How would you improve Myoko?

[myokoguy]

I'm opening up this thread just to gather ideas. Just about anything is fair game - think outside the box as much as you like. The town only has limited cash (but isn't that the story anywhere?) but maybe some ideas can be put into place.

Here's three to start.

Possible

More English signage, bi-lingual pamphlets, etc.

Would be nice

Make the area out the front of the station a bit more enticing. Perhaps a covered plaza with paving, bi-lingual signage, etc.

If money started raining from the sky

Link Suginohara, Ikenotaira and Akakura by gondola.


Over to you. What do you think?

[Brisbane_Bob]

Possible

More English signage, bi-lingual pamphlets, etc. (agree)

Would be nice

Make the area out the front of the station a bit more enticing. Perhaps a covered plaza with paving, bi-lingual signage, etc. (agree)

+ Pizza shop? Starbucks?

Regular small shuttles to/from the station - every 30 minutes or so

If money started raining from the sky

Link Suginohara, Ikenotaira and Akakura by gondola. (yes, yes, yes  )

How about a gondola direct to Akakura from the station? or one of those fanicular (?) trains like in Perisher.

Run the bullet train all the way to Myoko maybe.

[pikaski]

2 me da magic of myoko is dat its not hakuba or niseko or anywhr else. its quiet wid magic snow. improve yes, but dun try 2 turn it in2 another niseko.

maybe some free local small onsen like nozawa. thatd be way kool. 

[martinlevins]

Pizza? Starbucks?

OMG

Hopefully this was a joke

I loved the quiet of Myoko, the lack of "baka gaijin" and the great snow. It did take me a while to find the hole in the wall bars that served great traditional foods: there were some good ones, but they were not obvious.

Martin

[myokoguy]

Pizza and Starbucks would be nice Bob, but I think it probably would fall in the 'If money rained from the sky category'. I doubt they'd ever make a profit (although Hakuba does have a McD).

The Nagano shinkansen is being extended, but not to Myoko. It will take a circumventive route via IIyama (near Nozawa Onsen), stop outside Takada (in the boonies at a place called Wakinoda), then continue down the Japan Sea coast toward Kanazawa. The route was chosen for political considerations and whoever was willing to stump up the most subsidies. Hardly the way to encourage tourism and fuel savings. There is also talk that the Myoko line will disappear and be replaced by buses. Such is the way things happen in Japan.

I like the idea of small local free onsen Pika. There are a few small local ones already (if you know how to find them - I'm working on a map) but they generally cost 200-500 yen each.

Thanks for all the ideas. Keep 'em coming! 

[samandfee]

Myoko just great.......had 9 nights early feb.........keep myoko quiet  please.....dont want Aussie yobbos turning it into a sh_t hole now do we........[by that we mean the ones that make you feel embarrassed to be an  Australian when drunk and shouting abuse in Niseko....]  we  will be back for longer in 2010.......We think thats about all in the improvement section.

Regards SamandFee

[myokoguy]

keep myoko quiet  please.....dont want Aussie yobbos turning it into a sh_t hole now do we........

Thanks SNF. Agree on both points. The hard act is balancing between getting some cash into the local merchants / economy and not having it turn into another Niseko or even Hakuba (but doubt that would ever happen - at least in the short term).

Have been discussing this issue elsewhere - and it generated a fair bit of discussion/criticism. Some of the points that came up were:

• Trying to clean up, fix, demolish closed and derelict buildings, then renewal
• More catering for foreigners
• More name recognition and cooperation as one resort area
• Increasing the town's profile
• Fix up the station area
• Cut/consolidate lifts (others say build them higher)

Some of these should be possible. Others would need a fair infusion of cash. 

For now I think the best thing going for Myoko is it's word of mouth as that little secret place. 

[Tom]

English signage great, more shuttles great, linkage gondola awesome! Starbucks, mcdonalds no, community onsen great - love the nozawa vibe and community spirit. More integration and more terrain be good.

[pikaski]

yo yo yo - get dat gondola up an link those suckers tohether dude 

nvr happn tho 

[Langers]

By improving Myoko, I am assuming this will include increased visitation by foreign tourists. As Myokoguy mentioned, it is a very difficult thing to increase international tourism and yet not get the 'yobos' that came, for example, to Niseko.

Two thoughts:

1. Develop the resort towards families. English signage (on mountain and in restaurants). Family friendly accommodation. Games / things to amuse kids during evenings.

2. Help local (mostly Japanese) business owners with knowledge as to how they can improve their services for international guests. In Niseko a lot of Japanese businesses missed out on cashing in on the increased tourism because they couldn't effectively cater to international guests. (More international business owners came in and took over and cashed in)

[myokoguy]

Thanks Langers, these are really good suggestions.  If focused on foreign family visits the place can remain a bit sedate and retain it's local charm but still increase overall numbers.

I'm putting together some of these ideas to hopefully present to the town formally in the not too distant future. Still time for others to get their ideas in.