Hokkaido Japan; Central Hokkaido or Niseko

[satori]

You guys might be getting some good news. I heard in the news that for business travelers to Japan that the length of time that you have to self isolate is going to go from 14 to 3 days. Lots of pressure on various ministries here so hoping that the border will open up.

(actually that's a lie but still it'd be good to see some old faces here again )

[Any]

You guys might be getting some good news. I heard in the news that for business travelers to Japan that the length of time that you have to self isolate is going to go from 14 to 3 days. Lots of pressure on various ministries here so hoping that the border will open up.

(actually that's a lie but still it'd be good to see some old faces here again )

rather pointless tho. everyone we've talked to is still waiting on their visas to be issued.
one couple "only" took 8 weeks, but everyone else are 14 weeks deep in the queue with still no sign of them being issued.
we've got applications in, but there was so much back and forward that we only put them in recently.
it seems we'll be spending our travel budget in usa or canada instead.
lucky we've been paying rent the last 2 years :/

[SUPERIOR]

Interesting story in the new ski journal issue regarding last winter in Hokkaido. Penned from the perspective of a Kiwi guide who married into the family of Hokkaido gal from the Furano area.

It’s hard to describe powder skiing in words imho, so I found it to be more interesting from the perspective of change in the demographics of Japan.

Would be cool if any of our friends who made it to Hokkaido (or stayed there) would post up pics of the empty ski resorts.


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[CascadeCrudSkier]

Would be cool if any of our friends who made it to Hokkaido (or stayed there) would post up pics of the empty ski resorts.

I didn't make it up to Hokkaido but at least on Honshu the big resorts were far from empty. It was less crowded in places like Hakuba but there were plenty of expats and locals who were still getting after it. It was much better than the year before but 20-30 minute lift lines weren't uncommon on weekends and powder days.

That being said, one of the unexpected perks of shutting down travel was that many of the resorts didn't utilize all of their lifts, turning some great terrain from in-bounds to side-country. There was an entire ridge inbounds at Cortina that didn't open all season and was a 10 minute hike from lift accessed terrain. Hopefully they save some more money this season and keep it closed.

The latest from Japan is that students and workers are now allowed to enter the country.
"We will assess the effectiveness of these measures and decide whether to reopen the country for tourism by the end of the year, taking into account the infection situation," deputy government spokesperson Isozaki Yoshihiko said at a news conference on Monday.

[Mike Pow]

My 2 bits:
Like the legendary wild Pacific salmon, against all odds they overcome the seemingly impossible challenges and return to their spawning grounds. Mike too will return to his winter spawning fields, spraying everything in his path with his champagne pow wake.
Go Mike!

Buy lottery tickets tonight

New Government in Japan beginning to allow entry.

At this stage only selected countries and those studying or working.

My Certificate of Eligibility issued in December 2020 is still valid, so just waiting on new paperwork from sponsor and then it's up to the Japanese Embassy in London.

The feeling is tourists will be allowed in once the first wave of students & workers has come in and there's no spike in infection rates.

I have heard that the Japanese won't be accepting the Johnson & Johnson vaccine but that may change.

2021/22 Japan Season could well be on.

I'm gagging.

[CascadeCrudSkier]

Bump. Winter has arrived in Japan, the resorts are opening in Nagano and NIseko is advertising that they'll open next week. Furano opens today.

On the negative side it doesn't seem like travel is coming back any time soon. With this talk of the new Omicron variant it's hard to imagine that any restrictions will be rolled back in the near future.

Some kamoshika on a deep day for stoke.

[SUPERIOR]

According to IG, it was opening day for what looks like Sapporo Kokusai Resort. All the buddies are reporting about 100 cms of new snow in the last 2-3 days… and that’s on the valley floor.

I always wished I could go for an early season Japan banger trip… Before everybody got there in January.

[adrian.bee]

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/20...-restrictions/

Unfortunate news for anyone with fingers crossed for 2022.

[singlecross]

Yep, we cancelled our Mid-January trip and got full refunds as we were over a month out.

[Mike Pow]

I was at the Japanese Embassy in London yesterday (29th) hours before they shut the door to foreign visitors

I could have submitted my visa application but it won’t be seen until they lift the border closure.

First review is in a month by which time the Embassy will be closed for Christmas.

First sign of opening the borders is early January

If I put my application in today they would have my passport until then

And even then there’s no guarantee it will open

Window was too small from 08 - 29 November to get all the paperwork to me and get it processed before shutdown

Silver lining is none of my customers can get in either

They’re rescheduling their trips to Feb

So if we can all get in at least I’ll have work then

Beacons here I come

https://www.instagram.com/p/CWyhTgKD-Y6/

[Mike Pow]

No entry until 01 March at the earliest

Fuck

[CascadeCrudSkier]

01 March 2023?

I think the odds of winning the lottery are higher than getting into Japan for at least the next several months.

It has been an amazing winter so far, at least in western Honshu. This week has dried out but the snow train resumes next week.

This picture was taken from the Madarao page a few days ago.

[beer30]

My buddy told me in December that there where already places on western Honshu that had 200% their yearly pack already.
My trips got called of in November, hoping for next year.
Im really curious what the snow sport and lodging industry looks like after 2 closed winters.

[gaijin]

My buddy told me in December that there where already places on western Honshu that had 200% their yearly pack already.
My trips got called of in November, hoping for next year.
Im really curious what the snow sport and lodging industry looks like after 2 closed winters.

A few things to consider.
Many resorts were (are) already bankrupt before covid. You could (can) buy a hotel for the price of a car. Covid resulted in a lot of government support programs for local businesses that are now reviving. Smart locals are buying things up.

You're too late. Unless you're ready to pull the trigger right now. Then I can line you up. But everyone is racing to line up funds.

The foreseeable problem is that winters come and go. In like a Lion, Out like a Lamb. It's quite possible that this winter will return to normalcy this month and by March the buzz will have faded.

I'll keep it simple. I've been exploring the ski resort real estate biz since 2015. If you want something, call me now. And have cash. And be prepared to buy something defunct. And be prepared to have to fund the business of filling that hotel or property.

Otherwise I don't want to hear from you.

"Oh wow, defunct resorts! Cheap! Oh wait... we have to build the community, too?"

The youth fled years ago. But if you want a resort...

[m2711c]

If you want to just browse what amazing deals that zone has offer, check out this thread from the Australian ski.com.au site.

https://www.ski.com.au/xf/threads/ja...to-2070.88227/


lots of good information on lodges that are available and what it takes to actually buy and operate them. The prices are unreal, but the obstacles can be daunting…

this one’s going for about ¥4,000,000 or about $35,000





https://www.athome.co.jp/kodate/6974643549/

that would put you in Yuzawa about 80 minutes by bullet from Tokyo… and right near Kagura, Naeba, Maiko, Ishiuchi Maruyama and Kandatsu.



















giggity.

[beer30]

When did I say I was interested in buying? I’m not, so don’t worry, you won’t hear from me.
Looking forward to next year.

A few things to consider.
Many resorts were (are) already bankrupt before covid. You could (can) buy a hotel for the price of a car. Covid resulted in a lot of government support programs for local businesses that are now reviving. Smart locals are buying things up.

You're too late. Unless you're ready to pull the trigger right now. Then I can line you up. But everyone is racing to line up funds.

The foreseeable problem is that winters come and go. In like a Lion, Out like a Lamb. It's quite possible that this winter will return to normalcy this month and by March the buzz will have faded.

I'll keep it simple. I've been exploring the ski resort real estate biz since 2015. If you want something, call me now. And have cash. And be prepared to buy something defunct. And be prepared to have to fund the business of filling that hotel or property.

Otherwise I don't want to hear from you.

"Oh wow, defunct resorts! Cheap! Oh wait... we have to build the community, too?"

The youth fled years ago. But if you want a resort...

[BCR]

This is the Hokkaido I remember. Hard to describe in words the volume of snow there. Makes for video game powder skiing is the best way I can describe it - refills and covers your tracks by the time you get back to the top. Bummer the restrictions are going to prevent many from seeing it for themselves.

01 March 2023?

I think the odds of winning the lottery are higher than getting into Japan for at least the next several months.

It has been an amazing winter so far, at least in western Honshu. This week has dried out but the snow train resumes next week.

This picture was taken from the Madarao page a few days ago.

[up an down]

I am not in a position to buy.. But I am curious if there is a Japan version of the Great Resignation happening because of Covid/inflation/cost of living?

[skinipenem]

If one owns property in Japan, does that allow for entry into the country?


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[Dromond]

I am not in a position to buy.. But I am curious if there is a Japan version of the Great Resignation happening because of Covid/inflation/cost of living?

I had the same question. The value of every rural property near ski recreation in N America has gone bananas. Is that just not happening in Japan? The idea of any real house/cabin anywhere near good skiing for $35k US is nuts to me at this point.

[climberevan]

I looked into it a few years ago and it seemed like a house near the mountains could be had for like $80k. Further research seemed to indicate that ownership would be a big hassle and that there was basically no way to get permanent residency. Japan doesn't exactly welcome foreigners....

I'd love to hear the real scoop from someone who has made it work (without marrying a Japanese citizen).

[CascadeCrudSkier]

If one owns property in Japan, does that allow for entry into the country?

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No, unfortunately it does not.

I had the same question. The value of every rural property near ski recreation in N America has gone bananas. Is that just not happening in Japan? The idea of any real house/cabin anywhere near good skiing for $35k US is nuts to me at this point.

I'm not a real estate expert but I have learned a bit after living here for a couple of years.

There are a ton of cheap properties in rural Japan, including in the ski towns. The mainstream areas have gone up significantly, I guess some desirable areas in Hakuba have increased 10 fold over the past 15 years. When compared to the U.S. market though they're still very cheap. The really obscure areas, which most are, are silly cheap. The catches are it's still difficult to get capital and buy as a foreigner and most of the structures on these properties are in terrible shape. The example property shown above looks like a perfect example of a money pit you can find almost anywhere.

So far it doesn't seem that the great resignation is happening in Japan. The major cities are still super crowded and I saw some recent headline that home/apartment prices in Tokyo are now at record highs. Telework doesn't seem to have really caught on here like it has elsewhere and those that are working from home still seem to want to live in the city. If I were single and didn't need to worry about living near an international school I'd try to live in Nagano and commute 1-2 days to the city but I haven't seen too many people doing this.

In response to how the industry is doing after 2 COVID winters, most of these resorts and towns needed investment before COVID. As Gaijin points out, there has been a lot of government support to keep them alive but from the outside it looks like it's been a band-aid while these areas are slowly dying. Most ski areas look like they were built during the 80s/90s boom and don't seem to have been touched since. The season here is short and the climate (cold snowy winters, humid summers) seems to be pretty harsh on the infrastructure. It's really important to do your homework when booking lodging on a Japan trip, price isn't a very good determination of the accommodations and how nice or run down they'll be.

[Dromond]

Thanks for sharing your perspective. I’m just someone who has loved visiting Japan in winter twice and am curious about the place.

The short but intense winter snow season has always seemed like a limitation to anyone who wants to run a ski tourism business there. My naive impression is that there is often not enough snow for great skiing until late December, and that by March, the sun is high and snow is warming up fast. Below treeline terrain is not really renowned for great spring skiing, either.

On the remote work topic: it seems like the vastly different attitudes towards work and individualism compared to the US must affect the outcome greatly. In the US there is that subset of people who can’t wait to move to rural MT the second they get a remote job so that they can live on their ranch or whatever. I don’t get the sense that the average Japanese worker idealizes open space and separation from other people in the same way.

[CascadeCrudSkier]

I agree completely with the assessment of the season, I'm sure I'll come back to visit frequently once I leave Japan but I don't think I'd ever plan a ski trip outside the first 2 months of the year. There is some fun spring skiing but the terrain here just doesn't compare to Europe or N. America. It makes for a tough business model.

One other aspect of the remote work topic is that generally speaking the role of the office plays a different part of society in Japan than in other parts of the world. The office is like a second home; those are your friends and social structure so there isn't a big push to retire early and leave. COVID has changed some aspects of this but many friends still say that people are staying in the office until midnight; they just aren't going to the drinking parties like they used to. I work on the government side, which is a bit different, but many Japanese employees take significant pay cuts when they reach certain ages to incentivize early retirement. None of them seem to want it and agree to keep working at a reduced salary into their 60s and 70s.

[skinipenem]

I agree completely with the assessment of the season, I'm sure I'll come back to visit frequently once I leave Japan but I don't think I'd ever plan a ski trip outside the first 2 months of the year. There is some fun spring skiing but the terrain here just doesn't compare to Europe or N. America. It makes for a tough business model.

One other aspect of the remote work topic is that generally speaking the role of the office plays a different part of society in Japan than in other parts of the world. The office is like a second home; those are your friends and social structure so there isn't a big push to retire early and leave. COVID has changed some aspects of this but many friends still say that people are staying in the office until midnight; they just aren't going to the drinking parties like they used to. I work on the government side, which is a bit different, but many Japanese employees take significant pay cuts when they reach certain ages to incentivize early retirement. None of them seem to want it and agree to keep working at a reduced salary into their 60s and 70s.

This is fascinating. So counter to the American experience of late.

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