 Poster: A snowHead
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I live in Hong Kong and want to ski in Japan and Korea, but I've heard horror stories about crowds, rudeness, lack of languages, and poor facilities. Can anyone suggest places to go and places to avoid?
Thanks
c
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Welcome the snowHeads Clarke, and congratulations on asking such an unusual question. I'm afraid that I'm no help to you at all, but hopefully there will be someone who can help. 
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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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Clarke, welcome to snowHheads. We have at least one snowHead based in Japan. Let's hope s/he pops in soon. I know a bit about skiing in Iran but I have to admit I could not honestly describe the regime as 'foreigner-friendly' even if the Iranians you meet on the slopes are.
Last edited by Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see? on Mon 19-12-05 13:07; edited 1 time in total
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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A friend of mine skiied in Japan okay, and he had no Japanese language skills. Afraid I can't offer any more details though as it was about ten years ago.
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Clarke, I used to live in HK but generally skied Europe as it was a way of meeting friends and family without having to go back to Britain using precious holiday time. I wish I had skied more in Asia I skied in Niseko on Hokkaido in the north of Japan it was very friendly uncrowded and there was a fair amount of English spoken as there is quite an antipodean trade. A few of the lifts were elderly but no real complaints about the facilities you may need to take your own boots if you have big feet there were no telemark boots in my size when I tried to hire them.
Other people who went to other resorts in Hoikkaido such as Rusutsu had nothing but praise and the snow is usually very good on the north Island as it comes in large quantities Off the Sea of Japan.
Korea I have heard gets busy particularly close to Seoul. Muju is meant to be the best resort though I have heard there is quite a reliance on man made snow and the hire equipment is not of the highest quality. The only folk who I know well who went absolutely loved it.
Don't forget that if you are getting a little warm in the summer time New Zealand has some great skiing and is a fantastic country to visit.
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crowds: true for Japan at holiday periods and some weekends....weekdays in Jan-March often the pistes are deserted. The days of 2hr queues for the cable cars have definitely gone!
rudeness: huh?
lack of languages: true. Check out lodgings which have homepages in English....that might help.
poor facilities: one reason for crowded pistes(in peak season) is the number of quad chairs.....no drag lifts, no decrepit cable cars
places to go:any of the major areas advertised in HK.....Nagano's Hakuba or Shiga Kogen, Niigata's Naeba, Hokkaido's Niseko.
places to avoid: ???? if you're a 'run-collector'....Japanese are happy to ski the same run over and over again..... or need to ski black/double diamond runs then Japan is not for you.
Don't expect anything European.
Bring your own equipment if possible.....top quality rental skis etc are expensive.
At the moment we have 210/50cm of powder with excellent skiing in our local area Zao.
PM me before Thurs if you have any more questions.....after that I'm on the mountain 'til Jan 9th....yeah 
Useful site "Snow Japan".
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