Niseko Probs

[nzlegend 1]

what would be pleasant would be this for this forum to upgrade to an advanced forum software such as IPB, UBB is a very rudimentary software.

More advanced forum software programs have the ability for individuals to ignore specific users, the very thing those people hate the most: being unheard.

 

Back on topic.

My friend went to Niseko last month, a pilgrimage type trip for him as he not a regular rider. His comment about Niseko?

"Great snow but full af farkin' Aussies!"

[SnowJapan#Andrew 6]

Sorry, going off topic again but.... about the forum software, snowglider.

 

Some technical people may call the software rudimentaty, but it certainly does what it needs to very well and we are not feeling the need to move just now. There are also downsides to introducing more complex applications and there is also the not small issue of keeping and converting the considerable size of our forums into any new software.

 

We're always looking to improve though and will take a look at the one you suggest (and if you know more or want to tell us more please do mail us).

 

Thanks for the comments.

[Fattwins 0]

SG spends too much on the net SJ1 he knows more about forums than anyone should.

[Yuki's Passion 1]

Well said SJ#1

 

JFC, this thread is still going?

 

Niseko has been getting dumped on...Id love to be up there in nippledeep powder off Hana3 right now

[Go Native 70]

If you don't want to ski at a place full of Aussies then yep you shouldn't come to Niseko in Jan or Feb. Dec and Mar are a lot quieter but the snow is not guaranteed to be as good.

 

Even if you do come here in the busy months there are plenty of ways to lessen the exposure to the Aussie hordes. Do some research as there are plenty of accomodation options that are not right in the heart of the village which are nice and quiet. Also there are fantastic dining options in Kutchan, only 10mins away on the free night bus where you may find yourself being the only gaijin in a restaurant.

 

At the end of the day things are not really that bad in Niseko. Yes on chat forums like this you hear all the worst things that stood out during the season but there were well over 10,000 Aussies in Niseko this season and the vast bulk of them had the time of their lives.

[sakebomb 0]

 Quote:

I think the biggest problem with Hokkaido, for none other that its far away, is the fact that Sakebomb lives up there

Oiiiii! Cheeky boy...are you still moving back this way?

[cheeseman 1]

I think if they made cheese more readily available up there and kept all the cheesefans happy, everyone would get along just fine. Everyone loves cheese and as well as being delicious and nutritious, it brings people together in a way no other foodstuff can!

[badmigraine 0]

NPM, as for Fatty's whereabouts...Mogski's & my mate Shigeki bumped into Fatty last week. He was surfing off Lompoc island in the Phillipines.

 

Shigs didn't know we knew Fatty. He just came back to Tokyo and said "Hey while surfing Lompoc I met this Aussie who says he lives in Niseko..." Small world!

[Fattwins 0]

cb is staying at his job in kobe its too good to leave.

[Yuki's Passion 1]

 Quote:

Originally posted by Fattwins:
cb is staying at his job in kobe its too good to leave.

Sakebomb - hey mate, unfortunately, the timing didnt work out where I could leave my school and not **** them over so I didnt accept the position. The otherside of the deal, not my soontobeboss, but the political side didnt get the ball rolling until too late. I was pretty bummed but thats just the way things work. I woulda loved to have gotten into that position...

[AndDee 0]

Spent 2 weeks up there, yes there were quite a few aussie, didnt see any major problem. Heaps of drunk locals though, moreso than the Aussies.

 

Went out everynight to a different restaruant and probably 10% aussies eating out

[snowbender 3]

It is interesting to hear that AndDee.

 

I am going to try out Niseko next season and see for myself.

[Rag-Doll 0]

It seems to be that a lot of complaints about there being too many Aussies and the overall increase in popularity of Niseko come from two distinct groups of people.

 

Type 1 - Those who don't live in Japan and seem to think that skiing in Japan must also include some sort of cultural experience. Many of these people will have booked themselves a package deal offered by a tour company making its money from economies of scale. They then get to Niseko and bemoan the loads of (other) Aussies doing exactly the same thing. Many of these same people won't be familiar with the typical Japanese ski resort that has zero night life and so when they go out at night looking for something to do all they see are other Aussies doing the same thing. This creates a distorted impression of the general number of Aussies in the place. The locals still out number Aussies by a large margin, they're just not visible at night because they're all sitting in their rooms. These people are often want it both ways – cheap and easy trips with local infrastructure to accommodate non-Japanese speaking visitors to places that retain their cultural uniqueness. If you want to be a trail blazer, go some place else no one else is going, don't go to Niseko because everyone is talking about it and then bitch because it is over run by multitudes of unimaginative tourists.

 

 

Type 2 - Long term residents in Japan who for a variety of reasons (few of them particularly flattering) like being the only foreigner in the village. There is a strong parallel with that Little Britain sketch about being the only gay in the village. These people resent the influx of foreigners because it means they are no longer as exotic or as unique as they once were. This group of people (comprised almost exclusively of men) would rather remain the only foreigner in the village and bitch about slow lifts, crap safety patrol policies and dreadful food rather than share Japanese ski resorts with visiting foreigners who might enable the resorts to actually make a profit or improve the facilities/policies and, dare I say it, force them to face some uncomfortable facts about themselves.

[Yuki's Passion 1]

You sure missed one of the biggest complaints bout Niseko. Good job

 

Dont forget its flat as a J-bird

[Fattwins 0]

point number 2 is just pure BS where did you float that one from. that line is about as racist as ive ever heard coming from anywhere.

 

point number one was good.

[Yuki's Passion 1]

I had to delete my comments bout "type 2" or find myself being the victim of SJ#1 wrath and kicked off the boards!!

[cheeseman 1]

If there were more cheese readily available in Niseko, there would be no trouble and no complaints, that's for sure!

[Yuki's Passion 1]

tru dat cheeseman

 

but, dont you find, with a truly good wine, you just cant eat cheese with it for fear of the wine losing its good taste? Save the cheese for after I say

[Fattwins 0]

im not laughing cb

[Yuki's Passion 1]

I feel another group hug therapy session coming on...

[cheeseman 1]

Cheese during AND after, of course!

[Rag-Doll 0]

Calling people for bagging Niseko because they think there are too many other foreigners (Aussies) there isn't racist. It's pointing out the hypocrisy. I think it is perfectly legit to prefer other resorts based on terrain, location or whatever. All things being equal, I generally prefer a couple of places around Nagano to what is on offer at Niseko. I just wanted to make a comment on the aversion to foreigners that Niseko’s recent popularity has created as if crime, loud drunks and general obnoxious behavior is solely an Aussie thing.

[Ocean11 0]

I thoroughly enjoyed Point 2. Nice work Rag-Doll.

 

I don't know if it applies to Niseko or not, but Homo Point 2 can definitely be found in many parts of Japan.

[quattro 1]

Rag Doll

 

I’ll agree some what with point 1 but point 2 is way off base I think.

 

Most of us long term residents really could not care less about where you come from. The point is when behavior becomes unacceptable it reflects badly on those of us who do live here and have to live with the repercussions. An example is I remember somebody saying some thing about taking a snow cat or a tractor for a joy ride many posts back.

As westerners we stand out over here and when one person does something stupid it reflects badly on all of us. I’m sure all Aussies are not causing problems. But it’s usually assumed that’s where you’re from as a westerner visiting Niseko. There have been times I have been mistaken for an Aussie when in Niseko. Riding up in a lift with some one small talk usually leads to where you from.

 

There are still many prejudices and stereotyping here in Japan. There are things that are practiced over here in the States that they would never get away with. So when someone does some thing stupid it only adds to the fire. So instead of building bonds and tearing down some of the prejudices and stereotyping it just perpetuates them.

 

Then again I could be totally off base.

[Yuki's Passion 1]

>Type 2 - Long term residents in Japan who for a variety of reasons (few of them particularly flattering) like being the only foreigner in the village. There is a strong parallel with that Little Britain sketch about being the only gay in the village

 

Thats just retarded...but on you go. Gives me a chuckle to read this. Are you related to Laficado Hearn or William Wetherall by any chance cuz you sure seem like a top-notch Japanologist.