 Poster: A snowHead
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I know we've a wealth of information here, not leat from Mr Pow's excellent photo diaries but as pre-contemplation of a possible trip next year anyone got a decent schedule locked down which:
0 Uses a practical international flight into Japan
1 Optimises best time to go? Early Feb?
2 Minimises lost ski time and $$$ on internal travel
3 Maximises pow
4 Enables hook ups with ex pats etc who know where the best goods are at etc
Snow monkeys, onsen, Tokyo all a bonus but not really a necessary feature. I assume I can get weird food from vending machines & exotic bogs anywhere.
Looking at 10/11 days probably
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| fatbob wrote: |
| I know we've a wealth of information here, not leat from Mr Pow's excellent photo diaries but as pre-contemplation of a possible trip next year anyone got a decent schedule locked down which: |
Thanks fatbob
All info below for Hokkaido
| Quote: |
| 0 Uses a practical international flight into Japan |
UK - HK - Sapporo (CTS) with Cathay Pacific
UK - Amsterdam - Seoul - Sapporo with KLM / Air France / Korean
| Quote: |
| 1 Optimises best time to go? Early Feb? |
Snow (last 6 seasons averages for Hirafu village, Niseko Resort Area - approx 300 m asl)
Dec 344 cm
Jan 483 cm
Feb 270 cm
Mar 161 cm
However Jan and Feb are peak seasons in the Niseko Resort Area price wise. Outside of Niseko no problem.
| Quote: |
| 2 Minimises lost ski time and $$$ on internal travel |
See 0
See 1
| Quote: |
| 4 Enables hook ups with ex pats etc who know where the best goods are at etc |
Niseko Resort Area. Always someone to show you around if you chat on the chair / gondola.
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For packages talk with Ben at Japan Ski Experience (couple of snowHeads went with them this winter)
http://www.japanskiexperience.co.uk/
http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=86439
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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With reference to 2: is travelling around within Japan reasonably easy and time efficient?
Me, GF and a few mates are thinking of going over probably season after next, me and a mate mainly for the skiing and everyone else just for the ride (actually it started with me and my mate saying we wanted to go skiing, but apparently it's not fair if I get to go to Japan and the GF doesn't). The others ski, but not particularly good or fussed. So we would probably end up doing 2 weeks, 1 skiing and 1 being tourists, so obviously the ease of internal travel is important.
Although this looks like an excellent argument for getting more skiing in:
| fatbob wrote: |
I assume I can get weird food from vending machines & exotic bogs anywhere.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Best time, late Jan/Early Feb but avoid Chine New Year.
book with this company, who I used this season, will sort out answers to 0 thru 3 (maybe 4) in one swoop 
http://www.japanskiexperience.co.uk
Takes alot of hassle out of it, flights seemed good, BA both ways to/from Tokyo. Hotel sorted in Tokyo on way home and all details about how to transfer to airport all provided. Ben also stays out there so skis a few hours with you to give you some pointers.
One guy stayed at the black diamond ski lodge, he seemed to find folk to ski with every day by doing that.
Loads of Aussies in certain pubs who I am sure would hook up with you.
Mike's already linked to my TR from this season...
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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BA to Sapporo via Tokyo was a bit cheaper than Cathay Pacific when I compared prices last season, but you need to factor in a night a Tokyo on the way home.
I'll be heading back to Niseko next season, probably end of Jan beginning of Feb. Here's some photos from our trip this year to whet your appetite...
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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hi fatbob, I'm v much planning on going there next year and similar thoughts to you on this. I'm intending to go with rob@rar and his inside-out posse...probably with some culture thrown in fore or aft.
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DoubleBombardino, v tempted to do the same, but not sure if my skiing is up to it. Was going to get my off-piste skills up a notch this season, but it didn't quite work out... 
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| Pedantica wrote: |
| DoubleBombardino, v tempted to do the same, but not sure if my skiing is up to it. Was going to get my off-piste skills up a notch this season, but it didn't quite work out... |
No better place than Hokkaido to transition from piste to powder IMHO
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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This is on the radar for me too so will be watching with interest.
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| Mike Pow wrote: |
Dec 344 cm
Jan 483 cm
Feb 270 cm
Mar 161 cm
However Jan and Feb are peak seasons in the Niseko Resort Area price wise. Outside of Niseko no problem.
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So it seem like end of Dec could be just as good condition without the crowd and cost?
Or just focus in other Niseko?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Mike Pow, yes, but I'd be worried about holding back other people in the group.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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abc, December can be very hit or miss. I'd be thinking January (not New Year) or February (and missing Chinese New Year too).
bobmcstuff, travelling round Japan's rail network is easy and efficient. Get a JR pass before (!) you go.
http://www.japanrailpass.net/eng/en001.html
There is plenty of good skiing on Honshu if you want to combine skiing with visits to Tokyo or Kyoto. Hakuba, Shiga Kogen, Zao, Myoko Kogen and Nozawa all worth considering amongst others.
Also have a look at
http://www.snowjapanforums.com/
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| abc wrote: |
| Mike Pow wrote: |
Dec 344 cm
Jan 483 cm
Feb 270 cm
Mar 161 cm
However Jan and Feb are peak seasons in the Niseko Resort Area price wise. Outside of Niseko no problem.
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So it seem like end of Dec could be just as good condition without the crowd and cost?
Or just focus in other Niseko? |
Peak season in the Niseko Resort Area cost wise is 20 Dec - 28 Feb.
Peak season crowd wise in the Niseko Resort Area is 20 Dec - mid Feb / post Chinese New Year.
This is relative and in no way matches the holiday crowds of N America and Europe.
The other resorts on Hokkaido get nowhere near the volume of skiers / snowboarders, so always easy to find deserted slopes and untracked powder.
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You know it makes sense.
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I was there during 'peak' this year at the end of Jan, the biggest queue was 5 minutes before the gondola opened one morning and 10 mins at the top waiting for a hike to open up!!
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Very interesting information. I'm looking at a Niseko trip in 2013 but it would have to be second half of March for me to get the time off work. Looks like much less chance of fresh then. Is it still worth going?
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Poster: A snowHead
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Went there few years ago and arranged everythign on my own as follow :
- LHR to NRT with NH (ANA) return
- transfer NRT to HND by minibus directly from arrival terminal
- HND to CTS with NH (ANA) return
all on same day.
Then to Niseko by rental car from Sapporo train station where the CTS express brings you. Even had time for massive ramen next to the Tokedai.
Stayed in local guesthouse in Annupuri. Quiet. Ideal. Excellent snow. Ski, ski and ski until very late on all Niseko United. Onsen not far. Very good food.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I don't quite understand why Chinese New Year would have much impact. I don't think Chinese are massively interested in skiing, especially going to Japan to ski...
So I'm curious as to why it needs to be avoided in trip planning?
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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abc, IMHO cos lots of expats, Aussies and locals in the Asia pacific get it as holiday!!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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expats I can understand except I wouldn't have thought that's a large number.
Do Aussies gets Chinese New Year off as a holiday?
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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abc, I don't know, but it seemed to me thataccommodation prices increased a little during the week of CNY. By the standard of European school holidays I think the increased numbers are relatively small, but if you aren't tied to a CNY holiday doesn't it make sense to avoid it if you can?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| rob@rar wrote: |
| if you aren't tied to a CNY holiday doesn't it make sense to avoid it if you can? |
This is just a pure curiosity. I'm not going to Japan any time soon.
But on a more practical note, many people going to Japan go for a bit longer due to the distance and jet lag. CNY being in late Jan to early Feb means that falls squarely in the middle of the best part of the season. So avoiding it could potentially limits when you can actually go.
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| abc wrote: |
I don't quite understand why Chinese New Year would have much impact. I don't think Chinese are massively interested in skiing, especially going to Japan to ski...
So I'm curious as to why it needs to be avoided in trip planning? |
Just speaking for Hokkaido.
Visitors to Hokkaido in winter from Hong Kong, mainland China, Malaysia, Thailand and Signapore are on the increase and not just during Chinese New Year.
Skiing is getting more and more popular each season in these countries, and Hokkaido provides the closest international standard skiing. A 3-4 hr direct flight.
And for these visitors a 4-7 day holiday is a reality. There is at most 3 hrs time zone difference.
Many of these visitors have bought / are in the process of buying property on Hokkaido.
And a number of large companies from these countries have invested heavily in the winter sports industry on Hokkaido.
Chinese New Year is best avoided not because of the queues and number of people on mountain but because of the inflated accommodation costs and the difficulty in getting a table at a restaurant.
For a comparison think President's Day Weekend over with you in the States.
Snow conditions at the majority of Hokkaido resorts are great from mid-December through to the end of March.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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I flew to Tokyo and then took the train to Sapporo. Picked up at the station by the guy who ran the ryokan I was stayin in. That was back in 2000 - has it changed much?
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The ryokan? 
Sapporo? Bigger would be my guess.
Niseko Resort Area? Considerably.
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FAQ
