Metabo Oyaji 71 Posted March 27, 2013 Share Posted March 27, 2013 The original plan last Sunday was to go to Inawashiro, but with rain forecast there, and having felt that I had already spent my share of time getting rained on there this season, with somewhat-assuaged guilty feelings I decided to check out some another region for a change, for the first time since 3/11/2011. Naeba has long been on my list of places to check out, and the free tickets for kids helped seal the deal over competing destinations. Getting up extra early, and after ritually sacrificing a canned coffee to the gods of the Kan-Etsu for their favor, we embarked on our journey to the Land of the Erstwhile Bubble. Kita-Kanto Expressway to the Kan-Etsu, then off at Tsukiyono. Grind it out over the Mikuni toge, until emerging onto the Niigata side, at which point we were pretty much immediately confronted with the Naeba ski slope rising above us: As we pulled into the parking lot, first impressions were that the Naeba ski slope is surprisingly intimate, and steep. There is not much of a distance between the hotels at the base and the lifts, and the hill rises up straight up from there. Somewhat unimaginatively, we started on the left-hand side of the resort (as looking up from the bottom), and worked our way to the right. As can be seen, the upper levels were shrouded in mist in the morning. Traversing the lower slopes took up much of the morning. The nearest place I can compare Naeba to is Alts Bandai, with the same Bubble-jidai aura about it. But Naeba is like Alts on steroids. Alts has a huge, flat base area, with lifts into the hills well separated. Naeba, on the other hand, has a very thin but wide base area, with lifts packed insanely close together, and even crossing over each other. At both places, one can spend the whole day traversing from one side to the other, but at Naeba the number of lifts in parallel is much greater. In fact, if one looks closely, only about half of the lifts at Naeba are actually still in service. But even at that, it seems as if the slope is crazily covered in lifts. Riding the #1 gondola lift up, we encountered a fog bank. Since we were not familiar with the hill, we didn't go all the way to the top of the mountain. Some breaks in the clouds/mist showed what an intimate valley the Naeba ski area is located in. One thing that stands out about Naeba is that it is a deceptively intimate-feeling mountain. From the parking lot or base area, it seems as though one can see just one slope, with lots of lifts on it. But once one explores around there are lots of hidden areas to the sides and top of the main area. The name of the mountain itself, Takenokoyama, seems very appropriate. There are lots of hidden trails in the upper reaches that are not visible from the base area, hidden behind the upper "shoots" of the mountain. Other things: There is a huge underground shopping mall hidden inside the hotel complex at the base of the mountain. The snow quality was pure spring skiing: slushy rooster tails lower down, somewhat firmer at higher elevations. But, that was expected this time of year, so no complaints there. At least we didn't get rained on. In the end, I can see why this place held sway during the heady days of the Bubble. It has a surprising amount of variety within an apparently-compact, yet practically spread-out area. Also, the intermediate-level trails from the upper reaches to the lower areas are satisfyingly challenging for the average punter, in terms of length. Good work-out. I could easily see going to Naeba several times a season -- were it not for the Kan-Etsu, which came this close to claiming me as a victim on the way home. Fix that problem, and the entertaining variety of terrain within a deceptively intimate-yet-broad space would be a killer combination. Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted March 27, 2013 Share Posted March 27, 2013 Ah the Devil Road!!! I'm glad that is behind me. Naeba is steep from the off, the actual best beginners runs are the ones to the extreme left and right of the mountain as you look at it from the hotel. Link to post Share on other sites
Mick Rich 78 Posted March 27, 2013 Share Posted March 27, 2013 Perfect timing Metabo as I'm thinking of going there for the first time this Saturday!! Link to post Share on other sites
veronica 2 Posted March 27, 2013 Share Posted March 27, 2013 Nice review Metabo Oyaji, thanks! Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted March 27, 2013 Share Posted March 27, 2013 Thanks for the review MO. Never thought about some of the things you say. Link to post Share on other sites
1 4 Posted March 27, 2013 Share Posted March 27, 2013 Thanks. That pic with lots of people on it near base - that was a queue for lifts? Link to post Share on other sites
Metabo Oyaji 71 Posted March 27, 2013 Author Share Posted March 27, 2013 Cheers, folks. Thanks. That pic with lots of people on it near base - that was a queue for lifts? Yes. That was one of the middle lifts. The line wasn't actually as bad as it may look, maybe a couple to a few minutes. Several of the lifts had hardly any lines at all. Come to think of it, the lifts with lines were mainly the ones serving the beginner slopes -- the free kids effect, I guess. The place was busy, but not crowded. There were also a few fenced off kiddy snow-play areas around the base, with sledding, inner-tube rides, and snowmobile tows. Very family-targeted. Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted March 27, 2013 Share Posted March 27, 2013 Next time you'll have to hit the top. Lovely views on a clear day. Link to post Share on other sites
big-will 7 Posted March 28, 2013 Share Posted March 28, 2013 Did you see any monkeys on the road up from Tsukiyono? Link to post Share on other sites
snowbender 3 Posted March 28, 2013 Share Posted March 28, 2013 Nice one MO. Let's Naeba. Link to post Share on other sites
BagOfCrisps 24 Posted March 28, 2013 Share Posted March 28, 2013 Good reporto Metabo, domo Link to post Share on other sites
ILoveZao 8 Posted March 28, 2013 Share Posted March 28, 2013 Ah Naeba. I have memories from there. Good to see it again. I suspect not quite as busy as my memories! Link to post Share on other sites
seemore 66 Posted March 28, 2013 Share Posted March 28, 2013 Cheers Metabo Link to post Share on other sites
Metabo Oyaji 71 Posted March 28, 2013 Author Share Posted March 28, 2013 Cheers again, everybody. Did you see any monkeys on the road up from Tsukiyono? Alas, no. Passed through Sarugakyo, but no sign of the eponymous rascals. Link to post Share on other sites
Hokkaidough 4 Posted March 29, 2013 Share Posted March 29, 2013 Why exactly did this place get so famous? Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted March 29, 2013 Share Posted March 29, 2013 Naeba? Didn't the royal family used to patronise the place back in the day? I suspect it's closeness to and ease of access from Tokyo was also a factor Link to post Share on other sites
joshnii 2 Posted March 29, 2013 Share Posted March 29, 2013 Naeba was just such a cool place. Was featured in popular romantic movies and stuff. Was the place to be! Link to post Share on other sites
HeatherLocklearRocks 1 Posted March 29, 2013 Share Posted March 29, 2013 What was that famous Japanese ski movie called? It was a drama, not really a ski flick but set in Naeba and other places?. Link to post Share on other sites
Metabo Oyaji 71 Posted March 30, 2013 Author Share Posted March 30, 2013 Are you thinking of 私をスキーに連れてって? Not filmed at Naeba, as far as I know, but at Manza and Shiga Kogen. Naeba seems to have garnered cachet early on, for whatever reason. Prince Hotel brand name, yearly Yuming concerts (reportedly she is the one who came up with the name "Dragondola"), and accessibility from Tokyo -- yet slightly exclusive feeling, in its cozy little valley -- probably helped too. I suppose the fact that a large swath of the slope is visible from the base area helped, too. Good for showing off one's fluorescent fashion sense, I imagine. Link to post Share on other sites
gnarly-dude 1 Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 Really I thought that movie was part Naeba as well. I think the main big thing about Naeba is size and ease of getting to from Tokyo. Link to post Share on other sites
sivartmac 0 Posted April 4, 2013 Share Posted April 4, 2013 Great write-up, Oyaji-san. I also went to Naeba for the first time a few weeks ago, and I find that my experience and thoughts largely echo yours. It really does require a few moments to take in the view when pulling into the parking lot for the first time! Could you or anyone else possibly enlighten me about the Kan-Etsu and its troublespots? I've made the journey on it to the Yuzawa area a good half-dozen times or so, and I don't recall anything particularly noteworthy about it other than the occasional queue on the drive back to Tokyo on a Saturday evening. Cheers! Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted April 4, 2013 Share Posted April 4, 2013 anywhere from Nerima to the start of Gunma......that is the honey trap of the devil road Link to post Share on other sites
sivartmac 0 Posted April 4, 2013 Share Posted April 4, 2013 Hmmm.. I didn't realize the Kan-Etsu was so notorious. I appreciate the head's up! Link to post Share on other sites
igloo 3 Posted April 7, 2013 Share Posted April 7, 2013 Thanks for that. Always never sure how I feel about Naeba. Had some good and bad experiences there, the bad being too many other people there. Link to post Share on other sites
pie-eater 207 Posted April 7, 2013 Share Posted April 7, 2013 The Top Tip that applies to Naeba is really - go weekday. I suppose it applies to mostly everywhere, but some more than others. Link to post Share on other sites
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