https://www.sydney.au.emb-japan.go.jp/document/english/visa_info/20201226covid.pdf There are some people who can still fly & enter into Japan, but basically, most people can't enter into Japan till the end of January 2021.
@Nozawaman Probs got something in the lodge sale contract regarding onsite 5 star training for new owners etc.? So maybe essential business travel visa with 72 hour COVID test requirement? I don’t have any skin in Japan, so essentially stuffed like all other punters. The forecast makes me and I’m sure many very jelly. P.S. When are the new owners going to update the website?
This is not a COVID-19 thread, so, please write about COVID-19 in COVID 19 threads, not in this thread (This thread is not for talking about COVID-19), however, I need to write about a COVID-19 related thing a little now because the announcement coming this evening will affect tourism more or less. "State of Emergency" will be issued to Tokyo and three other prefectures around Tokyo this evening. However, it's actually nowhere near "State of Emergency". I mean, all schools, all shops, theaters, and everything in those four prefectures will keep open. The only difference is, government are asking restaurants to close before 8pm (it's still a request, and some owners might keep their restaurants open after 8pm) till February 7th. I think it won't affect my ski regions much while it will affect Yuzawa, etc more where a lot of people from Tokyo are skiing / snowboarding. I mean, if "State of Emergency" is issued to Tokyo, I assume bosses of companies will tell their employees "Don't go out of Tokyo needlessly" or something like that. So, even if they are allowed to ski legally, I guess many of them will choose not to go out of Tokyo to ski (except some amount of people). Having said that, now people can't fly to Japan anyway. I'm only 15% Tokyonese (my main home is Ibaraki and my winter base is Tohoku), so it won't affect me (much) either. .
Had plans to do a Mount Racey, Tomamu double this year with the family. Damn Covid.... p.s Let us know if they find another company to open it up again.
I assume someone will operate Mount Racey. Their gondola and lifts are still "okay". I mean, the company who will run the business next doesn't need to invest much. Central Hokkaido has been getting more international tourists in recent years and Yubari is roughly between the international aiport near Sapporo and Central Hokkaido (such as Tomamu, Sahoro, etc). So, I'm very confident that somebody will open Mount Racey(If nobody does, Yubari city will do) I've seen many ski resorts have survived and permanently closed. The biggest difference between them is, if the ski resorts are "special" for the villages / cities or not. For Yubari city, the ski resort is VEEERY special (important), without it, Yubari city will really die (almost all young people will leave Yubari)
The guys from Tenjin lodge posted today that the skijo there will be closed weekdays effective today. I fear we'll see that at other places too. Hopefully not too close to home.
It's a double whammy at the moment. First is that international visitors are very very few. Secondly the 'Go To' campaign that the government was doing to promote local tourism has been put on hold due to the outbreaks in Tokyo and other major cities. Madarao Kogen Hotel is closing during the week now. My ex-neighbour local hotel has no guests at present and he normally does about 60% of his trade during winter. Every year we sent him about 2-3 million yen overflow from our place but of course nothing this year. Lots of others probably following suit. Many resorts are stopping some lifts completely and running others for limited hours only. Awful lot of pain going on.
Not to be harsh. But I don't think operating ski resorts in a pandemic is especially prudent No matter how the Japan government spins it. They are legit hotbeds of infection. Coupled with Japan's abysmal testing rates. You're on a hiding to nothing.
It's not good... tourism seemed to be Japan's one major growth industry in recent years. Maybe that will encourage the state to be generous in terms of keeping the industry afloat... need to have something left for when things normalise.
Its just a mindset re a conversation i had recently. Paraphrase "Hakuba has a few positive cases i heard" "Yeah 13 recently, I don't know where there are" "No locations?" "No, that would be bad for their business, so they don't list that" Too bad if you've been there
I agree just when tourism was on the up and up. We first went in 2015 just as it was starting to really get going. Lets hope all that doesnt get waisted in this covid ........ up,use your own expletive..
I heard about some visitors from Tokyo testing positive after they got home. They contacted their accommodation and told them. There was no obligation to do s o and no contact from heakth authorities. so different to here..
I think tourism will bounce back, I don't sense a change in government strategy. Encouraging international tourism is a pretty smart bet for Japan - not vulnerable to declining population issues and actually benefits from China's growth whereas other sectors are threatened. Just on hold for the moment.
Yep but it nay be on hold for toooo long for some. Once people can get there we are expecting Japan to be busy because a lot of people will gove Nth America abd Europe a miss for a couple of years. It is a discusion we have gad in our hkuse a few times as my eldest usually goes ti Nth America each year.
You're right, Japan could be at a short term advantage there. But in the long term I think it's the up and coming Asian markets that Japan is most focused on - China, Malaysia, etc, as their huge populations get progressively richer. There's so much potential there, I think the government haemorrhaging money now to keep the tourism sector afloat may turn out to be a good investment in the long run. Wonder if they will agree with me though?
Yep Totally different management to Aus. Some businesses up north are notifying via websites/social media and closing for cleaning, but others are not even acknowledging staff cases publicly. They need a vaccine rollout pronto quite frankly.
Don't forget the cultural element. There is incredible shame associated with catching Covid-19. For some the shame is worse than anything else so they don't report it.
Personally, I don't think this is true at all. Japanese report their own symptoms of COVID-19 to the local public health centre, so they can be tested. They know the procedure, and that they shouldn't go in to the doctor if they have symptoms, but go to the testing centre as instructed by local public health centre. They will then isolate at home, unless symptoms get worse.
Just saw that Naeba and Kagura are now closed until some time in mid Feb after 31 staff tested positive for C19.
You would have to expect that all of Yuzawa would be under pressure to close everything. Shink station from Tokyo etc.
