ippy 66 Posted December 4, 2012 Share Posted December 4, 2012 im going to recommend you have a wee look at any of your favorite resorts 6 day forecasts (click on the daily reports, go to your area of choice and look on the right hand side for the actual resort listings for that area, then click on one of them. Itll bring up the resort details and the weather. Click on top (since we all love the numbers) and voila, you will know exactly the same as us (by this i mean the numbers for all the nagano resorts this weekend are looking bananas so you might not have to actually buy that extra ticket - but none of us know for sure whats actually going to land). Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted December 4, 2012 Share Posted December 4, 2012 The skiing in Niseko United and Kiroro has been great but we got rained on heavily today. Top to bottom by the looks of things. Ice layer forming as I type, but lots of snow in the forecast. Think it's best to leave it until the 11th hour and decide. A lot can happen in a week. Link to post Share on other sites
rausmade 0 Posted December 4, 2012 Author Share Posted December 4, 2012 Thanks fo your instruction, ippy, now I'm even more unconfident what to do. I have already booked an accommodation at Yamanouchi (Hotel Shirakabaso Shigakogen; I can cancel without fees within the next 2 days) and the forecast is saying a lot of snowfall within the next days. But it seems that also next week the ski season at Shiga has not really started and there won't be many lifts and slopes open... This week for example it would make almost no sense to go to Shiga because there are only 2-3 lifts open and I don't know how to find out if this will change if the forecast is right and there will be more snow next week... Link to post Share on other sites
iiyamadude 6 Posted December 4, 2012 Share Posted December 4, 2012 The ski resorts themselves don't know. They'll open when they can. The only thing you can do is keep looking at the forecast and the reports. Link to post Share on other sites
Alexander L 80 Posted December 4, 2012 Share Posted December 4, 2012 Thanks fo your instruction, ippy, now I'm even more unconfident what to do. I have already booked an accommodation at Yamanouchi (Hotel Shirakabaso Shigakogen; I can cancel without fees within the next 2 days) and the forecast is saying a lot of snowfall within the next days. But it seems that also next week the ski season at Shiga has not really started and there won't be many lifts and slopes open... This week for example it would make almost no sense to go to Shiga because there are only 2-3 lifts open and I don't know how to find out if this will change if the forecast is right and there will be more snow next week... How much does that money matter to you? Or are you so stoked that you would risk it for the experience? If I had been planning this for a while, I would go no matter what and play it by Hokkaido. ear. Link to post Share on other sites
SnowJapan Admin SnowJapan 178 Posted December 4, 2012 SnowJapan Admin Share Posted December 4, 2012 Just like to add that the Shiga Kogen reports will be posted daily from tomorrow (* that's the plan). A new one just went up. Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted December 4, 2012 Share Posted December 4, 2012 Also, if you can cancel it in the next 2 days for free then why not do that and book a night in Tokyo for when u land and then check out the reports and book a place the day before? It's not like they are gonna be booked out. Or u could even book a place just before you get on the plane 1 Link to post Share on other sites
rausmade 0 Posted December 4, 2012 Author Share Posted December 4, 2012 [...] How much does that money matter to you? Or are you so stoked that you would risk it for the experience? If I had been planning this for a while, I would go no matter what and play it by Hokkaido. ear. I don't care about a few dollars, at the end it is more or less the same amount we are talking about in my case (travelling costs). Start finish of my time in Japan is Tokyo and I arrive too late at Narita to get directly to Shiga or to Niseko. I have already checked trains, booked accommodation @Nagano and Shiga and I would need some more time if I cancel this plan to acquaint myself with Sapporo and skiing in this area. I have never been in Japan and it is not easy to find out all information needed within a short period of time. In addition I'm travelling around the world at the moment (Queenstown;NZ at the moment) ad I have only restrictd internet access. I think I will wait until the 7th and check the report for Shiga to decide weather I cancel my 2 booked hotels to be free to choose or if I stick to these bookings (which are really good price/value) and I go to Shiga. I let you know - thanks again for your responses! Link to post Share on other sites
Mick Rich 78 Posted December 4, 2012 Share Posted December 4, 2012 Hey rausmade, you should also check out Air Asia for cheap fllghts between Narita and Chitose. I usually use Skymark but their flights are more expensive this year, so I've booked with Air Asia instead. Return tickets are about 10-11,000Yen depending on times. Good luck! Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted December 4, 2012 Share Posted December 4, 2012 You should check out the Japanese agents Mick, I'm going up to Sapporo Jan 18-20th and got flights plus 2 nights hotel for 24k. Thats flying with JAL or ANA (I can't remember) Obviously thats being based in Sapporo but a damn good price anyway Link to post Share on other sites
rausmade 0 Posted December 7, 2012 Author Share Posted December 7, 2012 Can someone tell me when the first bus is leaving the 11th Dec. from Nagano to Maruike (Shiga Kogen)? I found some older timtables but I'm not able to read the japanese signs. I guess it is 8:15 or 9:15am? Thanks in advance! Link to post Share on other sites
rausmade 0 Posted December 8, 2012 Author Share Posted December 8, 2012 Just to let you know; I found the following information: Nagano - Shigakogen-Hasuike, (Nagaden-express-bus) http://www.nagadenbus.co.jp/robus/2012fuyu/shigawin.htm About 70 minutes, cost 1,600 Yen and baggage charge. This is schedule, 2012 - 2013 winter (JR Nagano st. east-exit) JR Nagano st. -- Kanbayashi -- Hasuike (Shigakogen-Hasuike) (8:15 -- 8:56 -- 9:25) special bus, ONLY Saturday and holiday 9:10 -- 9:51 -- 10:20 10:10 -- 10:51 -- 11:20 10:10 -- 10:51 -- 11:20 11:15 -- 11:56 -- 12:25 12:20 -- 13:01 -- 13:30 13:40 -- 14:21 -- 14:50 14:40 -- 15:21 -- 15:50 17:20 -- 18:06 -- 18:45 (21:00 -- 21:41 -- 22:10) special bus, ONLY Friday Hasuike - Kanbayashi - JR Nagano st.(east-exit) 8:35 - 8:55 - 9:50 10:35 - 10:55 - 11:50 12:05 - 12:25 - 13:20 12:55 - 13:15 - 14:10 13:55 - 14:15 - 15:10 14:50 - 15:10 - 16:05 15:45 - 16:05 - 17:01 16:55 - 17:15 - 18:15 17:45 - 18:05 - 19:10 Link to post Share on other sites
ippy 66 Posted December 8, 2012 Share Posted December 8, 2012 good to know, cheers dude. Link to post Share on other sites
rausmade 0 Posted December 10, 2012 Author Share Posted December 10, 2012 I arrived with the Shinkansen in Nagano an hour ago, tomorrow morning I take the first bus to Hasuike. Here in Nagano are already a few centemeters of snow :-) I will post some pictures Thursday the latest! Link to post Share on other sites
Alexander L 80 Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 Cool. Have a great time. Link to post Share on other sites
grungy-gonads 54 Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 Have fun. Look forward to seeing some pics. Here's the place: http://www.snowjapanforums.com/index.php/gallery/ Link to post Share on other sites
rausmade 0 Posted December 11, 2012 Author Share Posted December 11, 2012 Today we decided not to ski and to visit the Snow Monkey park first. Weather was good; in Hasuike the heigh of the snow is ~60cm: Picture from Hasuike to Ichinose (in the back): Masuike only 1 lift was opened but there is enough snow in the whole area to open all lifts. Masuike: Road conditions: And a picture of the snow Monkeys at the end: I will created an album and upload some pictures tomorrow or the day after when I was skiing! Link to post Share on other sites
SnowJapan Admin SnowJapan 178 Posted December 11, 2012 SnowJapan Admin Share Posted December 11, 2012 Rausmade, for some reason the images are not appearing. You can easily upload your photos and share them on our site here: http://www.snowjapanforums.com/index.php/gallery/ Thanks Link to post Share on other sites
rausmade 0 Posted December 11, 2012 Author Share Posted December 11, 2012 Shoud work now :-) Picture from Hasuike to Ichinose (in the back): Link to post Share on other sites
SnowJapan Admin SnowJapan 178 Posted December 11, 2012 SnowJapan Admin Share Posted December 11, 2012 No, they are not appearing. I have deleted those big graphics that were appearing instead of the photos from the upload service you were apparently trying to use. As I said, you can upload them here. And at the same time, that would help support us as well. Thank you. Link to post Share on other sites
rausmade 0 Posted December 11, 2012 Author Share Posted December 11, 2012 Strange but true, after I published my entry I saw the pictures in the forum but after reloading the webpage they dissapeared and were replaced by these thumnails. Anyway; I used the album gallery like you suggested. I will post more pictures after my first real ski day tomorrow. http://www.snowjapanforums.com/index.php/gallery/album/221-shiga-kogen-11th-15th-dec-12/ Link to post Share on other sites
SnowJapan Admin SnowJapan 178 Posted December 11, 2012 SnowJapan Admin Share Posted December 11, 2012 Don't know what was going on there, but I am glad to see you could upload. Thanks you. Look forward to more. If you want to embed them into the thread as well you can either by finding the URL of each image, or by clicking on the 'My Media' button and choosing. Have fun. Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted December 11, 2012 Share Posted December 11, 2012 Rausmade, hope you don't mind but I linked your pics into the thread Link to post Share on other sites
ippy 66 Posted December 11, 2012 Share Posted December 11, 2012 screw those monkey hippies! Link to post Share on other sites
Nisekubazawa 0 Posted December 12, 2012 Share Posted December 12, 2012 Nice. The monkeys need to learn some tricks though! Link to post Share on other sites
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