Regarding COVID-19
Since 1992, Color Sports Club has focused on areas beyond groomed slopes, exploring the enjoyment of skiing and snowboarding in the backcountry. Representative Shakawa has consistently pioneered diverse and unique routes, leading the guiding industry. Regarding the
current COVID-19 pandemic, he quickly provided guidelines for guiding services and has updated them as the situation developed. With the season about to begin, we spoke with Shakawa about his experiences dealing with COVID-19, his plans for this season, and his philosophy on backcountry guiding services.
Looking back at February and March
"Until the first half of February, Europeans and Americans were coming in from overseas as usual. At that time, there were more infected people in Hokkaido than in Honshu, and I think that for us in Hakuba, Shinshu, and Niigata, it still felt like a distant world and wasn't something we were talking about. One flight of inbound tourists came in for the Lunar New Year in early February, but the second flight didn't come." He
said that the atmosphere became "different from normal" once the inbound tourists stopped coming.
"The government officially announced the self-restraint measures on February 26th. However, this request for self-restraint was not legally binding, so people who wanted to skate could still go. So, to ensure that our customers would not be worried, Color Sports issued a notice on February 26th explaining the current situation regarding COVID-19 and the infection prevention measures we would be taking
2/26 ★Notice: Please be in top physical condition to participate in the guided play!★
"Even though the Hokkaido guide club was open in March, customers stopped coming. But still, Hakuba and Kagura still had a fair number of customers. That's because many of them live in the Tokyo metropolitan area. I think the customers still felt quite distant."
On March 11, the extension of the request for self-restraint was announced.
"With the extension continuing like this, I think fans in the Tokyo metropolitan area are starting to feel that this is no ordinary matter. However, backcountry tours are small-scale events and do not fall under the category of large-scale events that are listed on the government's website as requiring business suspension, so we were able to continue with pride."
Amid self-restraint and self-restraint
However, as expected, when large-scale events, night restaurants and live music venues were all cancelled, and the media started to cover it negatively and make a fuss, customers couldn't come, even if they were going to the mountains. Many of my fellow businesses essentially closed at the end of March. At the time, I think there was a feeling that the coronavirus would be resolved in about two weeks. However, I thought that I had to think about this in the long term. By the end of March, my future direction was clear."
There is no post-coronavirus era
"There is no "after-corona" period. We need to look to the future with a mindset of "WITH," not "AFTER." That's why, rather than closing down, we started gradually promoting the idea from late March that we would continue to operate under these rules. Outdoors are less likely to be prone to the three Cs. If Tokyo can't survive, we thought that from now on, the Japanese economy would have to be driven by the regions, and then money would be given back to Tokyo. The outdoor industry needs to lead the economy, so we operated with the confidence that closing down now was out of the question."
With this in mind, Shakawa published his own guidelines on Facebook on April 6th. These were measures to ensure that customers could visit with peace of mind as the business continued
4/6 ★"COVID-19 Infection Control Measures" Response Items★
Following the declaration of a state of emergency before Golden Week
"We were open until mid-April, but as the number of infections gradually increased, a state of emergency was declared in mid-April. This was the first time it had legal binding force, so we calmly accepted it, realizing that this was no time to be open. We had planned to reopen after the Golden Week holidays in May, but the declaration was extended, so we had no choice but to do the same. On the other hand, we realized that we needed to establish countermeasures and guidelines now in preparation for living with COVID-19. We wanted
to test how the guidelines would function, including reflecting on our mistakes, in preparation for the next season. We felt that if we didn't test them now, we wouldn't be able to make any moves for next season, so we reopened in mid-May and ended up staying open until mid-June. We created our own guidelines and countermeasures, and we learned what worked and what didn't."
Things I realized were impossible after all
Incidentally, one thing that didn't work was wearing masks during the tour.
"From mid-May to June, I was half-skeptical about the effectiveness of masks. They don't have much of an impact in everyday life, but in the mountains, the amount of oxygen you take in decreases, making it difficult to breathe. Maintaining your body's absolute energy level becomes difficult. Also, it's okay in spring, but if you wear a mask in winter, you'll freeze. So I thought masks were out of the question.
Therefore, when guiding customers, we ask that they wear masks indoors, in the transport vehicle, and during meetings, but in the field, we ask that they take a short break, use something like a buff when getting close, and when talking, please hold hands as a matter of etiquette and manners."
This is Color Sports' announced approach for the 2020-21 season.
"Manners are important when participating in guided play!"
http://colorsportclub.com/playguide/backcountryplayguide.html
What I saw this summer
"When this summer ended, campsites were over 100% full compared to normal years, and although the absolute number of people climbing mountains dropped dramatically, there were some mountain ranges where the decrease was not so great. People who used to stay in mountain huts are now doing day trips, and people who used to stay two nights are now staying one night, but that doesn't mean that there are no people at all. People are reluctant to stay in hotels, but glamping and private cottage stays have increased, with some places seeing two or three times the normal number of people
"I think this summer was a time when customers embraced the idea of enjoying outdoor time and space. I feel that playing outside and having your own space outside will become even more popular in the future."
Also, with the rise of remote work, more people are renting cottages in Hakuba and staying there for long periods to work. Now that people can manage their own time, some people are incorporating the weekend into their work, allowing them to use Fridays and Mondays as well, and this trend is becoming apparent
What will happen this season?
"Honestly, it's impossible to predict what the ski resorts will be like this season. But even looking at what happened this summer, with all the different types of customers, I think people who skied 30 days a season will ski normally this season as well.
I predict that the line between weekends and weekdays will gradually blur, partly due to the effects of remote work. Mondays and Fridays will become easier to take off because of COVID-19. More people will be working and playing at their own pace, and with no inbound tourists, some people might get the impression that ski resorts are empty."
"So I want to stay positive and not be too pessimistic. I think it's important for the ski industry to start promoting things in a positive way as early as possible to raise customer motivation," says Shagawa
Get out into nature
Finally, we received a message for STEEP readers.
"I think that spending time in nature, away from the usual urban environment, is very good for your mental well-being, as it allows you to relax and relieve stress. Whether it's a ski resort or a mountain, if it's a mountain, you'll feel even more connected to nature, and the degree of refreshment will be different even if you spend the same amount of time there. Especially in
these times, I think it's important to consider your usual range of activities and, when you have some free time, venture out into nature. I think it's very worthwhile, so I hope you'll take the opportunity to go out into nature."
[INFO] WHITE season startup event
「"2020/2021 Tateyama First Time Skiing Tour OPENING BANZAI"
November is a different world! Tateyama is filled with an incredible snowy landscape. It's the perfect time for backcountry skiing enthusiasts to gather for a seasonal festival! Come and try your luck at powder snow!! (Of course, first-timers are also welcome!!)
◆Tateyama First Time Skiing Tour - Raichoso Plan:
・November 14th (Sat) - 15th (Sun) Weekend 1-night, 2-day plan
・November 17th (Tue) - 18th (Wed) Weekday 1-night, 2-day plan
・November 17th (Tue) - 19th (Thu) Weekday 2-night, 3-day plan
・November 21st (Sat) - 23rd (Mon) Weekend 2-night, 3-day plan
・November 24th (Tue) - 25th (Wed) Weekday 1-night, 2-day plan
Tateyama First Time Skiing Tour and Hotel Tateyama Plan
• Weekday 1-night, 2-day plan from November 26th (Thu) to 27th (Fri)
• Weekend 1-night, 2-day plan from November 28th (Sat) to 29th (Sun)
◆For more details, please visithttp://www.colorsportclub.com/schedule/backcountryschedule_11.html
The person who taught me: Tomohiro Shagawa, Color Sports Club. Edited by: STEEP Editorial Department
[Profile] Tomohiro Tonegawa
A pioneer who has been developing the winter mountain skiing scene since the early 1990s. After gaining experience overseas, he achieved his signature feat of developing the entire Hakuba area. He holds
JMGA Mountain Guide Stage II, JMGA Ski Guide Stage II, and JAN Avalanche Operative Level 2 certifications.
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