Finally I put Hokkaido on my list of "possible ski areas". Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 Skymark fly from Narita at 20.05 arriving in Chitose at 21.45 Fare is JPY 10,000 Your flight to Frankfurt is early so an afternoon flight at least one day prior is the call Leaves Chitose at 13.40, arriving in Narita at 15.20 Fare is JPY 10,000 Maybe flying straight up to Hokkaido on the 10th for 3-5 days and then spending the remainder in Tokyo would be the best use of your time. Look up Skymark. Link to post Share on other sites
rausmade 0 Posted October 3, 2012 Author Share Posted October 3, 2012 I did not know this airline, therefore thanks a lot again. The 20:05 flight keeps all our options open Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 skymark and airdoo (sp?) are cheapo airlines in Japan Link to post Share on other sites
rausmade 0 Posted October 4, 2012 Author Share Posted October 4, 2012 Skymark: price of 10.000 Yen seems to be the normal (single) fare for Narita - Chitose which is bookable also at short notice (when available). Link to post Share on other sites
69 5 Posted October 5, 2012 Share Posted October 5, 2012 Why would you go from Niigata to Chitose? Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted October 5, 2012 Share Posted October 5, 2012 Perhaps has mixed up Niigata with Narita Link to post Share on other sites
rausmade 0 Posted October 5, 2012 Author Share Posted October 5, 2012 Yep, sorry! Narita of course is right Link to post Share on other sites
nebjamino 0 Posted October 6, 2012 Share Posted October 6, 2012 I probably sound like a big idiot asking this, but when I read the archived weather reports, it presents them in a graphical table...and I don't know how to read that. For example if there is a 1 in the snow column on a certain date what does that mean? How does that differ from a 3 or a 2? Here is a link for what I'm asking about http://www.snowjapan.com/e/resorts/weathervotechart.php?resid=40&month=March&year=2012 Link to post Share on other sites
SnowJapan Admin SnowJapan 178 Posted October 6, 2012 SnowJapan Admin Share Posted October 6, 2012 Hi Those are simply numbers of people voting for a weather at that place on that day. It's something that might be a bit more visible when we make updates later in the year. For a much more reliable and complete record of weather stuff though, you should check out the Now pages as ProbablyACrazyPerson linked to in the second post. Thanks. Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted October 6, 2012 Share Posted October 6, 2012 Yeah that's not the actual weather/now report. At the bottom the Now Report page there are links to the various month and years of the archive Link to post Share on other sites
jetx 0 Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 My own experience with Shiga Kogen early season having been going there for the past 4 years is that it generally is good enough by the 2nd to 3rd week of December to have a decent time of it. Watching the reports anxiously every season for snow fall as I was only able to take vacations during this period, quite stressful though. I've been lucky so far. This year I've managed to put off my trip until 2nd week of January. Link to post Share on other sites
LiquidX 0 Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 Stressful 2nd week of Jan should involve much stress! Link to post Share on other sites
iiyamadude 6 Posted October 15, 2012 Share Posted October 15, 2012 I always thing it must be such a stressful thing being a business that relies on the weather - ski resorts, associated hotels etc. Unless of course you're in Hakuba or Niseko where it's always the stuff of dreams! Link to post Share on other sites
rausmade 0 Posted December 4, 2012 Author Share Posted December 4, 2012 Only one week left until my arrival in Tokyo; seems that an additional flight to Sapporo is the better option for me instead of going to Shiga Kogen or Hakuba for skiing 3-4 days - or what do you think? Link to post Share on other sites
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