Just back from Happo. Before I went I really worried about warm weather there. Wasn't perfect, but at least not the +7 a few days earlier.

Arrived 14th very late with the bus from Shinjuku. Really convenient IMHO. Stayed in Meteor (first time there, really nice price, so hopefully not my last time either).

15th had a bit new powder. Snow started to fall from 06:00 AM or so. Got the gear from Rainbow. And off the the Happo Nakiyama slopes. Went up the hill and wanted to bring the family to the shallow slopes of Sakka. While sliding down my binding released. They gave me a ski that didn't fit the boot. The rear part of the binding was not locked in slid out. Tried to fix it, but couldn't. I had to walk down to Sakka and wait for bus, and then taxi back to the rental shop for an exchange to a much longer ski (but no other option). Cost me 3.5 hours wasted time plus taxi money. (Have to say though that in the end I liked that longer carver a lot and had no problems with it). Still, a rental shop should know how to match a boot with a ski.

Weather on those 2 days was just 'OK'. It often snowed which I don't really mind (but I will get a face mask next time). ANyway, weather I don't care as long as it's cold enough to ski. Another thing I didn't had before was extreme fog on the higher slopes. Visibility was sometimes down to 5 meter. We had a problem to find the Panorama slope that goes down near McDonalds (just about 30 meters from their door).

Beside that ski f'up we had a good time there and will look forward to the next time. I would probably rent from Spicy next time, cost is the same and they have much larger choice.

I stayed in Meteor this season too (the Log Hotel not the pension) and agree that its a great price for a great place!

the log hotel is a cool design