 Poster: A snowHead
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@Scarlet, sorry.... @Popsie, made me do it! 
(you didn't HAVE to zoom in)
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@SnoodlesMcFlude, was meant as a light hearted comment. No offense meant. Really enjoyed your thread! Just trying to navigate the maze of Tokyo station! 18:24 Shinkansen to Nagano fully booked 
May be going to your art exhibition after all...
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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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@BobinCH, you have to watch the cave thing, it’s really trippy. There’s also the forest of led hanging lights and the floor is mirrored. Come to think of it a lot of the floors are mirrored, so wear your best pants 
While queuing and American girl asked if I’d ever done acid. She said that this place was a lot like it.
Finally stamp and squash as many buttery as possible.
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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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The viewing platform at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building is free.
It 45 floors up
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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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@adithorp, nothing to see. Big legs make it look small
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| pigeondave wrote: |
The viewing platform at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building is free.
It 45 floors up |
Pretty awesome isn't it? On a clear day, the view is the sun setting behind Mt Fuji is amazing.
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| BobinCH wrote: |
@SnoodlesMcFlude, was meant as a light hearted comment. No offense meant. Really enjoyed your thread! Just trying to navigate the maze of Tokyo station! 18:24 Shinkansen to Nagano fully booked
May be going to your art exhibition after all... |
Does it not have an unreserved carriage?
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| SnoodlesMcFlude wrote: |
| If anyone is in Tokyo then the TeamLab borderless exhibition is pretty impressive if you're into visual art stuff. |
That's on my list for my next visit.
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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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@SnoodlesMcFlude, We will be in Japan from 16th, while we have a lot of skiing and sightseeing planned already I have been checking the internet to try and find out the cultural differences, have found some but interested in any information from people who have been there. Pleased to find out that that they like chocolate and coffee, sushi is out unless it’s meat and veg based as I am allergic to fish/seafood etc.
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@larry1950, everyone is far more polite than anything you've encountered, especially on the quieter parts of Hokkaido. We filled up in Otaru and not only is it attendant service but they both bowed as we drove away. I've lost count of the number of times I've said or heard 'arigato gazaimasu', it genuinely makes me want to be more polite when I get back.
MikePow can probably offer a bit more on the etiquette but one thing is to hand over card and cash using both hands, which took some getting used to.
I've basically avoided seafood completely and been fine, although a couple of times we ordered stuff from pictures which we weren't completely sure what they were.
Coffee is startling common, both cold and hot from every vending machine. The vending machines are also all over the place and reasonably priced, in some places they have beer machines.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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View from the Met building Dave mentioned.
Last edited by snowHeads are a friendly bunch. on Mon 10-02-20 14:46; edited 1 time in total
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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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| larry1950 wrote: |
| @SnoodlesMcFlude, We will be in Japan from 16th, while we have a lot of skiing and sightseeing planned already I have been checking the internet to try and find out the cultural differences, have found some but interested in any information from people who have been there. Pleased to find out that that they like chocolate and coffee, sushi is out unless it’s meat and veg based as I am allergic to fish/seafood etc. |
Dashi (fish stock) is a key ingredient of many Japanese dishes, including some that don't on the face of it look like they would contain seafood. For e.g. gyudon, the classic bowl of beef on rice served in many places, is likely to have the beef cooked in dashi. If you're very allergic I'd suggest getting a card printed in Japanese that you can show in restaurants.
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@sugarmoma666, Thanks, that is a good idea, shall do that, I am looking forward to trying the different food.
@SnoodlesMcFlude, I was relieved to find that they liked coffee as I really need it in the morning, shall pass on to everyone about the money handling tip.
FWIW our trip starts in Kyoto where we will have a guide for at least one day, then on to Shiga Kogen for skiing, a break in Tokyo (no guide) then Nikeso for a few days skiing then home, with all the travelling its about three weeks altogether. Shall also pass on you tip about the Teamlab borderless as that looks really interesting.
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You know it makes sense.
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@larry1950, don't try to leave a tip in restaurants, or even the change. It's embarrassing for everyone involved to be chased down the street 
There's a few etiquette guides out there on the internet. Random things that come to mind are to not blow your nose in public and definitely don't leave you chopsticks sticking up in your rice bowl.
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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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| sugarmoma666 wrote: |
| not blow your nose in public |
That’s like to leave you in quarantine for 14 days going by the number of people wearing face masks!
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Poster: A snowHead
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@sugarmoma666, We have been warned about tipping but will be ok to give a small gift to guide, I have looked at quite a lot of sites but its good to get tips from anyone who has been out there. We are taking our own chopsticks and hand towels to use in restaurants. Anyone who sneezes in public will be disowned!!!! We were surprised to find that cash is preferred as you expect Japan to be more advanced and use cards everywhere.
@BobinCH, Masks already bought.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@larry1950, be interesting to see what reaction you get to taking your own chopsticks / hand towels. IME restaurants there are super clean and hygienic - each to their own etc but I wonder how your Japanese hosts will take your DIY approach to cutlery?
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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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@Double Bombardino, It never occurred to us that they would be less than clean and hygienic, it's the advice we have been given by the tour company as apparently Japan are trying to cut down on disposable chopsticks, the towels are for public toilets as they don't have driers and Japanese prefer to carry their own towels, we can always take ours in a back pack and see how it goes.
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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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@larry1950, the restaurants I've been to have chopsticks which are cleaned rather than disposable, it's on the mountain where it seemed to be disposable stuff. Also pretty sure most bathrooms I've used have had driers, but that may be different in Kyoto.
I also read that thing about cash being more common. However I've used card quite a bit, in particular buying lift passes, even Asarigawa Onsen where there were only 4 lifts and a handful of pistes. The only place I seemed to have trouble was the RalseMart chain where my Visa Revolut card never seemed to work.
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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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@larry1950, are you travelling with Inside Japan Tours by any chance?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@BobinCH, that's a bit of a basic model! One of the main things I'm going to miss 
Note to anyone travelling, check your flight time rather than assuming it's at 10am for some reason. Luckily we got it wrong the right way, so just means a couple hours to kill in the airport, but I'd rather have spent that time in bed.
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@sugarmoma666, My son has arranged it all with Inside Japan, he has had a lot of communication with them and they have listened to everything we wanted to do, they were also the only one that included things like internal travel and flights, other companies didn't include this and some had us in 5* hotels. We did arrange our flights to Japan ourselves are we are travelling from different airports.
@SnoodlesMcFlude, Pleased to hear that you had not problems using a card, all our passes are already paid for we are only really needing to pay for meals and snacks not forgetting gifts.
Thanks @BobinCH, that is good to know
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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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Narita airport is probably the most scrutinised I've been on baggage. One bag overweight, one under but I still got a warning. Then she got the tape measure out to check Dave's length. I also had to follow the bag to oversized baggage as was asked if I had ABS, then had to open it for the fella to say ok.
And then going through security I had the letter opener of my swiss army card taken away. It has maybe a 30mm long blade and has probably done 30+ flights with me, including the 3 over the last few weeks. I'm fairly sure it's acceptable by IATA, and you can get far more dangerous stuff from duty free, by I couldn't be bothered to argue.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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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| SnoodlesMcFlude wrote: |
@BobinCH, I've flown halfway round the world, thought I'd do more with the trip than just skiing. Also thought I'd share ideas with other people who don't just want to ski but to experience a bit if the country as well...or those who end up here when there isn't powder.
There are plenty of threads that tell people where is good to ski, very few seem to talk about the nuts and bolts of a trip, which is what I've tried to cover a bit more |
Right!
https://www.ski.com.au/xf/threads/shiga-kogen-2019-2020.86082/
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You know it makes sense.
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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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Best thread in ages !
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Poster: A snowHead
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Just had a rough tot up of costs, unless I've overlooked something, I reckon the whole trip came in a shade under £2600 each, including all travel, room, lift passes, food/drink and general crap like SIM cards and touristy stuff we did. Sure we did things on a bit more of a budget for food etc. but generally hotels were comfortable & clean, and I never felt like we were really scrimping on things, just didn't do much eating out and mostly packed lunches. I still think that it's wise to kind of budget the £3k mark and then cut your cloth to suit.
There are a few things I'd consider doing a bit differently next time (and there will be a next time, possibly not next season but the year after), but not much. Despite initial reservations about staying quite far out, I liked having the base in Yoichi. I'd possibly aim to be a bit closer to Rusutsu next time, but it wouldn't be a deal breaker. Would also consider ditching or reducing the Tokyo part of the trip now that I've been, it's well worth seeing but I don't feel like I really have to go back (although with such a big city there would be plenty more to see). I'd potentially having an option to head further north (towards Furano etc.) but not sure the best way to work that without risking spending a lot more on hotels. I'd consider a camper but think the convenience of having a house would win out.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| SnoodlesMcFlude wrote: |
| I'd potentially having an option to head further north (towards Furano etc.) but not sure the best way to work that without risking spending a lot more on hotels. |
I wouldn't worry.
We booked the northern element on the fly and found some lovely but cheap AirB&Bs. The town of Biei was an excellent base covering Furano and Asahidake which quite a different feel to other Japanese towns. After that we moved to Kamifurano which was a little closer to the ski touring in the Daisetsuzan National Park and the Tokachi area.
Plus loads of options in Asahikawa.
Next time I'm minded to stay the first night(s) in Chitose and ski Tomamu and\or Racey as opposed to Sapporo and it's close resorts. Tomamu offers better off piste and tree skiing compared to say Sapporo Teine. After that use Airb&b and second guess the snow.
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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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@AndAnotherThing.., it's not struggling with the northern accommodation I would be worried about but if the snow hit further south. Not so many decent accommodation options that way, especially if looking for a house like we had.
I liked having a few days based in one spot rather than immediately uprooting again, but know what you mean.
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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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Thinking I should probably have given this more of a looking at before skiing on it for another 7 days...turns out the Japanese lad that clattered me on day 2 may have done more damage than I realised.
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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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Can you give a quick break down of trip. Ie day 1 flew to X. Day 2-4 stayed here etc.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@WASHOUT, yeah no worries.
Flew out on the Saturday, the way time works means we landed Tokyo around 7am Sunday morning. Straight on to a flight to Sapporo and then headed to Apa Hotel Resort & Spa on outskirts of the city late afternoon. From then on:
Day 1 (Monday) - Skied Sapporo Teine, about 45 minutes away.
Day 2 - Skied Asarigawa Onsen, probably 1hr 15 or so
Day 3 - Checked out, skied Sapporo Kokusai and then drove about an hour to Yoichi where we had an AirBnB house
Day 4 - Kiroro, about 40 minutes away
Day 5 - Kiroro
Day 6 - Kiroro
Day 7 - Rusutsu, a solid 1hr 20 or so drive
Day 8 - Sapporo Kokusai
Day 9 - Checked out of house, skied Rusutsu, checked in to Hotel Baran Zakk in central part of Sapporo, probably took just over an hour
Day 10 - Checked out early and flew to Tokyo
Day 11 - Tokyo
Day 12 - Tokyo
Day 13 (Saturday) - Flew home.
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@SnoodlesMcFlude, Looks great 
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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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Very nice. God, I hated that pizzabox chairlift.
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like the 'quality inspection' at 1:04
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FAQ
).
