Our third visit to Japan! It all seems so long ago now, but what fun we had.
This long-awaited report is more about the places and people than talk of 'lines' and 'faceshots'. (Also having a bit of a problem with the photo memory card, so photos are going to have to be added at a later date).
It took us ages to decide where to go this season but after a lot of deliberation we decided on a Nagano Combination Sando - with Hakuba, Shiga Kogen and Nozawa as the ingredients.
Both 2pints,mate and I are not fans of the long flight to Japan but we were excited about what was to come so with a few beers it seemed to pass by fairly quick and before we knew it we found ourselves in Tokyo.
We spent two nights in Tokyo – first one was just getting some energy back and second night we took a look round a few rocking places in Shibuya. We weren’t bothered about having late mad nights though as snowboarding and the snow was the reason we were here and wanted to make the most of that.
I’ve mentioned this on the Forums before but our holiday is as much about experiencing Japan and meeting the locals and taking it all in as is it about the snowboarding (which of course we also obviously enjoy). We both live and work in London. We’re surrounded by people from the UK, Australia, US and Canada each and every day (international or what, are you impressed?), and have nights out and parties with them as part of our normal routine. So to us it seems such a waste to travel all the way to Japan to do pretty much the same. Change of scenery, that’s what it’s all about. So we have always been looking to stay in nice places owned and run by Japanese, check out izakaya and Japanese bars and generally stay away from “gaijin bars” and the like. Nothing against gaijin of course (after all, we are they) and having said that, we did actually meet a good few people – including a few characters from these here forums.
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First snow stop,
Hakuba. We had been to Hakuba before for a short time so knew a bit what to expect. The mountains look incredible, the scale is big, but we both couldn’t help but feel some sense of disappointment. Perhaps it was the fact that we had been before so it wasn’t “new”. Perhaps it was because the snow wasn’t as good as last time. Perhaps it was just all those goddam foreigners walking around town making it feel like, er, not Japan. (Just kidding. A bit). Can’t quite put a finger on it.... We did have a great time though. Happo was the highlight, though Tsugaike was good when we went (fresh snow). Stayed in a very nice Japanese/Western style hotel near Happo.
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Next stop
Shiga Kogen. What a place. Fantastic. Can’t really say much against Shiga Kogen. It is well-known for not having nightclubs and tons of après-ski going on, but again, that’s not really what we were there for – and actually we did find a few lively places with some fun people in the Ichinose area. It took 3 days to cover the place it is so big. Favourite area was surely Yakebitaiyama. It's a pity that Okushiga doesn’t open up to snowboarders as that area looked good as well. The snow was a level up from what we found in Hakuba, perhaps that was just timing. It wasn’t as busy either, at times we felt like the slopes were ours. On one day there were a load of school trip groups on Ichinose but we just avoided that and slipped by on our own slopes. Highly recommended (as is that bread at the top of Yokoteyama).
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Last stop was
Nozawa. Obviously Nozawa is very popular on here and always seems to be spoken of with fond memories and always high on the rankings. And quite deserved too I think. We stayed in perhaps the nicest most modern ryokan in Nozawa and it was a fantastic place slap bang in the middle of the village and at the same time not far from the slopes. It didn’t snow that much while we were there but had just before so we had good snow conditions again especially on the first day. The place is much bigger than it looks when you look at the mountain from the village. As many of you no doubt know, you can’t actually see much of the resort from the village. Up at the top though the snow was peachy and again it just wasn’t busy at all and we didn’t wait for a lift once. Off the snow the village is quite quaint and we found a few good onsen and a few bars that were pretty lively. It had an atmosphere that was lacking in both Hakuba and Shiga Kogen and lets hope it doesn’t lose that. I have heard stories of it being empty and quiet but on the few nights we were there it was pretty lively.
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One of the things we really like about going to Japan is meeting the locals and trying to get along with our very basic Japanese skills but the essential positive attitude. It’s a lot of fun and I highly recommend it to anyone taking the trouble to visit Japan. We can only say good things about Japanese hospitality, they seem to often go right out of their way to look after you. It is always a refreshing change from UK service and going back home is a real jolt to the system.
In Hakuba, the Japanese owner of the place we stayed at was a right laugh. He had a few beers & sake with us one night and started on the subject of foreigners invading the village. He most definitely had mixed feelings about it and said those feelings were shared by quite a few people... while good for business generally, he was concerned about a few “shady characters” (his words) and things “changing too fast”. Very decent bloke and not just stupidly mouthing off either. Good to hear his informed point of view on what is happening.
We didn’t meet many “locals” in Shiga Kogen. (Are there any locals?) But we did meet a good few Japanese people in Ichinose and Sun Valley who were on holiday and 2pints also met the lady of his dreams. (Unfortunately, she is now only in his dreams, poor lad!)
Nozawa was full of characters and they were without exception full of friendliness. Found an izakaya that was run by some dude who wanted to speak English (so we made a move to another place pretty sharpish!) and eventually a popular bar that had a few raucous groups of Japanese snowboarders. (Almost all of them with very silly-looking-but-obviously-fashionable frizzy hair... what’s with that then?).
After Nozawa it was back to via Nagano, completely knackered but satisfied and with 2pints already missing Mrs Dream.
OK so here’s our excite rankings from our holiday. (Knowing the huge effect these rankings will have on the local economies, we do not post these in haste but after careful consideration!)
SNOW CONDITIONS:
Hakuba – 6
Shiga Kogen – 9
Nozawa Onsen – 8
THE RESORTS:
Hakuba – 7
Shiga Kogen – 9
Nozawa Onsen - 8
NIGHTLIFE:
Hakuba – 7
Shiga Kogen – 5
Nozawa Onsen – 8
PEOPLE & HOSPITALITY:
Hakuba – 9
Shiga Kogen – 9
Nozawa Onsen – 10
GENERAL:
Hakuba – 7
Shiga Kogen – 9
Nozawa Onsen – 8>>>
So what next? Next winter we plan to go back to Japan but this time explore completely new places. We’d both like to check out Niseko while they still at least understand the Japanese language there but we’re thinking more “Tohoku Tour” for February 2009. Get away from the crowds, see some country.
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