8rei 0 Posted November 3, 2012 Share Posted November 3, 2012 (edited) hi everyone.. will be at tokyo 15-18 this december. with 3 kids (9-7-5 yo) please recomend the already open and children suitable ski resort near tokyo? as i read here, the most easy way is to get gala yuzawa, but according their website it's open at 22 december, i believe there is many resort open early than gala, but i dont know, which is suit for children..(has bigger kids area) many thanks folks... Edited November 4, 2012 by 8rei Link to post Share on other sites
@tokyo 14 Posted November 3, 2012 Share Posted November 3, 2012 Hi I wouldn't really go with children to Gala anyway I suppose. Having said that when you say suitable for children you mean a special area for the kids, rather than beginners or something? Link to post Share on other sites
Slippery Jim 65 Posted November 3, 2012 Share Posted November 3, 2012 Welcome 8rei, Difficult to know which resorts will have enough snow to open by Dec 15. Karuizawa has a lot of snow-making machines and is pretty certain to have some runs open by then, and it has nice gentle runs that would be good for your children. http://www.snowjapan.com/e/resorts/resortdetail.php?resid=62 It takes about 1 hour 15-20 minutes by shinkansen (Bullet Train). There may be better choices when you get here if the snows arrive early, but that's impossible to know right now. Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted November 4, 2012 Share Posted November 4, 2012 Yes, as DiGriz said December 15th is still early. The resorts in Yuzawa haven't often got going then, with lots only planning on opening 22nd December -- it is often Christmas before things really kick off around here. Kagura will be open, they plan to be open November 23rd, but that isn't really a kids area either. Probably best to wait and see how things go early December. Link to post Share on other sites
8rei 0 Posted November 4, 2012 Author Share Posted November 4, 2012 thanks for the fast reply.... what i mean suit for kids is has "kids area" after my research by googling and here (snowjapan is rock) it is naeba,iwappara and karuizawa... not sure which one already open on 15 december (as bro/sist muika said, need to wait) which snow resort that famous for kids?? and i will be at osaka on 22-25 this december. how about from osaka? is there any most easy access ski resort? how about the biwako valley? is it easy to go there? worthted to go?? my japanese almost zero... just arigatoo and sumimasen.. many thanks guys Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted November 8, 2012 Share Posted November 8, 2012 Biwako Valley is down that area isn't it. And how about places in Gifu Prefecture? I would not bet on Iwappara being open mid December, not sure when they "plan" to open, but in recent years it's more often than not later than 15th December I think. Link to post Share on other sites
Alexander L 80 Posted November 14, 2012 Share Posted November 14, 2012 You probably need to look at the north island, a mere 1 hour flight from Tokyo. Link to post Share on other sites
8rei 0 Posted November 20, 2012 Author Share Posted November 20, 2012 several resort note on their website that will open on 15 december. yuzawa nakazato, maiko, joetsu kokusai... which ones more suit for kids? how about iwappara? can anybody tell me when it open? (i cannot read japanese on their web) http://www.iwa-ppara.com/ so sad i cannot get to sapporo on december but i'm dreaming to get sapporo on february ... hehehe many thanks folks... Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted November 20, 2012 Share Posted November 20, 2012 Iwappara plan to be open 8th December. Keep checking the Yuzawa Now reports: http://www.snowjapan.com/e/daily/yuzawa-now.php Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted November 20, 2012 Share Posted November 20, 2012 I think it is worth pointing out that Iwappara often have an early planned opening and if I am not mistaken more often than not cannot do so. They'll be lucky to open 8th December. Link to post Share on other sites
NoFakie 45 Posted November 20, 2012 Share Posted November 20, 2012 Coming from overseas, very early season, beginners, want easy access... like DiGriz I would say Karuizawa. Lots of snowmaking so it will be open then for sure. Loads of other stuff to do if you only do half days. Free this season for kids too by the sounds. Free rental and maybe even free lessons if you book ahead too. Pretty Christmasy vibe in the town. Nowhere near as run down as almost all Japanese ski towns. Bill Gates mansion under construction nearby if you want to name drop. If we have snow, Hakuba wouldn't be a bad choice either, though a longer journey here and back. The main Hokkaido resorts too, of course. Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted November 20, 2012 Share Posted November 20, 2012 Bill plans to spend lots of time in Japan does he? Link to post Share on other sites
SKI 15 Posted November 20, 2012 Share Posted November 20, 2012 Looking back last year Iwappara got open on 17th December http://www.snowjapan.com/e/daily/yuzawa-now-archive.php?month=12&year=2011 Link to post Share on other sites
NoFakie 45 Posted November 21, 2012 Share Posted November 21, 2012 Bill plans to spend lots of time in Japan does he? I tried asking Siri but it didn't know the answer. fwiw, Japanese Siri doesn't know the answer to "one plus one". If the photos folks have taken are the right building, it looks absolutely massive. Link to post Share on other sites
grungy-gonads 54 Posted November 21, 2012 Share Posted November 21, 2012 Siri is a big joke isn't it. I don't think I've given it more than an hour when it first came out. Perhaps I should play about with it a bit more. Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted November 21, 2012 Share Posted November 21, 2012 I usually amuse myself by asking it silly questions Link to post Share on other sites
grungy-gonads 54 Posted November 21, 2012 Share Posted November 21, 2012 I just asked it "Which is better, Hakuba or Niseko?" It said "That one. No, wait, that one. Oh I can't decide". Link to post Share on other sites
8rei 0 Posted November 30, 2012 Author Share Posted November 30, 2012 yeahhh..its december... yuzawa nakazato. iwappara.. joetsu kokusai maiko.... still not sure which one better for taking kids on this 16 december... hoping for strong recomendation here... thank for very usefull snowjapan and snowdude here hehehe Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted December 1, 2012 Share Posted December 1, 2012 I think Maiko is good for kids, the right side of the resort (Korakuen side?) is pretty mellow slope down to the big dome like building. Iwappara is also very forgiving for beginners.....a big wide gerende that isn't that steep. Link to post Share on other sites
8rei 0 Posted December 1, 2012 Author Share Posted December 1, 2012 how about the naeba? is it children friendly? got large snow park for kids? by total review here.. naeba got many reviewer.. is hard to get naeba? got a shutle bus, is the bus often ready? wait for long? because i need to do day trip from tokyo.. Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted December 1, 2012 Share Posted December 1, 2012 I think Naeba does have a kids snow park at the very left of the resort as you look at the main gerende. Transport to Naeba is very easy from Tokyo.....loads of day buses and of course the shinkansen deals that include train and lift ticket. From Echigo Yuzawa station there are resort shuttles and local buses that will take you up to Naeba. Also there are highway buses that also travel from Tokyo, but the price will only be for the bus journey Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted December 2, 2012 Share Posted December 2, 2012 Kids are not my thing but Maiko is good for them I think and beginners, on the Korakuen side. Can't recall if it is still called that, the right hand side. Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted December 2, 2012 Share Posted December 2, 2012 'Maiko Area' http://www.snowjapan.com/e/spotlight/maiko-snow-resort.html They have a very friendly monkey as well, who rides on the banana boat with you if you ask. You can see him in this report I did last season http://www.snowjapanforums.com/index.php/topic/21467-centleisure-maiko-minamiuonuma-niigata-28th-february-2012/ Link to post Share on other sites
8rei 0 Posted December 3, 2012 Author Share Posted December 3, 2012 thank mr muika.(very nice pic of maiko).....and last question for this topic.. the rank for child suitable resort in yuzawa area are?? 1.maiko 2.iwappara 3.nakazato isnt it?? how to rank 3 of them?? or the nakazato should be number 1 for family oriented resort? Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted December 3, 2012 Share Posted December 3, 2012 Nakazato? Not sure why that's in there. I would say the best 3 are probably Iwappara NASPA Ski Garden (skiers only but very much a family and kids resort. .. they have Pingu too) Maiko .....though I do not have kids and as I said it's not something I am totally up on. Link to post Share on other sites
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