Myoko Kogen: Japan Ski Tips
Japan Ski Tips for Myoko
Manners
Be polite and respect the local culture. Myoko people are generally very friendly and are always willing to help foreign travellers. Unfortunately in some other resorts, like Niseko, some foreign skiers show scant respect for local culture and ways while they are there. This can do some irreparable damage that may result in some establishments shying away from allowing foreigners in.
Shoes
Say goodbye to your shoes. Not forever, but at the entrance to many hotels and public buildings. Slippers will usually be provided for you to change into, although you may be asked to remove those at a certain point inside. Don't panic - just remember that this is simply one of the cultural differences in Japan, and observe what others are doing. The shoe-for-slipper exchange often happens at the toilets, too.
Language
Get a Japanese phrasebook
Snowboards
You may want to bring your long board to Myoko - it is good for those huge snowfalls that are common from January through to March, especially in resorts like Seki Onsen.
Credits Cards / Cash / ATM's
Don't expect to use your credit card with considerable ease in Myoko. Although Japan may be technologically advanced in many areas, the financial services area is not one of them. So be prepared and bring at least some cash if you get stuck. An easy way to obtain cash is to use major foreign cash and credit cards at Post Office and 'Seven Bank' ATMs. Over 2600 Post Office ATMs which marked with the 'International ATM Service' symbol provide this service.
Service hours for Post Office ATM's vary depending on the location, but in general they can be used:
- Monday to Saturday: 0:05 (7:00 Mon. and the day after a holiday)-23:40
- Sunday and national holidays: 0:05-20:00
- Closed: January 1-3
Onsen
Make sure you try an onsen. An onsen is a large bathing pool filled with hot natural spring water from geothermal sources below the mountains. Apparently the water is filled with minerals that have great healing properties. Whatever is in the water it certainly revitalises your body and is a great way to end an awesome day of riding the powder or the pipe. Just be aware that tradition dictates that you bath naked. However, there are separate men's and women's onsen. Before you enter the hot water, you have to clean yourself. Just copy what the locals are doing: sit on a small stool and clean yourself. Soap and shampoo are normally provided. Use it! Japanese will watch you suspiciously, assuming that you might make the water dirty, so use plenty of soap and shampoo!
Crowds
Try to avoid snowboarding on weekends and public holidays as many of the main lifts, such as the Suginohara gondola, can become very busy. As most Japanese like to rise early and start skiing or snowboarding early in the day, another way to avoid crowds on the slopes is to start riding in the early afternoon.
Take a trip
Take a day trip to the nearby city of Nagano - the former being the site of the 1998 Winter Olympics and home to the famous Zenkoji Temple or see the snow monkeys in Yudanaka Onsen
Drinking
If you're lucky enough to go drinking with some locals an empty glass is a sign that it needs to be filled again. So leave yours full once you have finished for the night. And on the subject of filling glasses, it's not polite to fill your own glass - someone else will do it for you. Always receive your glass or cup with both hands and always lift your glass or cup when someone is pouring for you.
Ski Run Grades
Unlike the typical green, blue, red, black system used by resorts elsewhere in the world to grade runs Japanese resorts, including those in Myoko, have not adopted a consistent grading methodology. So beware before you head off down a blue run that may turn out to be a double black.
Peak Season Travel
Train stations and airports become very crowded during each of the three peak travel seasons in Japan. Visitors to Myoko need to be aware of the difficulties in booking travel tickets and accommodation during these periods:
1) New Year holiday period - December 27 to January 3 and adjacent weekends;
2) "Golden Week" holiday period - April 29 to May 5 and adjacent weekends;
3) "Bon" festive season - one week around August 15.
Restaurants / Eating
Start practicing to eat with chop sticks before you get to Japan. Your hosts will be nicely surprised and compliment you (if you can use them well). Nearly all the food has to be eaten with chop sticks or spoon anyway.
Food is restaurants is not always cheap - especially given the current exchange rate. A much better alternative is to buy at a local supermarket or convenience store. After 6-7pm there is usually steep discount offered on the prepared fresh food boxes.
Forego the idea of meat-and-potato meals (apart from niku jaga) and upgrade your predictable obsession for chicken wings by hitting one of Japan's izakaya. Part bar, part restaurant, these inspired establishments are basically a Japanese beer-soaked version of tapas or dim sum. Expect a casual, convivial atmosphere; great sake and beer; and a long list of small plate dishes like tempura prawns, gesso (octopus), fresh sushi from the Japan Sea, small bowls of miso soup, yakitori skewers, gyoza dumplings and okonomiyaki (Japanese omelet). Izakaya are a tradition over Japan—and vary from modern, American-influence dishes to traditional Japanese cuisine to things solely cooked on skewers. In places like Myoko these establishments really come into their own. Share a table with soon-to-be friends or elbow up to the bar and chat with the staff and you'll find that the hours will dissolve faster than the aches did while soaking at the onsen.
Japan Tourist Information
If you're stuck somewhere a great source of English information is the Japan Travel Phone, which is a free national telephone service. The telephone operators can answer questions on just about anything. The toll free number from Myoko is 0088-22-4800 or 0120-44-4800 and in Tokyo it is 3201-3331.
If you have any other questions, check out these Myoko FAQ or post them on our forum and hopefully someone can answer them for you!
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