We got three inches of snow in the foothills last night, and all of it melted off the trails right away. Here is the view first thing in the morning.
A New Record
This was Melissa’s 30th ski day of the season. She’s come close before, but never quite reached it. On the downside, the snow was not great, so that was probably it for the season.
The Airport That's Really a Mall
The New Chitose Airport is 90% shopping mall and 10% airport, and probably employs half the population of Sapporo in its retail shops. Here is Melissa posing with our favorite polar bear (we actually prefer Pepsi). Notice the sign.
Stuffed Silly in Japan
This was our final group dinner in Japan, and we could not do it - the budget was $28 each for food, and we just could not spend it all. Food is incredibly cheap there - and beer, and wine…
Rustic Lodgings - or Not?
This is what appears to be rustic lodgings at the Tomamu Ski Resort in Hokkaido, but it’s actually quite new - a little higher up, and those rough brick walls are replaced by a modern roof and ductwork.
An Ocean at a Ski Resort?
This is the Tomamu ski resort’s indoor pool - with a wave machine, of course. I think someone had an overblown idea of amenities for skier. Pretty awesome, though.
Cacktails and Sand on the Menu?
The following menu from a Japanese ski resort is worth a close read.
Twin Towers at a Ski Resort?
This is the Tomamu ski resort in Japan, which was substantially overbuilt back in the 1980s, including these twin towers stuffed with hotel rooms. And yes, it was snowing like crazy.
A Shrine for a Chairlift?
Yep. This shrine was positioned right next to the top of a chairlift in Hokkaido. No idea why.
...And Sometimes You Ski Over a Tree
Our Hokkaido guide Tay decided to take the over-the-top route to get past this fallen tree in the woods.
A Shrine to Powder Skiing
We were skiing in the trees off to one side of the Canmore Resort in Japan, and came upon this nifty temple out in the woods.
New Road Signs
The down arrow indicates the edge of the road. The road sign - who knows? And of course, look out for avalanches.
Heavy Snow Load
Some of the trees in the Hokkaido back country are overwhelmingly jammed with snow, as shown here. These snow loads can fall off in chunks, so you could be skiing along in powder and then run into a block of much denser snow.
Major Typos
Some of the Japanese-to-English signs are a bit off on the spellings. This one was posted at a national park that ran a tram up the side of the largest volcano on Hokkaido.
Serious Booze
The Japanese certainly like their whisky. These four-liter bottles even have a handy grip on the back, making it easier to chug them. And yes, everyone in Japan is still wearing a mask.
Even the Bread is Cute
Most Japanese advertising appears to follow the theme of being as cute as possible - which even extends to how they sell their bread.
Dinner, Japanese Style
Here is most of the group having dinner at a local Japanese restaurant. The food is great, and incredibly cheap.
Artistic Ridgelines
This is a view across the valley from a Hokkaido ski resort. Note the series of layered ridgelines going off into the distance.
Overloaded Car Shuttle
Here we are in an overloaded van during a transport from the unused back side of a Hokkaido ski resort to its main entrance. A bit short on seat belts. And yes, that is two people stacked up in the seat on the right.
Bit of a Chairlift Problem
The backside of this Hokkaido ski resort had been closed for the season, allowing for the snow buildup you see here. We skied down the back through pristine snow and caught a ride back to the front side of the resort.
