 Poster: A snowHead
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Japanese skiing has experienced a big downturn in the past decade, so this news from today's Sydney Morning Herald is of some significance.
An Australian financial group, in conjunction with resort management experts, are planning a new ski resort - Hanazono - on the north Japanese island of Hokkaido. It would sit within the established Niseko Ski Area, which is one of Japan's largest.
Colin Hackworth, the managing director of Australian Alpine Enterprises, who are the consultants involved, describes the skiing thus:
"I've skied all over the world over 25 years, and I've never seen anything like it. It's the best snow in the world."
Oh really!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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David, come on now, you know there's no such thing as Australian hyperbole.
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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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Strewth - that's a bonza plan - 8000 bed ski resort.
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"We have acquired at a discount from invested cost an operating ski field and business assets, together with a significant amount of serviced development land with most of the necessary infrastructure already in place," |
What's gone so wrong with Japanese skiing that it lets Gaijins in buying up the place cheaply ? Were the resorts badly planned in the first place ? There is definitely a bit of a herd mentality about many Japanese companies. Did they just over supply ? Too remote from population centres ? Or are there other reasons for the downturn ? One would have expected the huge indoor slope near Tokyo to succeed if anything could but it has closed.
From goski.com scroll down to find some rave reviews about the powder. Here's why
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| The location of Hokkaido means it gets HEAPS of snow. Ie: the dry wind tears across Siberia, pick up moisture in the Sea of Japan and DUMPS it on Hokkaido as snow. It's common to see one metre of snow on the beaches!! |
That Ozzie developer might not be exaggerating !!
Last edited by Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see? on Mon 9-08-04 14:59; edited 1 time in total
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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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I was wondering that also kuwait_ian, but I thought it was probably the economic doldrums that Japan has been in for so long now. Maybe the Davids have another explanation?
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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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Alan Craggs, working for Mitsubishi Electric, I can say the economic problems have had a big impact on corporate Japan, certainly. But I was under the impression Japanese tourism to overseas destinations was booming. Why don't they want to ski at home ? As you say, maybe someone has some answers ? Mac64 (?) snowHead poster lives there. Wait until he wakes up tomorrow. Syonara.
Edit - here's an excellent English language web site about Skiing in Japan with an opinion it was a victim of it's success. Overcrowding has put many off !!!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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kuwait_ian, I heard that too. I had a friend who worked there a good while ago, and he said it was so crowded that it was almost impossible to ski at all. 
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kuwait_ian, that article you linked to, by Al Campbell, makes some interesting points. As he suggests, the key to escaping those crowds would be to travel a comfortable distance from the main population centres - the north island presumably answering that need.
It would be interesting to know what vertical the mountains around Niseko offer.
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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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"a herd mentality about many Japanese companies"....understatement! "We want one too" resulted in so many new golf/ski resorts which started to fold once the recession hit.
The overseas trip is still seen as a status symbol but the numbers have dropped significantly....the Hawaiian economy has been very badly hit. Before going abroad people are showered with money by friends and relatives, so they have to bring back lots of souvenirs....it's not their own money they're spending.
Why don't they want to ski at home ? No time, no money! People are trying to work themselves out of the recession....companies work until 10 or 11p.m. with little or no overtime...and before you ask about unions or workers' rights!! Those with the money to go skiing are so exhausted they just sleep on Sunday.
Consumer prices in Japan have been dropping for the last 3 years(as have salaries!)....I used to find Switzerland cheap! Lift passes, however, have not become cheaper nor has the price of skis.
Housing has become more of a priority.....the "rabbit hutch" comments hurt Japanese pride and so more western style houses are being built.
University students, once the backbone of weekday skiing, are spending more and more money on mobile phones and computers.
Skiing no longer has a 'cool' image. Too many rules and regulations for the free-spirited young who have been exposed to western freeriding videos. In many areas powder is still considered dangerous so the lifts don't open after a big dump until the pistes have been 'cleared'! Off-piste?....very little...most of our skiing is on trails through the trees.
Every ski area has its good and bad snow years....Japan is no different.
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Mac46, Domo arigato gozaimasu for that input. Between your comments and the article I found, I think we have the answers now on the downturn of skiing in Japan. A combination of circumstances.
So what about this 'new' resort which is targetted mainly at an Aussie clientelle ? Does anyone think that is going to work out or is it pie in the sky ? The developers are not new to resort management but so many grandiose plans come to nothing these days. Nobody's building Eiffel Towers or Panama Canals any more. Would the concrete monstrosities of La Plagne or Les Arcs be permitted (or financially viable) if they were planned now ?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Makes sense for Aussie intermediate skiers to come up here rather than face the jet-lag going to N.America/Europe. Hokkaido has its fair share of pink elephants lying empty, a sober reminder to us of the heady days. If the Aussie company use the present infrastructure for a few years before deciding whether further development is merited, it might work. A few koalas and 'roos in the lobbies of some of the big hotels would be an enormous attraction for local skiers!
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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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And not just Aussies from OZ. The original article is targetting expats from around Asia and Aussies working in China. The expat ski scene in Japan might be bigger than we know. On that same site here's an English language skiing forum with >2000 active members and ~ 90,000 posts. Want to get in touch with them, Admin ?
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A couple of news updates on this Australian-Japanese project from:
Travelbiz.com and Hotels Magazine.
If the claim of 15 metres of snow per winter is correct, then I'm frankly gobsmacked and withdraw the last line of my first posting. I think that's equivalent to 150cm of rain in a winter - does the sun shine in this place?
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You know it makes sense.
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David Goldsmith, you're not the only one who has failed to realise just how much snow northern and western Japan receives. I've flown over it a couple of times in winter and it's quite a blanket. That it's not more famous for skiing is perhaps because, as Mac46 has said, there is not much off piste. It's mainly low altitude, tree-lined runs or prepared corduroy, wide open spaces, but overcrowded. Good luck to the Aussies.
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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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State of economy indicators....two areas in Tohoku(northern part of the main island) have teamed up to offer a joint season pass for about 200sterling if purchased by the end of Sept....last year the bigger area, Appi, was charging twice that amount.
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