The season starter for Hakuba
It started snowing on the mountain as we were leaving our “first day” activities. This morning we woke to a nice blanket of snow covering the whole valley. I like to check the balcony balustrade outside the White Horse bar for a good indication of the amount of snowfall. The rule we go with is double the measurement for the mountain depth.
The first day of the 2009/10 season in Hakuba
Well all bets were in for the first day of the season and we were all way off. It turns out that Jimmy Conrete who worked with us at Arctic the first year was closest with the date of 1st of December. A good afternoon was held on the top of 47 with a few drinks in between each run. Not much open at the moment but we are ready for the big one due in the next few days.
The Japanese Alps
We had some guests arrive yesterday who were very keen to get up on the slopes. We drove them over to Kashimayari which had one run opened however they said they had a great time and came back in high spirits with the knowledge that some big snow storms were on their way to Hakuba. Kashimayari is a great place to check out on a sunny day as is in the above photo from last season.
"Smoke Free" in Hakuba
A quick trip into Tokyo today. It is good to head into the city once in a while and I love the craziness of this place. The fact that you have to go into a restaurant to smoke as you are not allowed to smoke in the streets is backwards to anywhere else. In regards to smoking, our hotels are all smoke free throughout including the bars and restaurants however there are spots outside with ashtrays and for those that may feel they will want to smoke then there are some rooms with balcony’s. Smokers should remember to be courteous while on the mountains and also use the pocket ashtrays that are available from many shops around town.
2009 Double Black opening party. Mugs shot.
The opening party for the Double Black Hotel in Hakuba that we also manage was held last night with a few good friends and a few more new ones. The evening went well and everybody had a great time. As the drink driving rule in Japan enforces a 0% alchol level I decided to walk home back to Echoland. It was a cool yet pleasant evening and only took me 25 minutes. It will be the last chance probably for a number of months to be able to walk out there without the worry of slipping on the ice. Everybody should remember to beware of the slippery roads and paths and when there is snow it is best to walk on the crunchie stuff.
Flying to Japan
Where do the guests come from? We have a big variety of guests from around the globe come and visit us in Hakuba. Because of the easy accessability from Tokyo we get a number of expats who are living and working throughout Asia. One of the comments I hear is a little selfish but quite understandable. Skiers and boarders want their snow fix. Peoples holiday time is valuable. If they were to go home for their ski holiday in Europe or America then they would have to also try to catch up with friends and family. All they really want is great snow conditions and a friendly atmosphere to enjoy some time out from thier busy work schedule so they end up here in our Hakuba Hotels. Holidays are very important and give us all a balance making the journey of life an experience rather than a chore. Live life.
Hakuba weather
Checking forcasts is a daily routine when staying at the snow. There are quite a few options for weather websites. The one we have on our website is reasonably accurate however it does not seem to take into account the amount of moisture that is picked up out of the Japanese Sea when the big cold air masses from Siberia make their way over here. It usually underestimates the amount of snowfall which is good because it means I don’t get my hopes up.
When checking conditions click onto the snow forecast emblem on our home page.
Happo North face. Steep and Deep
I have been asked a few times about the picture on the top of the blog. It is from when I was out with the Warren Miller crew a couple of seasons back. Local legend Takehiro Sakamoto is a professional free rider who competed agaist Johnny Moseley in the 1998 Winter Olympics. In this shot he is carving up the north face of Happo One backcountry. You can check out the area at the back of the building when you get off the Grat Quad.
Good times at Master Braster
Echoland is the main restaurant and bar area of Hakuba. One of my favourite places is Master Braster. A very cool reggae bar that offers a great range of international beers and a few light snacks. It is about 200 meters from the Arctic White Horse Hotel. Make sure you drop in and check it out while you are in Hakuba.
What do you want with Hattori Hanzo
What am I going to do today. No snow yet so we join our guest at a photo studio in Nagano. It was a good opportunity to play dress up and get into some traditional Japanese clothes. It suprisingly takes a long time to get outfitted into the kimono’s with many layers being tightened each time they are added. I had a lot more fun than I expected and I am very proud of our Kill Bill shot. The girls had a ball and looked absolutely stunning.
Please book early if you would like to give it a go.
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