No snow for skiing?! & Traditional Japanese New Year
Late at night on December 30th.
We are driving on the highway towards a ski resort in Niigata.
I was hoping for a snowy landscape once I got through the Kan-etsu Tunnel.
But it was not snowing.
There’s only some snow piled up on the shoulder of the road.
There were no traffic restrictions on the highway, so we were able to drive safely.
It's still dawn, and it's pitch black outside.
I wonder what kind of view awaits us once it gets light outside.
I headed to the ski resort with high expectations.
We arrived at the ski resort, but I was surprised by how little snow there was.
This is Joetsu Kokusai Ski Resort, located in a heavy snowfall area.
Even though it's already late December, you can still see the ground.
In search of snow, we took the lift up to the higher slopes.
There is not much snow, but the view is amazing.
We went to the upper slopes, but I could still see the ground there too.
The snow was heavy, and I wouldn't say it was in good condition.
Sometimes, we got caught on the patches of bare ground.
The kids got frustrated and started saying they wanted to go back to the hotel.
I don't blame them. The conditions were truly terrible.
In some places, the asphalt was completely exposed.
We stayed at Hotel Green Plaza Joetsu, which is located right inside the ski resort.
It's an old hotel, but I liked its nostalgic atmosphere."
The food at the restaurant was delicious, too.
The evening of December 31st.
It’s time to go home now.
Just as we were about to leave, it started snowing quite heavily.
I am sure the slope conditions will be much better tomorrow.
My kids were really disappointed with the timing.
I was disappointed too.
I wanted to show my children a landscape covered in deep snow.
I told my kids, "Sometimes things just don't go our way," and we started our journey home.
We stopped at Akagi Kogen Service Area, a rest stop on the highway.
We ate "Toshikoshi Soba" (New Year's Eve noodles) here.
We rang in the New Year in our car.
Afternoon on January 1st.
We went to visit our relatives.
The view from the Rainbow Bridge was amazing.
My kids are seeing their cousins for the first time in a while.
My kids looked a bit tense.
The adults enjoyed Osechi.
My kids do not like Osechi.
Not just my my kids, but the younger generation in general is moving away from eating Osechi.
We also visited a shrine for Hatsumode.
At the shrine, I asked for good luck with my job this year.
I drew a fortune, and I got "Shokichi" (Small Luck.).
I will stay humble.
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