Hakuba, Nagano, Japan
Trip Start
Dec 27, 2010
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Trip End
Jun 22, 2011
Hakuba-mura, Nagano, Japan
Thursday, December 30, 2010
The trip here was on a very slow train that was rickety as hell. It was about 20% full and everyone on it had their snow gear. I felt like I was on the Polar Express. All the passengers were giddy as we approached this unfamiliar destination we had only heard of. It snowed mightily and the view from the windows was merely the blackness of night with sudden illumination from empty train stations as we passed through. As we arrived, my illusory vision was interrupted by the realism that Santa would not be on the other side of that turnstall. Instead, I settled for Koji, a wiry man who chain smoked his way through the icy streets of Hakuba towards our lodge, not in a sleigh mind you, but a beat up old Previa.
We snowboarded for the first two days and then took today off to tour the area and give our legs a break. The snow has been falling continuously with a couple hour breaks of sunlight here and there. Every trail is groomed and there aren't any "between the trees" areas. The biggest difference between the landscape here is that they aren't any evergreen trees. We are so accustomed to seeing thick foliage covered in snow in Tahoe. Here the trees are bare of leaves and the snow just piles up on the joints to the trunk. It feels barren and desolate, but that dissipates when you glance back at the slope and see the throngs of people doing the "falling leaf" down the hill. We are hoping when we go back out tomorrow that most of the people will have gone home since the weekend is over.
Our lodge is a very mom and pop kinda operation. They are very nice, as is almost everyone here in the service industry. The lodge is called Alupu, which is to say "Alps" in English. Its the epitome of budget accommodation. I would much prefer to be staying at any of the nicer places, but I'm not one to be choosy since I no longer have a source of income. We have frequented a couple nice hotels for their fireplace bars, though. Its a good way to go. Those places have all the foreigners in them anyways. We try to avoid that scene. I'm sure those Kiwi/Brits are very nice, but that god damn accent just makes them sound pompous, especially when they are trying to pronounce Japanese words.
We're about half way through the week here. I was going to mention some of the food we ate, but come on, that's gotta be its own entry, right?!
Comments
Hey you two.
Looks like a great trip .Love the photos.
Be safe
Love Matt & char