tonijusto 2 Posted May 23, 2014 Share Posted May 23, 2014 Last year I have been in hokkaido. I made a tour around central Hokkaido and niseko area. This year I would like come back to Japan. I search information about ski areas. I found that nozawa onsen very good powder,and near mykono and madaro with very good snow. Can you give me your opinion. I 'm guarantee of powder and off piste terrain because for ski in slopes in europe I have very good terrain. Can you help me? Can you give your opinion? Thanks you Link to post Share on other sites
pie-eater 207 Posted May 23, 2014 Share Posted May 23, 2014 Last year I have been in hokkaido. I made a tour around central Hokkaido and niseko area. This year I would like come back to Japan. Isn't Hokkaido on the island of Japan? It's all jolly confusing. But it's certainly a fine region you mention. Check archive reports on the site here (link top right) to see how things went the last 10 or so seasons. Link to post Share on other sites
gozaimaas 61 Posted May 23, 2014 Share Posted May 23, 2014 Honshu has some better terrain but the powder is less consistent compared to hokkaido Link to post Share on other sites
SKI 15 Posted May 26, 2014 Share Posted May 26, 2014 Both Honshu and Hokkaido are of course on the Island of Japan, which is great. But seriously, Nozawa/Myoko/Madarao and nearby places are all more 'compact' than places in Hokkaido. Very handy. Link to post Share on other sites
tonijusto 2 Posted May 26, 2014 Author Share Posted May 26, 2014 I will came back to hokkaido Link to post Share on other sites
ILoveZao 8 Posted May 27, 2014 Share Posted May 27, 2014 I wish there were more places closer to Zao; it's a bit isolated in a way which I think puts some people off. Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted May 27, 2014 Share Posted May 27, 2014 Is it easy to get to and from the various resorts in the Myoko-Nozawa-Madarao area? Shuttle buses? Public buses? Trains? Accommodation drop off? You have Togari and Ryuo in the same area, that's quite a fair selection Link to post Share on other sites
BagOfCrisps 24 Posted May 27, 2014 Share Posted May 27, 2014 "Could do better" is probably a good way to describe it! Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted May 27, 2014 Share Posted May 27, 2014 It's a shame really, they arent so far apart and offer quite a selection of slopes to ride. Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted May 27, 2014 Share Posted May 27, 2014 "Yuzawa" (the town / the area) can't do it that well, so I am not surprised that a wider area involving more towns and companies don't do much better. Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted May 27, 2014 Share Posted May 27, 2014 Why do you think that is Muika? Is it a Japan thing or is it common in other snow areas around the world? FWIW I always thought Yuzawa did ok with the shuttle buses....Kagura, Ishiuchi, Maiko and Kandatsu being the ones Ive used Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted May 27, 2014 Share Posted May 27, 2014 Yes I suppose it's not too bad. But they are mostly all individual skijo buses going to and from the station. The only 'tie-up' I can think of is NASPA > Yuzawa Kogen > GALA Yuzawa. Might be wrong. I suppose it's a case where everyone's looking after their own interests rather than holding hands to walk forward. Or something like that. I imagine once the Iiyama Station gets opened it might be similar, go back to te station to get a bus for another skijo. Link to post Share on other sites
onehunga 26 Posted May 27, 2014 Share Posted May 27, 2014 When Mick and I visited Mt Granview, we were thinking of ways to live there. Yes it's that great a place. One idea was a hotel/hostel with a shuttle bus to all the other resorts in the area. From what Muika says above the shuttle might be a good idea. Link to post Share on other sites
Wizz 11 Posted May 27, 2014 Share Posted May 27, 2014 I think lots of hotels/pensions do shuttle people to and from the resorts in the Yuzawa/Shiozawa area. Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted May 27, 2014 Share Posted May 27, 2014 Yes should have mentioned that. Lots of accommodation places do have little mini-buses and are usually happy to take people to skijo in the area. Link to post Share on other sites
onehunga 26 Posted May 27, 2014 Share Posted May 27, 2014 I was thinking more of a circular route around and around, rather than just there and back. A couple of laps visiting resorts and skijos in the morning, and same again mid to late afternoon. Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted May 27, 2014 Share Posted May 27, 2014 My friend has a place in Yuzawa and he does that, sort of. Depending on who is going where he makes the route each morning and buses people off to the skijo. Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted May 27, 2014 Share Posted May 27, 2014 For all the time I spent in the Yuzawa area resorts, I never once actually stayed over, just jetting back on the shink when the day was over......kinda regret that now that I've moved up north. Would've been cool to see what the town was really like. I suppose it's a case where everyone's looking after their own interests rather than holding hands to walk forward. Or something like that. ah ok, yeah I see what you are saying. One good thing I always thought about that is that there is no time wasted dropping people off at other ski-jo's....you can just get the shuttle you need and go straight there. For Naeba/Kagura, there are a couple of options......free Prince bus if you are staying at the Naeba hotel, Resort liner from the east exit (the exit thats a right turn out the gates....can never remember if thats east, west, north or south!) and the local bus from outside Hatago Onsen from the other exit (left turn out the shink gates). Again I was always happy that they seemed to time the buses to coincide with the arrival of the shinks, which of course makes sense, but this being Japan, its not always the case! Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted May 27, 2014 Share Posted May 27, 2014 If you are staying near the centre I suppose that's ideal really. Just get on the bus you want. Problem is that you see countless almost (or actually) empty buses throughout the day. Seems like there's a lot of in-efficiencies. Which is a bit shocking, this being the island of Japan. Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted May 27, 2014 Share Posted May 27, 2014 Even if a hotel won't take you over to Iwappara or Kagura or whereever, I am guessing that a large % of them will almost certainly take you to the station. Link to post Share on other sites
NoFakie 45 Posted May 27, 2014 Share Posted May 27, 2014 When it comes to shuttle buses, I think people are a bit greedy with their expectations. It must cost a fortune to run them. I feel sorry for ski resorts that have them. I don't think I got on a free shuttle bus anywhere when I lived in the UK. I can't remember getting on one anywhere else outside Japan. Some bloke offered me a free lift on the back of a motorcycle between Amber and Jaipur in India once, but that included an unexpected detour to a carpet shop. Maybe the Hakuba buses should copy this and take everyone to the michi no eki. Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted May 27, 2014 Share Posted May 27, 2014 I don't think anyone is saying they should be free.....I know I'm certainly willing to pay a reasonable fee for a shuttle bus. Other than Maiko and maybe Ishiuchi (I can't remember exactly) every other bus has charged a fee Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted May 27, 2014 Share Posted May 27, 2014 I never use them so don't know. All I can comment on really is the hundreds (slight exaggeration perhaps!) are close to empty buses trekking round town. Link to post Share on other sites
merryJim 1 Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 Nozawa + Myoko Kogen + Madarao I'd put that as Nozawa + Ryuo + Shiga Kogen + Myoko Kogen + Madarao Makes for a really great area. Link to post Share on other sites
1 4 Posted June 2, 2014 Share Posted June 2, 2014 It sure does. Don't forget 'Mt Kosha' too with Kijimadaira etc. Slap bang in the middle there. Link to post Share on other sites
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