journey_man 0 Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 Hi all I am planning to spend the 2006/07 season skiing in Japan and have been reading this excellent forum for ideas on where to ski, where to stay and other helpfull stuff. What I've managed to do is thoroughly confuse myself! Anyways I decided I'd ask and see what happened. A bit about where my sking is at: While I spent many years doing a few days skiing a year I finally got into it and I have spent the last two seasons skiing mainly Big White and Fernie in Canada. I've thoroughly got the bug , especially after all the pow Fernie (steep and deep) had on offer this last season. I heard that Japan had stupid amounts of pow so I thought I'd check it out. I read the "Steep and Deep" thread with interest as I really enjoyed the Fernie conditions. However I guess if the snow is awesome you don't *have* to have steep... I enjoy skiing off piste and am skiing on 2007 Salomon 1080 Guns. I have only done a limited amount of BC work, but would like to do more. I have heard conflicting stories about how expensive it is to live and ski in Japan, I don't have a big budget so any advice on how to keep costs down would be apprecitated. So for all you experts out there, if you were new to Japan, where would you go for a whole season's skiing and what are the things to do and the things to avoid! Thanks Mark Link to post Share on other sites
Fattwins 0 Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 this season or next? youll have a visa or not? Link to post Share on other sites
Yuki's Passion 1 Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 >this season or next? reread his post FF as FT said, do you have a work visa or travel or working holiday? Link to post Share on other sites
thursday 1 Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 Sounds like a whole season of skiing and not working therefore a UK passport would give you 90 days. Early season start up north then move down as the season progresses. Link to post Share on other sites
Fattwins 0 Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 that would be expensive Link to post Share on other sites
journey_man 0 Posted November 21, 2006 Author Share Posted November 21, 2006 This is a last minute decision (I was going back to North America) so there are a few "minor" details like Visa's I haven't looked into yet. Lol. Yes it is this coming season and I will be travelling on a New Zealand Passport. I'm guessing that getting a work visa at this late stage is probably nigh on impossible - so a visitors visa it will be. Hopefully it's for longer than 90 days! Looks like I'll be doing some emergency research at work today! Link to post Share on other sites
Fattwins 0 Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 Try to get the working holiday visa Link to post Share on other sites
Kumapix 0 Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 do 90 days then fly to korea for a day and come back and do another 90 Link to post Share on other sites
journey_man 0 Posted November 21, 2006 Author Share Posted November 21, 2006 A trip to Korea might be the go to get around the 90 day rule. I figure it will be similar to Canada where it is far cheaper to stay in one resort (or area) and get a season pass to cover those resorts. If that is the case where would be a good place to spend the season? Link to post Share on other sites
smellyfeet 0 Posted November 22, 2006 Share Posted November 22, 2006 If money wasn't such a huge hurdle, I'd base myself in a place that has a lot of choice nearby - probably Nagano. Link to post Share on other sites
Fattwins 0 Posted November 22, 2006 Share Posted November 22, 2006 plan to come from early Jan into Mid March. Link to post Share on other sites
journey_man 0 Posted November 23, 2006 Author Share Posted November 23, 2006 Thanks FT, anywhere in particular? Link to post Share on other sites
woywoy 0 Posted November 23, 2006 Share Posted November 23, 2006 I am guessing FT will say ... Nesiko??? Link to post Share on other sites
thursday 1 Posted November 24, 2006 Share Posted November 24, 2006 Tokyo is a good base. If you run low, then moonlight as a priest. Link to post Share on other sites
Yuki's Passion 1 Posted November 24, 2006 Share Posted November 24, 2006 Quote: Originally posted by thursday: Tokyo is a good base. If you run low, then moonlight as a priest. you need both japanese langauge skills and a proper visa. Link to post Share on other sites
Fattwins 0 Posted November 24, 2006 Share Posted November 24, 2006 Look everyone knows that ill say Hakuba so ill say it. I will say a few things though Japan is cheaper than you think. There are lots of budget lodges popping up in Hakuba, Niseko Etc. Dont fall into the hype and know your stats. pretty much anywhere you go is going to have massive snowfalls Hakuba 10 to 13 meters Furano to Niseko 8.5 to 12 meters plus. Nigata 8 to 14 meters. Those are close to the numbers. Japan snow is loaded into 3 monthes the best conditions being from about the 20th of Dec through to the end of march. After march the snow usally turns off everywhere because.... We get our snow from the siberian (spelling) winds and they turn off usally then. dont expect much snow in April although it does happen. So that means for 3 monthes it dumps and dumps big. Now where to go from a resort stand point, there are a few places that stand out for a vacation right now for overseas guests. Niseko Hakuba Furano They are your best bets for almost everything with niseko built up well for English speakers. Hakuba has the most terrain out of all the 3 heck it has more than the 2 areas combined. Furano growing but its patrol sucks poop and they advertise that you should explore other ski areas to get trees,,, but to use them as a base. They have a guy named Luke though that has been doing some good work there though. For snow mate its there when you want it really at all 3. For BC easy learning Niseko A bit risky Furano withits ice cold snowpack Risky for biglines but safe other lines Hakuba Hakuba again having more to offer. All areas feature English guides but the most experienced guide in Japan is based in Hakuba and is an instructor to the Japanese guides. For guides Chuck in furano Dave enright Hakuba Niseko SAS, NAC etc etc etc. As for where to stay this site features a ton on budget accom now from 40000 a month at most of the areas take a look. Hope this helps it might be slanted hakubas way but i tired to be balanced a bit. PS tickets here are cheap compared to overseas 4000yen a day with seasons passes from 30000 to 150000 yen but average 50000 yen Link to post Share on other sites
journey_man 0 Posted December 2, 2006 Author Share Posted December 2, 2006 Fatwins you are a star! Thanks for the detailed reply, it really helps cut through the huge amount of detail that is out there for skiing in Japan. Deciding where to go in Canada was easy in comparison! Link to post Share on other sites
Yuki's Passion 1 Posted December 2, 2006 Share Posted December 2, 2006 JM, are you into touring in the Spring season or are you gonna go home bc of money? Do you want just epic powder and dont really mind terrain not being that challenging? Do you want steeps? Id also look into Shiga Kogen as well. Link to post Share on other sites
gamera 0 Posted December 2, 2006 Share Posted December 2, 2006 Another long season plan besides kronik! JM, try to get a working holiday visa if there's still some chances as some before me have already mentioned. Good luck Link to post Share on other sites
journey_man 0 Posted December 4, 2006 Author Share Posted December 4, 2006 Creek, the main reason for going to Japan is for the amazing powder. I also love the steeps, but I can see from other threads here that is harder to find. Although I'd imagine that with so much snow avalanches would be a real problem on any decently steep terrain. So I'll settle for amazing powder! I was in Fernie for the last season and it was a good season. I'd never skiied in so much powder before. However the place really scared me with the amount of avalanches they had. There were a few BC deaths and some well equiped friends has some scares. So I have a lot of respect for the problems lots of snow can bring. I'm not quite sure what you mean by touring in the spring season? BC? Yes money is an issue, it is why I work in London during the summer, it is a good place to generate funds for my winter addiction. Unfortunately I am too old for the working holiday visa, so will have to see how it goes. It looks like I will have to leave after 90 days anyway, so I'm thinking about my options. If the amazing snow has dried up by then maybe I'll go somewhere else. If there is still cool things to do I will come back for the rest of the season. Thoughts? I'll check out Shiga Kogen! Link to post Share on other sites
Yuki's Passion 1 Posted December 4, 2006 Share Posted December 4, 2006 as others have said a month/resort is another option and most places have a cheaper(ish) monthly pass as well. Niseko in January. Shiga/Nozawa/Hakuba in February. Then...? Link to post Share on other sites
journey_man 0 Posted December 8, 2006 Author Share Posted December 8, 2006 Niseko looks awesome! So I'm off there first. Is Tokyo Narita the closest International Airport that has flights from Europe? I see that Sapporo has International Flights but it looks like there are only flights from nearby countries. Is this accurate? Are there any good Japanese travel agents in London or is booking on the Internet the way to go? Lots of questions! Thanks in advance for any help that anyone can give... Link to post Share on other sites
Fubuki 0 Posted December 8, 2006 Share Posted December 8, 2006 JM-check Nagoya airport as well, or Central International Airport as it is actually called. Also, another bummer about passes in Hakuba is that you can't get a joint pass for any of the really good mountains. Also, look closely at each mountain for the type of terrain you want. I spent a season at Happo One last year and loved it. It pretty much has everything you want in many different conditions. The patrol aren"t Nazis, too which is an added plus. However, the price is a bit steep for Hakuba, but compared to Canada....I have no idea. About tickets, I usually just go through the internet if you have the time to search you can usually find a good deal, why pay someone to do it for you right? It might be a couple extra days on the hill.....good luck! Link to post Share on other sites
journey_man 0 Posted January 5, 2007 Author Share Posted January 5, 2007 Well guys I'm now in Niseko and loving it. Ok, the locals are complaining about the lack of snow, but we've had a couple of ok dumps and it's great to be back out on some decent pow! So thanks to those of you who helped me get here! Link to post Share on other sites
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