Japan in Jan

[Island Bay]

Planning a trip to Japan in January - possibly 27/12 to 12/01 - and we're thinking of going to Hakuba and either Myoko or Nozawa Onsen, but maybe both.

I've been searching and reading and studying, so have got lots of hard facts, but would like to hear your advice/inside knowledge/take on things.

- Is it crazy to go over New Years, or not an issue?
- Would all three be too much? If yes, will my wife love Nozawa Onsen more than I'd love Myoko?
- Busses (http://myokokogen.net/myoko_shuttle_info.pdf) look like the fastest, easiest way to travel between places, or?

Anything you can contribute would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[snapt]

I did Hakuba in January of 2010, including over New Years. Stayed at the Hakuba Powder Lodge with my then GF and it was great. Really cool folks there, close to the bus stops for the resorts and not very expensive. Nick (fattwins on here) was great at giving us advice, helping us find rides to further out resorts, and locating touring partners. January can be a tad early but once it starts to snow it piles up fast. New Years crowds weren't too bad, although I think the Cortina lot filled up a couple of days. Poaching the side country most places was money. Make sure to eat at the little Alaska burger shack! I got the impression getting to Myoko wouldn't be too hard. Plenty of folks here from those parts who can chime in further. Have fun!

[Besniwod]

I haven't been to Hakuba around then but I have been up to Hokkaido around New Years. It wasn't too crazy but booking accommodation was difficult. Just make sure you do it way ahead of time, like now. It is the busiest time in winter for Japanese people to go travelling but I think that relative to peak times in the Alps, for example, it isn't so busy.

You will be there for two weeks so I don’t see why you couldn't go to all three places. It is just a matter of how long you want to stay in each place.

[neck beard]

Hey man, see my comments in your what ski thread. Also...

Hakuba: lots of ski areas quite spread out. But the defining character is somewhat 'real mountains' and offering backcountry of all descriptions. A hard nut to crack for some, but Hakuba rewards a certain skier. Not much of a village feel.

Myoko: tons of snow, great trees in bounds, less inbound competition. Generally low angle. Ok village feel. Some good nearby small ski hills with steeps and freedom.

Nozawa: nice village, nice snow and trees, small area. Kind of a unique place. Wife may like it.

But most of all: RENT A CAR.

And go to Charmant Hiuchi for a small hill near the coast with few rules, few lifts and few groomers. Often gets a load of snow when H/M/N only get 15cm.

[Island Bay]

Thanks for the tips :-) I really appreciate the help.

Surprised to hear about the car rental. I would have thought, that driving would be tricky (lots of snow, japanese signs, etc), but will definitely look into it.

Love the sound and look of Charmant Hiuchi. Thanks!

Are we much better off going in mid January?

[Scottish_Skier]

Thanks for the tips :-) I really appreciate the help.

Surprised to hear about the car rental. I would have thought, that driving would be tricky (lots of snow, japanese signs, etc), but will definitely look into it.

Love the sound and look of Charmant Hiuchi. Thanks!

Are we much better off going in mid January?

Spent 10 days in Myoko last January on honeymoon.
We had a great time. Good ski area, not crowded, amazing snow and proper Japanese culture.
Wife loved Myoko - It's perhaps not as pretty as Nozawa but it is definitely a proper Japanese town (Hakuba is apparently over run with Ozzies and very touristy). Myoko seem to have a liberal off piste policy and get a truck load of snow (15m a year!). I got to run some pow laps in the trees while Mrs happily cruised the quiet groomers and we got chair back up together.

We got the bullet train from Tokyo which was a great experience.
Was really happy we weren't driving as it was properly nuking with the snow and the road signs are in Japanese...

Get the "SnowSearch Japan" book, best English language guide book I know of. From Myoko you can easily ski at Akakura Kanko / Myoko Onsen / Suignohara & Seki Onsen and a few other local resorts - there is plenty skiing for a week. Seki Onsen is particular is steep & deep with a really nice locals vibe - well worth a day trip.

As mentioned above book accommodation before you go - you can email the local tourist office in English.

[neck beard]

Surprised to hear about the car rental. I would have thought, that driving would be tricky (lots of snow, japanese signs, etc), but will definitely look into it.


Are we much better off going in mid January?

Rental car: not essential at all, but the foreign skiers* I see getting the most from their visit tend to have a car, aka, freedom to go where and when. Rent AWD, snow tires, English navi system. Most street signs are in English. But it is still a challenge, I'll admit. Perhaps leave the car until your second visit. Though Public transit from Myoko-Hakuba or Nozawa-hakuba basically consumes a day, including checking into and out of accomm. In two weeks, I'd go to two of H/M/N, not all three unless I had a car or was ok with losing time to transit.

Mid January: dunno, maybe. January is generally good. xmas - early ny often has very big storms.

If you want to experience Japanese skiing, there are many good places (Myoko, Nozawa etc). If you want to experience Japanese mountains outside resort from a conveniently placed town: Hakuba is the best, Minakami is also good. Some people quickly realise that there are two very different Hakubas, depending on what type of skier you are. Regarding tourism crowds: it is true. I live outside the township so avoid the immense number of Australians and Scandinavians in peak tourist season. Don't forget though that Japanese tourism to Hakuba dwarfs foreign, they are just not as verbally and visually prominent. If you stay away from the Happo ridge in Jan, you wont see many/any foreigners in the backcountry either. Seeing some foreigners is perfectly ok (we are all foreign anyway), but sitting in a restaurant full of them (yelling) is not what visiting Japan is about for many people.

* not including the mass tourism ski holiday market.

[Ken Tokyo]

Calender:
As per Japan, Jan 1 is a national holiday. Most companies give days-off on Dec 30, 31 and Jan 2, 3. Thus, most people have chance to have vacation days from Dec 28 thru Jan 5, 2014. I would reommend you to set the 1st trip day on Jan 5 Sunday or the later, unless you love crowded ski slopes. Accomodation will be busy and more expenssive from Dec 27 night thru Jan 4 night.

Snow:
Being global warming, the snow season will start later and later. Hokkaido(Niseko) may start Jan/begin, Tohoku(Hakkoda) may start Jan/mid, Chubu(Hakuba, Myoko) may start Jan/end...anticipation...Noboday knows.
If you want to have "light" powder, Niseko is the best. If you want to enjoy sonw mountain "scenery", Hakuba is the best. If you want to enjoy "BC" snowing (any guide required), Myoko is the best. Myoko has a ton of snow, but more heavy than Hakuba. Hakkoda(Aomori) is a unique ski area where you can enjoy daily "pow BC tours" with cheaper guide price, though the access and the accommodation are hard work for non-Japanese speakings. Nozawa is a family type ski area with "Onsen" spa, where ski enthusiasts pay less interest on. Niseko, Myoko, and Hakuba also have Onsen. Hakkoda-Sukayu Onsen is one of very unique Onsens in Japan.

Rent-a-Car:
All cars have car navi system with Engish mode. Unlike ones in the US, cars faciliate snow tires in Japan whne renting at snow towns/airports. But you must check and confirm English-mode car navi system and snow tires when reservation. I do not recomennd to go to Hakkoda by rent-a-car. Others are OK.

Ken Tokyo

[Mike Pow]

FYI

It can be a late start on Hokkaido (like anywhere) but I've been able to ski lift accessed terrain from the end of November 4 times in the past 6 seasons.

This past season was superb from just before opening day onwards

SR: Shiribeshi Stories - Hokkaido 2012-13

http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/s...kkaido-2012-13

[gaijin]

Being global warming, the snow season will start later and later.

How do you know this?

[Island Bay]

Thank you everybody.

Lots of great advice - TGR at its best!

Scottish S, did you catch a shuttle/bus/taxi from Myoko to Seki Onsen? I heard rumours (possibly old) that car was the only way.

Madarao Kogen looks and sounds pretty interesting, too, at least for a day trip from Myoko. Is there a shuttle or bus? I can find a link to a bus service between Nozawa and Madarao, but not Myoko-Madarao.

Neck Beard, I apologize on behalf of my Scando and Kiwi brethren in Hakuba; Yep, loud foreigner holidaymakers stand out like the dog's proverbials, and it isn't pretty. I'm still dead keen on Hakuba, but might just skip it on this trip, then come back at a later stage by myself.

So many the decisions; the bane of the middle-class westener :-)

[Edgnar]

Do you just fly into to Tokyo? Or do you need to fly somewhere else to get into Hokkaido?

[Scottish_Skier]

Scottish S, did you catch a shuttle/bus/taxi from Myoko to Seki Onsen? I heard rumours (possibly old) that car was the only way.
Madarao Kogen looks and sounds pretty interesting, too, at least for a day trip from Myoko. Is there a shuttle or bus? I can find a link to a bus service between Nozawa and Madarao, but not Myoko-Madarao.

Last winter there was a bus to Seki Onsen. Quite hard finding information (in english) but once we there on the ground it turned out to be straight forward. Bus left Myoko at 8.30am and returned at 4pm. Seki Onsen is essential for a day trip - really small mountain, steep and a nice family run atmosphere. The upper chair is basically a stool that you sit on with no back or arm rest - a little freaky but fun.

Never made it over to Madaro but heard good things about it. I think you can get a taxi if there are 3 of 4 of you. There might be a bus - don't know! Suignohara is worth a day trip and easy to reach - the longest run in Japan and some fun trees up the top. The 2 ski resorts in Myoko will also keep you going for 3 or 4 days (though one of them is really flat). You can buy a joint lift pass if required though to be honest much of the fun skiing is at Myoko Akakan.

Between those option there is plenty skiing in the area to keep you going for at least a week.
Best please to stay is in Myoko itself - everywhere else looked very sleepy.
Enjoy! Amazing place and feels like proper rural Japan with only a smattering of "Gaijins".

[Mike Pow]

Do you just fly into to Tokyo? Or do you need to fly somewhere else to get into Hokkaido?

Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya for Honshu resorts - Nagano, Niigata.

All of the above airports offer flights to Asahikawa and New Chitose on Hokkaido.

You can also skip Honshu all together and route via Hong Kong, Bangkok, and Seoul for New Chitose.

[DJ2]

Last season there was a bus on a Myoko-Madarao-Nozawa route, probably this coming season as well.
Myoko-Tangram (on Myoko side of Madarao, joint pass) for four by taxi would be doable.

[Gunder]

New years is way to early for Myoko. I go there every year, and they are just starting to devlop a base by mid Japanuary. I would highly recomened not renting a car, and instead get a japan rail pass it will get you everywhere you need to go. There is NO reason to have a car in Japan.
Id look at Hakkoda as well.... pretty unique place. Think Silverton meets Japan.

[neck beard]

There is NO reason to have a car in Japan.

Of course you can get by just fine overall without a car, most do just that, especially first trip. But those I know who rent them here when on holidays eat deeper and taste more of Japan's mountains than those who do not.

The freedom to move where you want overnight or very early in the AM without losing a precious day. Access points to the mountains away from ski areas require a car to get to them. Or those places that require a start earlier than the local buses will provide. Even for those jumping between some of the more separated ski hills in Hakuba during the day pretty much need a car to do it easily and efficiently.

I'd never say NO reason...

[Scottish_Skier]

Of course you can get by just fine overall without a car, most do just that, especially first trip. But those I know who rent them here when on holidays eat deeper and taste more of Japan's mountains than those who do not.

The freedom to move where you want overnight or very early in the AM without losing a precious day. Access points to the mountains away from ski areas require a car to get to them. Or those places that require a start earlier than the local buses will provide. Even for those jumping between some of the more separated ski hills in Hakuba during the day pretty much need a car to do it easily and efficiently.

I'd never say NO reason...

^ Yip.

Though when it is nuking with snow and the road signs are in Japanese we were very happy to take public transport. Like the alps in Europe the public transport is great and very reliable. Digging a car out in the morning after is has dumped and it is dark and -15C isn't much fun.

Unless you have a specific requirement I really wouldn't bother with a rental car.
Each to their own though It is certainly easy to get by with out one.

[Island Bay]

NB and Scottish, I hear you both.

And you both make complete sense to me, it just depends on which sort of trip you're planning. As I'm going with my wife - and probably another couple - there'll be less going off on a whim to sniff out something. That trip will come later.

We did a 3 week road trip in Canada last year; every time we had a big drive, it was a blizzard, and it was GREAT! Our little Nissan 2wd chewed up everything thanks to good snow tyres. Seeing a wolf before crossing Kootenay Pass in a whiteout was just one highlight.

Cheers

[neck beard]

I shouldn't have recommended a car so strongly, just my independenceadventerous side coming through. It is not required at all to have a very very good time. It is only a benefit in some contexts like you said. And Japanese public transport is 99% of the time clean, friendly, polite and very reliable. Part of the Japanese experience.

I reckon you are right to pick only two of the three H/N/M for a 2 week trip.

Gunder is right that xmas/NY is early for a bushy place like Myoko (and probably the same for Nozawa). The off-piste will most likely still be scrubby, but not a write-off.

Regarding driving: there are no street names in Japan, and "all" street signs on major routes between towns are bi-lingual. I'm sure an exception can always be found. I can drive from Narita to Hakuba with English signs the whole way if I stay on main routes.

Having a car means digging the thing out each storm. Novelty wears off quickly. If only our parking area was this clear every morning! Yeah, I'm getting itchy. 2-3 months to wait.

[Island Bay]

I spy a pair of 112 bananas....

That looks rather dreamy (but I can only imagine the amount of shoveling you have to do). I can't wait, either. Wish we could bring the hound.