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Sunday, 22 February 2015

Sapporo 1972



 Five years after we visited Nagano, it was time to return to Japan to ski, sample some on-piste udon and take another ride on the bullet train.  This time we were visiting Japan’s other Winter Olympic venue: Sapporo, Hokkaido.  (Hokkaido is the northernmost of Japan’s large islands.)   Like Cortina, Sapporo was originally slated to host during World War 2 and also like Cortina it eventually hosted when peace returned. The original plan was to do some skiing with sightseeing thrown in afterwards, however the reality became sightseeing with a smattering of skiing due to various acts of god.   This trip was one of the more logistically complicated.  In the course of  12 days we visited 4 cities/towns, stayed at 5 inns took 2 Japanese domestic flights and the obligatory bullet train trip. Seemingly, unlike the vast majority of skiers who visit Hokkaido, we wanted to see some sites Japan had to offer.




Sapporo 72 t shirt in front of the disused Sapporo 72 ski chalet. 

The alpine events were unique in some ways.   The downhill course was temporary.  It was carved out the side of an active volcano 30 km south of Sapporo in a national park and when the Olympics were over it returned to nature.  The slalom and giant slalom venue, Teine, still welcomes recreational skiers.  The men’s giant slalom course, however, has long been abandoned and also returned to nature.  When doing the initial research to the trip, it was quite obvious that Teine was a”local” hill and it was not really a ski destination in itself.  Teine has no overnight accommodation it is just on the outside of Sapporo.It was decided that we would tack on a few days skiing at Niseko resort world famous for its quality and quantity of the snow. (See preceding blog entry: Beyond Sapporo).  


Snow conditions were alright

            The original plan was to spend the first full day in Japan with a more relaxed tempo and to explore the other Olympic venues in Sapporo. We decided instead to go straight to the hill and this turned out to be the best cure for jet lag.  Within 12 hours of arriving Mike ticked off most of  the items on his trip to-do list: eat melon buns, travel on Japan’s super efficient and extensive rail network, and ski on Hokkaido’s legendary powder.



On the first day we took advantage of the JR (Japan Railways) Ski Deal which can be purchased in the information centre in Sapporo Station.  It was a fantastic deal it cost ¥5500 and included, transport, ski rental and a 4 hour lift ticket,  2 additional hours can be purchased for ¥600 yen.  It is the best value lift ticket deal I have come across in my alpine adventures.  We stayed at the Sapporo Grand which was only a few  (underground) blocks to the train station, making this deal even more convenient.


We had the flex capacitor but unfortunately did not reach 88.8mph

On-piste udon

The following day we woke up to rain and were apprehensive to what awaited us on our return to Teine.  For this trip, I tried to plan as much as possible in advance, and to this end I booked us on a bus that goes to the Sapporo hotels and drives direct to Teine as opposed to train and bus on the JR deal.  It cost ¥5100 and did not include rentals.  Rentals cost an additional ¥5100!  All in all it was twice as much as the JR Pass!  I would recommend that unless you stay at a hotel the bus stops at and you have brought your own gear or you want a bus tour of suburban Sapporo, stay at a hotel within walking distance of Sapporo station and get the JR Pass.  The rain turned to wet snow at the base of Teine and at the top it was the famous Hokkaido powder.  It was the best conditions we have experienced, the powder was fluffy and plentiful.



Day 3, our final day in Sapporo we set off on our predictable tour of former  Olympic venues.  It was a beautiful day and our first stop was the Okurayama Ski Jump Stadium.  The stadium was renovated and had pride of place among the venues, over looking Sapporo. Also there was actually ski jump training going on.  It is difficult to say what was more impressive, watching the jumpers float down the hill or the views from the top of the ramp.   Nordic ski jumping is a pretty inaccessible sport, so I don’t think many people can relate to it, but once you visit a jumping facility and see the skiers jump you really do appreciate how brave and skilled these athletes are.   There was a winter sports/Olympic museum which had some great interactive winter sports displays that kids would love unfortunately the gift shop had a complete lack of Sapporo 1972 gear!  Fortunately I had already sorted out my Sapporo souvenier before coming to Japan. (see picture top) We then got back on the bus and subway and went to Mindimori. Park, the main site of the Olympic games. 
Olympic speed skating oval today

Olympic oval opening ceremonies 1972

Olympic oval 2015

Mindimori park is rather large, there were some senior citizens vigorously cross country skiing around it.  On a side note, Sapporo is a city with a lot of snow the snow banks were well over 2 meters and they had well over a meter on the ground, probably double that at Teine.  I think when one lives in a winter wonderland like Hokkaido, you must embrace winter and take advantage of the wintersports or else it will be a long boring season.   Anyways, I digress, we went to the main Olympic Stadium, I had a peak over the fence and saw a pristine long track speed skating course with amateurs skating around it.  We investigated further and it turns out you can rent hockey, speed or figure skates for ¥300 an hour.   We had a train to catch in 90 minutes back in central Sapporo but we thought when our we going to get a chance to skate outdoors at a former Olympic long track speed skating oval.  It was the right call, the ice was immaculate not a single rut and the cold but sunny conditions were perfect for skating.   We quickly walked through the suburban neighbourhood which unbeknown to us at the time was the old athelete’s village  and were on the subway back to Sapporo station and caught our train to Niseko!
 Okurayama Ski Jump Stadium 2015
Okurayama Ski Jump Stadium 1972

Sapporo 1972 was an Olympics which, along with Vancouver and Innsbruck, can be put in the successful category (unlike Montreal and Sochi). It spurred local development projects like the Sapporo subway, much of legacy facilities are being used for their original purpose and the games themselves turned a profit without major organizational issues or controversies.  I think the common detonator for  successful Olympics is to keep them as modest as a world sporting event can be.

Skiing: Bronze
 The slopes were crowded

Teine is a local hill and is certainly not on the ski/bum powder hound circuit.  Most of the skiers were Japanese school children learning to ski and locals out to enjoy the fabulous conditions.  Unlike Niseko, which is a pretty homogenous large resort ski experience, Teine felt more like a Japanese ski experience.  This included a wide selection of muzak being played in the chalet, very polite locals who apologized to us that the conditions were not good ie. pefect (they were the best conditions I have ever skied on!)  and friendly lifties who always swept your seat before sitting. The area is split into the Olympia Zone which is the beginner area, it had the remains of a torch over looking it.  It was busy with school kids and it did not hold our attention for very long.  The larger and more advanced Highland Zone had longer, more challenging runs,  a couple of  reds, a black which was the former GS course and some glades opportunities in deep powder.   The limited runs meant that Teine was not a ski destination in itself more of a stop to try for a day or two while visiting other sites and resorts of Hokaido.  What Teine had that was brilliant, reasonably priced Udon for lunch; the perfect midday day meal when skiing.  Western resorts really need to take a page out of  Japan’s book and offer this.

Apres Ski Silver

Sapporo was a winter metropolis when we visited.   Like Innsbruck and Grenoble après ski in Sapporo is not of the traditional resort variety.  The city of 2 million people is a new city and feels almost North American. The selection and quality of the food is simply excellent.  

Apres ski sushi

We went for après ski conveyor sushi one night, Hokkaido soup curry in a smoke filled restaurant with a 1970s American theme another.  There was a hive of activity and shopping opportunities in the downtown district and the army, (yes the army) were busy making giant snow sculptures for the upcoming winter festival.   




I was challenged to eat an entire cuttlefish

We visited the Sapporo Beer Garden and Museum where you can get all you can eat Mongolian Lamb and all you can drink for ¥3800.  Some of the patrons who did this deal were clearly suffering towards the end but were not being rowdy or misbehaving.  Unless the police/ambulance workers were sitting at every table you wouldn’t be able to have a deal like this in North America/UK!.   I was surprised with a cuddle fish halfway through the meal which was enough of a struggle for me..
Downtown Sapporo


Overall Silver

            Teine was a tiny resort by Olympic standards and the downhill run is now a backcountry glade in the footnote of Olympics history.  But what Sapporo did introduce us too is DEEP powder conditions, uncrowded unpretentious local skiing, accessible non-skiing former Olympic venues, giant underground passage ways and shopping and siphon coffee makers (which are so cool, I took one back with me as a dinner party show piece really) and most importantly it reintroduced Mike to his long lost Japanese love: cream filled melon buns.

Worth the trans Pacific journey to Japan: melon buns and siphon coffee

Marc Says “Hokkaido lived up to its reputation of fantastic snow conditions.  The city of Sapporo is not really a tourist destination but it was still a fascinating city to explore after a day’s skiing.   I think the legacy Olympic facilities, and the sheer number of restaurants and excellent customer service, allow Sapporo to scrape in with a silver rating as opposed to a bronze.  Three days was perfect timing.  Long live on piste udon! “

Mike says “Melon buns are an elusive delicacy native to Japan sought out by urbaneers around the world.  They are worth the great efforts many undertake in search for them. Combined with my latest discovery, siphon coffee, they are simply sublime.”






EXTRA: Beyond Sapporo

EXTRA: Beyond Sapporo
  






Niseko


The main purpose of our journey to Japan was to visit yet another Olympic resort.  We knew that Teine was only large enough to hold our attention for a day or two so plans were made to spend 3 days skiing at Niseko, the largest resort in Hokkaido.  



Getting to our resort was a bit challenging I thought we would go to Niseko station and take a taxi but of course there were no taxis so someone kindly came from the hotel came to collect us.   Niseko Northern Resort was modern, pleasant hotel.  We went for half board which had a mix of Western and Eastern cuisine.  I gorged on  pastries at breakfast including danishes filled with that Japanese staple: red beans. 



A single chair lift!

The first day of skiing was great, fresh powder and we got quite a few runs in Anpnupurin and Hanazoo.  While we were eating our overpriced udon at the base of Hanazoo there was a guitarist playing ambient guitar tunes which was a nice change from Teine’s muzak.   On the second day Mike was bed ridden with a cold/flu.  When I arrived at the gondola and there were no crowds; I soon discovered why.  The top of the mountain was covered in clouds with almost 0 vis.  I was stuck at my side of the hill with mostly red and green runs.  I spent about half the day doing the groomers and venturing into the “back country”.  Niseko is made up of 4 interconnected resorts but they are connected at the top of the mountain.  I thought I would have plenty of time to explore the other two resorts on our last day.  Wrong again! It was pretty windy and all the lifts were not operating for the entire day.  The hotel was full of guests not quite sure what to do with themselves while Mike was still busy being ill and worrying if he should go to the hospital for a cold/flu.           


Our part of the resort was quiet with mostly Japanese and Chinese visitors, there were things to do at the hotel, like have drinks at the modern bar with a modern fireplace but it was pretty subdued.  If you want a livelier après ski, Little Brisbane, I mean Hirafu is the place to be.  We went to check it out and found what we thought was a lively pub, but it turned out to be also quite subdued with many Australians watching cricket on a pirated TSN feed no less!  After one beer we left. 



I can say that Niseko does live up to its reputation of having superb snow conditions and lots of Australian visitors.  To me the backcountry was more like birch forest glade skiing rather than true backcountry.  Nonetheless be prepared for loads of Westerners walking around the resort and hills with avi beacons, shovels and back packs in search of prestine powder (they don’t have to go far).  We thought of a new product: fake avi beacons so when you are in the chalet you can look hardcore at a fraction of the price.   Niseko is a resort that can keep you busy for a week and Rusutsu resort is a short bus ride away if it can’t.

Kyoto



A historic street in Kyoto and a bamboo grove 

After hanging around a windswept Niseko for the day we got on the sort of wrong bus to New Chitose Airport.  (It was a bus to New Chitose Airport but not the bus we paid for in advance which was 5 minutes later).   Kyoto is the historic capital of Japan.  We flew 2 hours south to Osaka (Itami) and took a suburban railway to Kyoto and made it to the Ryokan.  A Ryokan is a traditional Japanese guest house.  The walls are paper thing (literally) and you sleep on the floor. 


Kyoto ryokan room

Kyoto is full of shrines and temples with varying degrees of grandeur.  I think we saw 5 in one day.  One of the more impressive temples was a functioning temple in quiet surroundings that was not swarming with tourists. The Golden Temple is very impressive.  We also were fortunate to stumble upon the bean throwing festival and saw 3 geisha perform a traditional fan dance before throwing beans into the crowd.   Our good fortune continued in Kyoto when looking for a place to eat we just happened across the #6 restaurant on trip advisor for shabu shabu pork (a sort of do it your self stew with flying fish broth).   Unfortunately for Mike, his ongoing search for melon buns turned up empty.






Imperial Palace - Kyoto
Tokyo


Tokyo as always is quite intense.  There is constantly something going on and people everywhere.  We took the Shinkassen from Kyoto to Tokyo and checked in to our wonderful hotel overlooking Tokyo Bay by Tokyo Teleport.   We didn’t really visit any sites at Tokyo except just walked around and took in the frenetic ambience.  We also spent a good portion of our time looking for coffee siphons and green melon buns; which was a great success!.



It was a shame the skiing was essentially cut short by two days, however it was nice to return to Japan with its excellent customer service, friendly people, wonderful food and fascinating peculiarities. 


 Quite possibly the shortest escalators anywhere! 

Shinkassen are awesome