Cynicor

Some of the Honshu ones definitely do, but I couldn’t tell you which, I forget.

i prefer the serenity of no music, personally.

evergrn

okay I may be in the minority then.
I mostly only listen to Japanese music.

Some classic winter/ski songs:
Misia Hatenaku tsuzuku story
Macky Fuyu ga hajimaruyo
Matsutoya Yumi Blizzard

jib71

My two cents are irrelevant here, since I don't ski, but in an era when everyone has thousands of songs available on their personal devices I would prefer all places that "blast" music as if we were all a homogenous mass to stop doing that. The first time one witnesses people at the gym nonchalantly working out to music with very violent and sexually explicit lyrics, it's somewhat amusing, but it quickly gets old.

When I go to the mountains it's outside of ski season and they're very tranquil. I like them that way.

Cynicor

Furano definitely plays the music...
Naturwald hotel opposite the Kitanomine slopes is decent practically ski-in/out (over the road).

evergrn

I think it's personal preference and also more of a Japanese thing. Maybe exclusively Japanese thing?
I've never been to a N.American resort that does this (although every place blasts music, usually rock/alternative, at cafeterias).
Since I listen to J-pop, it's great for me. Music helps make lift rides less boring. I don't take head/earphone when skiing... think that's quite dangerous. But I guess I have excessive need for some type of music playing in the background whenever possible.

You're at Furano now?
Having a blast in Utah right now. Next up: Rusutsu.

jib71

I guess the notion that Japanese people are happy to have the same music played for everyone on the side of a mountain would fit with people's image of Japan being a group-oriented society. I don't know if there's anything in that. I think there may be a wider trend for people everywhere to be uncomfortable with silence. I am probably unusually intolerant of "zatsu-on." When I come across a TV or radio "zats on" with nobody actively paying attention to it, I want to hit the power button - I'm more comfortable once "zats off."

Cynicor

Thanks! Furano is dry, needs more snow. Did a piste day with the newbies, teaching how to board, first.
yesterday was asahidake backcountry and today will be the same.
tomorrow hopefully hitting an abandoned ski resort to teach some intro to backcountry
hope Utah has snow!

evergrn

All that stuff you do sounds too rugged to me, but that’s great that you enjoy it so much and that Jpn offers those opportunities. Stay safe!

Too bad about the snow there. No shortage of snow in Utah. Got fresh ungroomed dry powder up above ankles yesterday, which is amazing fun but also physically quite demanding.

evergrn

The website finally shows West Gondola as up and running .

shuigao

I'm thinking of doing Rusutsu next season, don't want to skip more than 1 season and then end up forgetting everything I learned last season

Kid will be ~16 months, too young to do anything, so if we end up going we'll dump him at daycare: https://www.hokkaido-rusutsu.com/en-...age_id=4982994

Just a confirmation if you happen to know -- the daycare is in the 'Rusutsu Resort,' of which Westin is also a part of & is attached to via (covered but not heated) monorail, right? As in, I should be able to stay in either the Westin or the Rusutsu Resort Hotel, and not have to stick only to the latter?

evergrn

According to their website, the daycare is at/next to Highland Lodge which is over on Rusutsu Resort side.
Depending on how you plan to work out your schedule, it may be easier to stay over on that side. The monorail is the only way to go between Westin and Rusutsu Resort, and it is a slow service. Let's say you are staying at Westin and you do the breakfast buffet (which starts at 7am) at the earliest possible time. Then you head back to the room to get changed and get your child ready. Maybe it's already 8.30am by then. And then you head down and, worst-case, you just missed the monorail. So then you don't get to Highland Lodge for another 20-25min. While you could gear up beforehand in the Westin locker room and then drop the kid off and start the day over on the West side, the main area is the East/Isola and furthermore it's not very feasible to have your gear plus your toddler. So then you've gotta come back to Westin to gear up and then by the time you finally get to the slopes it might be close to 10am.

I definitely think it's doable, though. But I think it might be easier to find a place where your hotel, daycare and ski area base are all at the same location.

evergrn

shuigao,
Here's my comprehensive review of Rusutsu
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/30853488-post141.html

Cynicor

Well that’s Furano done for me. Recommend the Naturwald as a decent location in Kitanomine with lots of restaurants and such nearby, basically ski in/out as it’s over the road from the gondola and lift, very simple to get to.

Snow in central Hokkaido is less deep than the West (Niseko/Rusutsu) but generally preserves well as it’s colder and gets less hard hit, though crowds are definitely increasing.

Off to Canada for 2 weeks of snow now, will see how that goes but a rain/freeze layer from last few days means higher avalanche risk.

Next year Japan is hopefully going to be 3-4 week Hokkaido tour with the La Vista Daisetsuzan on the cards for a few nights. Very nice hotel with an excellent onsen.

evergrn

I'm envious. I too will be following up my Feb Hokkaido ski trip with Canada, but for me every trip is so short. I get next to no time off work!

I've been studying Furano's trail map. How's the on-piste experience there? It seems like a big mountain with lots of promise, but I don't know if I like the lift layout. They have 2 high-speed lifts, but I feel like they put them in places that are kind of meaningless for non-beginners. I see that there're 2 high-speed quads, but there's a total of just 1 run off of those 2 quads combined that's not beginner.

Cynicor

I brought a group of 12, with 3 beginners (first time ever) and 3 beginner-intermediated and 6 experienced skiers.
we can cover the entire place in morning easily and be mostly done with it.
the intermediated had fun over about 3 piste days and the beginners really stuck to the lifts.

your read of the map is correct, you need to use the gondola or ropeway to get up. The link lift gets you between the resorts but coming back is FLAT. Not fun for boarders but pretty doable with some skating.

its a nice place, I like it as a base with lots of restaurants and real shops if needed.
english ski lessons and hire are now readily available from multiple shops though need to be booked in advance nowadays/at peak times.