According to a report by the Japan Broadcasting Association (NHK) on the 24th, on the afternoon of the 23rd, a Chinese woman skiing at the Yuzawa Town Ski Resort in Niigata (xì) Prefecture was buried in the snow and unfortunately died.
NHK said the woman's companion contacted a ski patrol officer, but after being taken to the hospital, it was confirmed dead. According to the Japanese police, the deceased, 27 years old, was using snowboarding at the time of the incident, which was a high-end ski slope, and the ski resort was closed to entry due to the heavy amount of snow and the risk of avalanches. After the incident, the Japanese police intervened in the investigation.
A netizen whose ID is Ātman told Orange Persimmon Interactive that the ski resort where the incident occurred was Niigata Kagura Ski Resort, and there was a red line to stop it at the time of the incident and it was not open, but generally speaking, no one cares carefully, and it is no problem to slip in and ski. Netizen "Jin Jin Doesn't Eat" (hereinafter referred to as Jin Jin), who has lived in Tokyo for 13 years, said that Niigata is famous for its powder snow, and people from all over the world come to ski every winter, and the number of Japanese people has gradually increased in recent years.
The incident occurred in a ski resort that is not small
But there is still a lot to improve
On the day of the incident on the 23rd, Jinjin was also skiing at Niigata Kagura Ski Resort, and she told Orange Persimmon Interactive that although there are many powder ski resorts in Japan and have a long history, from the current point of view, many hardware facilities are very old.
"Kagura is famous and the snow quality is good, but there are many places that can be improved. Jinjin said that at Kagura Ski Resort, many of the slopes often do not have snow, resulting in a thick layer of powder snow, and some of the signs are aging, and the words on them are no longer legible, and even if the locals come, they need to ask the staff to come, and if you are a tourist who does not understand Japanese, you can't read it and can't ask.
Normally, in the weather of continuous snowfall, the snow in the road will be pressed regularly, with solid snow below and powder snow on top, so that it is comfortable and safe to slide. If there are too many skiers, the snow will be compacted, so it is no problem not to press it with a snow compactor, but this Kagura Ski Resort often does not have snow compacted.
In addition to the piste, Jin Jin mentioned that the risk factors outside the ski slope are greater and more complex. Some people are experienced skiers themselves, while others go skiing off the piste in search of thrills. Outside the road is generally not under the management of the snow resort, so there is no snow compaction, etc., and it is possible to look at the thick layer of powder snow underneath, there is a big pothole, and it is easy to stumble. Jinjin said that most of Japan's ski resorts are pristine, skiing in the mountains, and even encountering wild beasts, "Last year, there was a man skiing in the slopes and was hit by a wild boar halfway through. ”
Similarly, in Japan, there are beginner, intermediate, and advanced courses within ski resorts, and although there are graded courses, there is no clear stream for skiers. "Novices can also take the cable car to the advanced slopes, theoretically the advanced slopes novices can't ski, but the head iron is not afraid of death can also slide down, Japanese ski resorts do not sign a waiver agreement in advance, but no one will be held accountable if something happens. "In addition, some of the slope signs are old, and there are cases of newbies entering the advanced ski slopes by mistake.
I will go snow skiing in Japan for 9 days during the Chinese New Year next year
Skiers admit that Japan is a better value for money
Ms. Xiao, an outdoor enthusiast, is preparing for a ski trip to Japan in February, with a budget of about 10,000 yuan. She showed Orange Persimmon Interactive her itinerary, a 13-day trip to Japan, and she and her friends arranged a total of 9 days, respectively to Sapporo Niseko Ski Resort and Asahidake Daisetsuzan Ski Resort. The former is a skier's paradise and is considered one of Japan's most "prosperous" ski resorts with three major ski resorts, namely Grand Hirafu Ski Resort, Higashiyama Ski Resort, and Annupuri International Ski Resort, while the latter is a powder snow ski resort built on a volcano and the highest peak in Hokkaido.
Ms. Xiao began her skiing career in North America, a hobby she has been playing for more than a decade. She told Orange Persimmon Interactive that this time she went to Japan for powder snow. "There are not many powder ski resorts in China, (Xinjiang) Hemu has them, but the price is too expensive. ”
Ms. Xiao showed the reporter a "2023-2024 Snow Season Beidahu Ski Resort Price List" of Jilin Beidahu Ski Resort, the price of a single-day snow ticket on the weekend in the winter snow season has reached 1,560 yuan, and if it is the Spring Festival or New Year's Day, the ticket price is as high as 1,760 yuan. Ms. Xiao said with a smile that the snow in China could no longer slip.
"I haven't been to Xinjiang Hemu yet, but what I learned is that the price is high and the traffic is not very convenient. Ms. Xiao said that the best powder snow ski resort in China is in Xinjiang, but in terms of cost performance, including air tickets, accommodation, etc., it may be a little more expensive than skiing in Japan.
Mr. Zhang (pseudonym), who is also a ski enthusiast, told reporters that although going to Japan's ski resorts is a cross-border trip, the comprehensive calculation of various costs may still be more cost-effective for ski resorts in Japan.
If you want to go skiing in powder snow ski resorts, although Xinjiang has snowfall conditions and snow quality that are not inferior to Japan, you still need to rent a car, carpool, self-drive and other operations after the plane lands, and the transportation cost and time cost are large, often two more days of commuting time than other ski resorts. Chongli District, Zhangjiakou, Hebei Province, the only area with high-speed rail and powder snow ski resort, still needs to take a taxi to the ski resort after landing. To go to the mainstream ski resorts in China, the commuting time is at least 4-5 hours.
In contrast, if you want to go to GALA Yuzawa Ski Resort in Japan, you can first take a plane from Shanghai to Niigata, the ticket is often around 1,000 yuan, and after landing, take the Tokyo Shinkansen, the only Shinkansen in Japan to go directly to the ski resort, GALA Yuzawa Ski Resort does not need to leave the station, and you have already arrived at the ski hall.
Similarly, Mr. Zhang said, it is not convenient to carry ski equipment. If you go to Chongli to take the high-speed train, you need to check it in, and in Japan, you can take the Shinkansen and bus, and the ski equipment can often be carried with you, which is very friendly for tourists who travel lightly just for skiing.
"Another point is the ticket price, Japan's snow resorts are mostly in the scenery, the scenery is beautiful, and there are many snow resort intermodal modes, the early bird price is cheap, the price is stable in the peak season, 300-400 yuan can be done, and the multi-day ticket is cheaper. Mr. Zhang admits that there is still a 40% annual price increase in domestic ski resorts, which is really unfriendly to skiers, "For ski resorts, although the cost of snowmaking is high, it has not increased much, and there is no reason not to choose Japanese ski resorts." ”
In the powder snow ski resort, due to the changeable terrain, skiers need to learn a lot Xi of outdoor knowledge in advance, have a high level of skiing and have a good sense of teamwork, so showing off skills for real enthusiasts, it will bring great risks and hidden dangers." ”
When the number of skiers in Japan decreased
Japanese people have gradually become the main force of Japanese ski resorts
"The craze for skiing in Japan has passed, and now is the time when Japanese people don't like skiing the most. In the 70s, skiing became popular in Japan, but more than 50 years later, the popularity has faded, and the highest number of skiers in Japan was in 1993, close to 20 million, but now it is less than a quarter of that number, Jin Jin said.
Due to the decrease in the number of local skiers, many ski resorts are in operational difficulties, although the top ski resorts are still operating due to snow quality, environmental and other factors, but many ski resorts have gone bankrupt.
In contrast, now Japanese skiers are more from China, Australia and other places, Jin Jin said, since Gu Ailing won the championship, almost every ski resort in Japan has launched Chinese teaching courses, and ski resorts that have not launched this service are basically closed; and most tourists from Australia will ski; in addition, there is an interesting phenomenon this year, that is, there are more and more Indians on the ski resort.
"In the past, there were not many Chinese skiers, and they were usually taken by the Japanese. In recent years, more and more Chinese people have taken the initiative to go skiing in Japan. "I have a friend who hates sports, and I have started skiing and diving in Japan......
Ātman is also a skier, and he has the impression that there are many more Chinese people in Japan's ski resorts than last year. "From the perspective of my contact, there are more Chinese people from Taiwan, China, Hong Kong, China, and some Singaporeans who speak Mandarin. Ātman said it could also be due to the fact that there are not many flights.
Mr. Qin said that for himself, if he can choose the first choice, he will go to Japan, on the one hand, the transportation is convenient, the economic cost is low, on the other hand, the sightseeing tourism, cultural atmosphere, the maturity of the ski resort operation, and the diversification of leisure methods are all done well, especially in terms of people, which can cover all ages.
What is Powder Snow?
Why do you choke when wrestling on powder?
Powder snow, says Ātman, is the accumulation of freshly fallen snow, which is generally not pressed by a snow groomer and is soft to the touch. Ātman makes an analogy, "The machine pruning slope is pressed by the groomer and feels like it's on the ground, while the powder course is pristine and has a fluffy feel on it, more like gliding in the water." ”
Ātman skiing on powder snow
Jinjin has never skied snow in China, and after going to Japan, she went skiing almost every winter. She said that when people lie in the powder snow, they feel like they are surrounded by ocean balls, and the powder is thick, "Sometimes when I sit on the cable car and see the powder snow under my feet, I have an urge to jump directly." ”
Jin Jin usually goes skiing in Niigata or Nagano every year, and for her, powder snow is more slippery, and even if she falls, it doesn't hurt, but in fact, Jin Jin pointed out that if you fall an upside-down onion on the powder snow and stick your head in the snow, it is extremely dangerous, "Powder snow is the same as flour, there is no moisture, people buried in it basically 3-5 minutes will not work, 15 minutes will be brain dead, rescue is too late, must be dug out immediately." ”
Image courtesy of interviewee Ātman