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I'm a beginner/low intermediate skier and after reading the reviews I think I'm gonna go to Tsugaike Kogen as it seems to be very beginner-friendly and has plenty of slopes to choose from. What's the nightlife like and where are the good places to stay?

 

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vi

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If you want to go to the main going out places at night, stay close to Happo where they are, not close to Tsugaike. You can probably get a bus from Happo to Tsugaike during the day to go skiing. No buses at night to go boozing from Tsugaike.

 

I reckon it must be over 10km from Happo to Tsugaike. Tsugaike is NOT in Hakuba, it's in Otari, so I would ignore the "very very close" comment if I were you. Over New Year (pandemonium on the roads) I heard of one guy taking three hours to get from Tsugaike to Wadano, but you can normally do it in around 20 to 25 minutes.

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Yeah I thought that would come up. OK, so it's not actually in Hakuba Village, but it is still part of the "Hakuba Valley" and very close - and many places will shuttle bus you there free of charge.....

 

Good place, Tsugaike.

 

By the way, it's not New Year anymore - so you shouldn't have many road problems.

 

smile.gif

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So there you have it. 10km is very close. I must just be a lazy #$%$#&@ ! I hope that isn't the standard used when judging places in the SJG accomodation guide. (Personal recommendation - Niseko Scott - 70m to the lift)

 

Yo vi

 

If you want easy first tracks, there are hotels right on the edge of the course at Tsugaike. There's a Jamaican food place (run by a reggae-loving Japanese fellow)called Hot Pot down by the main road, but other than that, I doubt there's much life near the resort. What there is in Hakuba is centered on Echoland. The area's also well serviced by buses, so you should have no problems getting to Tsugaike and back to do your skiing. If you're driving, Tsugaike's car park is 1000 yen at the weekend and 500 during the week. Not a huge amount of money, but bloody annoying all the same.

 

Tsugaike's got long and wide slopes. Great place for cruising. They slopes aren't so steep and the run ups to some of the lifts are really flat, but that shouldn't be such a problem if you're on skis. Only one part of the regular courses gets mogulled, a 100m part of the course marked "muzukashii" on the gondola side, so you should be able to enjoy the whole hill. The part marked "muzukashii" on the north side hardly warrants the description either, but should be less crowded.

 

Japanese couples make a big thing of ringing the bell in the funny white rocket-shaped tower on the south (left as you go up) side of the resort. It's a very romanchikku thing to do, apparently.

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Cal, what's so good about 47 and Goryu (just wondering)?

 

 Quote:
Originally posted by cal:

I like this resort, after 47/Goryu my fave in the Hakuba region. Got some friends over there who own a pension, so some good accomm too!

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I just like it generally.

A good combination of runs, lifts and as I said I have friends over there at a pension, so that probably has a lot to do with it.

I've just had a great time when I go there...

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I like 47/goryu also. Unfortunately the 47 has become quite popular with many of us searching for many of the same trees. I admit most of it is off the same lift, but not too shabby. Hit same great runs at Tsugaike yesterday even though only the north face was still powdery.

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