It has been 20 years since the last time I went skiing. Arie has not skied for more than 10 years and has been talking about going for a long time. We finally decided to take a trip and visit Niigata, Japan, for a couple days to ski on Mt. Naeba. Unbeknownst to us at the time, Mt. Naeba is the most popular ski resort in Japan and widely considered to have some of the best conditions.
We rented our ski gear from Outdoor Recreation on base, reserved our hotel through ITT (Information, Tickets, and Tours) on base, and then headed off to buy our Shinkansen tickets (the bullet train). We were excited about our newest adventure and it didn't disappoint.
Our first train left Yokohama at 5 a.m., which got us up early. After almost an hour on that train, we got off in Tokyo and reboarded the Shinkansen headed to Yuzawa, Japan. When we arrived it was snowing with some flakes the size of quarters. Koen marveled at the site and was bouncing off the walls. We waited around the station for a bit for our bus to come and take us to the hotel. While we waited, Koen found a
The bus took about 50 minutes, during which we played and goofed around with Koen. We had a ball and hadn't even put our skis on yet. Our bus pulled up in front of the hotel and we piled out ready for lunch and ski lessons. The hotel had many restaurants and we decided on curry, which has become our family standard favorite. A few tables away, people were soaking their feet in the hot spring foot bath. What a combo! Lunch and a foot hot spring with a view of the ski slopes. Pretty neat.
Once Koen was settled in with his ski instructor, Arie and I set off to get in as much as we could while we had the chance. The slopes were perfect powder - the best I've seen in my limited experience. I think I've only skied maybe 5 times, this one included. I was quite surprised that I never fell while I was skiing, though I did fall once while I was standing still watching Koen's lesson. Then Koen made it number two when he skied into me, knocking us both over.
The first day we skied until about 8:00 pm, nearly missing every dinner the hotel had to offer (restaurants close at 9 pm there). We did manage to hurry into a yakiniku place and have a great meal before collapsing in our twin beds.
The second day my legs from the knee down were so sore from the boots (ill-fitting, but the only option I had) and from using muscles I forgot I had. I tried my best, but I couldn't make my mind overcome the pain, so I didn't ski that day. Arie spent the late morning and afternoon skiing while Koen and I explored on our own. We went snowmobiling first together, and then Koen rode his own kid-sized machine. Later, he was pulled on a raft behind a snowmobile. He loved it! We wound our way through a maze of igloos and stopped for a bit inside an especially large one to enjoy some hot mochi with azuki bean sauce. It tastes a little like a hot, but chewy marshmallow topped with a sauce that tastes like sweetened, liquidy, mashed pinto beans. It doesn't sound appetizing, but it was lovely and we felt like we were taking part in a special moment. Mochi is a special Japanese dish that is eaten year-round, but especially for New Year's.
We broke for a quick lunch, and then Arie and Koen were off to do some more skiing together. Koen had a blast and Arie did a great job skiing backward and helping him practice. I never knew how well Arie could ski. After nine years of marriage (as of January 1) I'm still learning new things about my husband. It's refreshing.
So, now Koen has decided that skiing is his favorite sport after soccer. Arie has decided that after retirement we need to live within an hour of a ski resort. As for me...I'm thrilled no one broke any bones and I'm ready to commit to a life of skiing. I never thought I'd say that, but I really loved it. Isn't it interesting how you change as an adult? I don't recall enjoying skiing as much when I was a kid. It's nice to know that some things do change.
The trip back home was nice, quick, and uneventful except for the old Japanese man who kept falling asleep and leaning over on Koen on the train. The look on Koen's face was priceless and after a time it became quite funny.
Back home, I realized yet again, that there is no better way to appreciate your blessings until you no longer have them. In other words, I'll never complain about my mattress again! We had a blast and we're happy to be home.
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