Nothing in particular is happening on this, the 3rd of December, but we are in a new month and that month is the one in which the lifts will be running and hopefully the snow will be falling (not necessarily in that order).

I have to make a correction: Akakura Kanko Ski Area will open on the 14th, not the 20th. Your correspondent was being honest in reporting what he found on the website, but now the official word is the 14th. Yea! Of course, that's pretty marginal for snow a lot of times, but let’s stay positive for the moment.

Actually, I have seen more people reserving earlier this year, but as a rule of thumb Christmas is pretty much giri-giri (might just happen, might not). Skiing off the courses is pretty much impossible either way, until there’s enough snow to press down the samplings and brush (unless you enjoy getting caught up in wild grapes, which act just like cables around ankles). So you might think about that a bit. New Year’s is fun, don’t get me wrong; I like to trundle up to the local shrine for a proper start to the new year (and a shot of saké, which purifies the spirit and warms on the way back home).

More as the weather changes, but not much on the horizon until later this week, the NHK weatherwoman says.