(Above: Check the name of this coffee... lost in traslation?)

After Tokyo, Al and I headed back to Ichihasama. The Japanese have a word for “country” and it’s “inaka.” So when I describe where I live to Japanese people, I tell them I live in the inaka, and they crack a smile. Inaka people, like country folk in the states, have their own slang and dialect to their speech. Some say it’s even hard for Japanese people from other parts of the country to understand the inaka dialect, and this is comforting since understanding people is still very difficult for me.
(Above: Super happy fun Japan ski time!)
Al brought his snowboard and our plan was to hit the slopes. Japan is famous for the amount of ski areas that it has per capita. You’ve all heard that the 1998 Olympics were held in Japan- there were the famous Olympics in which my acquaintance, Johnny Mosely won gold in the freestyle moguls. Recently Japan skiing has gained more international recognition due to some favorable articles in magazines such as Outside, and Skiing. So Al and I were both excited for our first skiing experience in Japan, but there was one problem: This year was one of the warmest winters in 60 years, the snowpack was reflecting this statistic. But, we researched some areas and decided to just go for it. We decided on a place called Geto, which was about a 2 hour drive and promised the most snow in the area. Here’s some pics of Al and I “skiin’ in the Geto!” Be careful, these could be dangerous! :)
(Above: From the parking lot)
Geto turned out to be ok. It had some good lifts and a couple of slower gondolas, but the terrain was rather flat by US standards and a bit disappointing. Japan has tremendous possibility for some incredible and vast ski areas, the only problem with the existing areas was that the design of the lifts and runs is rather baffling/confusing. Often instead of one longer lift going to the top of a peak, where you would have access to various ways down, there is a series of smaller lifts, that appear more like steps, and strangely enough, you often have to hike a bit uphill to get to the next lift, which is just beyond me. (Above: Al catching some air) Another interesting phenomenon are runs that won’t let the skier go back to the exact lift they just disembarked. When Michelle and I went to Zao, we often found ourselves on another side of the mountain and had to take a zig zag lifts for a good ½ hour to get back to our original area… just strange. A final problem is that the Japanese have such a strong emphasis on safety that one isn’t allowed to ski anywhere they aren’t supposed to. There are no backcountry areas and skiers must always stay in bounds or risk having their tickets pulled for the day. This rule is great for families and small children, but for the more advanced skier it really limits the fun that can be had. I miss the old, “Ski this area at your own risk” signs in the states basically saying, you’re responsible for yourself after this point. Mt. Bachelor, in my fair state, has a wonderfully popular area called Northwest Territory, which is the coolest name and also just what it describes: a territory that isn’t groomed or maintained, but you are allowed to ski back there at your own risk. Many ski areas don’t mind when a skier gets lost because 1. The skier is charged astronomical rates for the search and rescue, most likely resulting in a profit for the ski area and 2. lost skiers often get media coverage thereby resulting in coverage for the ski area and maybe even earning it the reputation of “Extreme!” which in America is a simile for $$ baby! Nevertheless, in spite of the flat, slow terrain, overly strict-freedom-limiting safety measures, and confusing lift design, I still had a good time skiing.
(above: a scrumptious Japanese dinner)
Al and I got a 2 day package deal that included 2 incredible meals a day, a lift ticket and of course room and board. It was a true Japanese ryokan experience and I was glad that Al loved it.