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I know that the Aokiko Sun Alpina resort has only been closed for about 5 years, but that place has already been partially reclaimed by nature. It's amazing how fast stuff grows here and how quickly c

OK, well just give us a shout if you entounter problems. Basically you upload photos in that link I sent you. And then you can write your post, and embed the photos within that post. Look forward t

Thanks for reminding me METAL. Yes we still have those articles, I suppose they will make for interesting reading for those interested in the Arai story. Got some things we need to get done in the

  • SnowJapan Admin

Will snap some photos for sure. Always seem to have difficulty trying to upload pics to SJ though :shifty:

 

Would be keen to see those too NECK. What problems you have?

 

http://www.snowjapanforums.com/index.php/gallery/

 

If you have problems using the above, please let me know by mail or PM. Will be happy to help, and keen that you can get it working.

We'd prefer to know than people just have problems and not let us know!

 

:friend:

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My main problem is dumbness unfortunately :omg: ...... Have tried to upload pics with my past resort reviews, but couldn't seem to attach them to the text to accompany my words. I see others doing so and it looks all pretty, so again I blame my general dumbness for not being able to upload such nice resort reviews/reports.

I'm sure I can muster the skills to post the pics separately from the text in the SJ gallery, so I will go ahead and do that with any good Arai pics I get this weekend.

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OK, well just give us a shout if you entounter problems.

Basically you upload photos in that link I sent you.

And then you can write your post, and embed the photos within that post.

Look forward to hearing about it and seeing what it all looks like now.

:thumbsup:

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Further to Arai, found this on the Internet "Resorts close to ARAI Mountain and Spa include: Arai Funaokayama(7 km), Myoko Ski Park(9 km)" but can't find any info on Arai Funaokayama. Has anyone heard of it?

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We spent many months going over resort information on the new site.

There might be some tiny places missing but I am quite confident that for the most part it is complete and up to date.

:thumbsup:

 

If it isn't and you know of something that is missing or you think is incorrect, do let us know.

We very much want to keep SnowJapan as up to date as is possible and plan at least 2 run throughs every year, but always happy to hear of any changes.

:friend:

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Further to Arai, found this on the Internet "Resorts close to ARAI Mountain and Spa include: Arai Funaokayama(7 km), Myoko Ski Park(9 km)" but can't find any info on Arai Funaokayama. Has anyone heard of it?

It has not existed since 2004.

 

Here's where it used to be:

 

gallery_10844_68_17764.jpg

 

About 2 km almost due south of Arai train station in Myoko city.

Looks like there is a bakery now about where the base building would probably have been. (?)

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So I made it to Arai Mountain and Spa on Saturday. Spent a good 4 hours exploring the place with my buddy and taking photos. It was a really good experience and I can report that the place has not done well against the elements since it closed in 2006.

 

I was amazed by the sheer size of the base area. It is a vast plaza, circled by large hotels, spa buildings, restaurants, lift terminals and all the other buildings you would find at a large ski resort. All of these buildings look fairly battered already, with the 'Inn at Arai' hotel looking like it has done better than the other buildings against the elements. It is very obvious that the sheer volume of winter snowfall, coupled with the lack of people to do the necessary snow work has taken it's toll on all of the structures there.

 

I can't believe that a resort of that size (and price tag) has just been left to rot. It looked like it was aiming to be the Vail or Aspen of Niigata/Japan when it was in operation, but now it is just another large-scale abandonment, gradually being reclaimed by nature.

 

It didn't really have a spooky feel to it and I could actually see some beauty in what it has become, but while walking around it's empty vastness, I couldn't help but imagine how it must have looked and felt when it was running and in it's heyday.

 

I will post a few photos in the SJ gallery when I get home later.

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Doesn't look that bad, Although it's had to tell, looks like a bit of hard work could get the place up and running again.

 

Wonder why they coundn't keep the hotel business going with spas and onsens, especially given how popular onsens are here.

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Wonder why they coundn't keep the hotel business going with spas and onsens, especially given how popular onsens are here.

 

Wild guess - because they were leaking huge amounts of money.

 

Would you throw continue good money at bad?

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Yeah, I've come across those online before.

Maybe some of the buildings could be saved, but it would take a lot of work..... Honestly, I would say that the place is done already.

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Wonder why they coundn't keep the hotel business going with spas and onsens, especially given how popular onsens are here.

 

Wild guess - because they were leaking huge amounts of money.

 

Would you throw continue good money at bad?

 

But how much of the money was from the ski field, shut down the ski field and reinvent the hotel as a destination for onsens. I've been to some very out of the way hotels just for the onsen. (actually dragged along againest my will by extended family)

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From what I gather it was the hotels and that whole mad infrastructure they had going on (heated plaza, restaurants, spas) that brought the place down. The upkeep costs were just enormous.

 

It's not as if Niigata is short of onsen hotels.....

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