2018 Yuki Matsuri

Basic Info

What? 
MAJET’s annual Yuki Matsuri trip

Where? 
Sapporo, Hokkaido

When? 
Departing Sendai Port, evening of February 7th (Wed.), arriving back in Sendai morning of February 12th (Mon.)

How much?
TBA

NOTE:
Only 30 spots are available, so make sure to sign up early!!!

Nenkyu?
You're going to need to take three days of nenkyu (Thursday, Friday, and Monday).
Depending on where you live, you might also need to take a couple of hours on the Wednesday afternoon (Feb. 8th) in order to get yourself to the Sendai ferry terminal in time.

Deadlines & Cancellations:

You can sign-up and cancel your sign-up anytime between now and the Google form deadline: November 22nd, 2017

After that date, you can drop-out by December 22nd, 2017 IF you inform us and we can find a replacement for you. MAJET will have a wait-list if we go over 30 sign-ups, or you can provide us with your own replacement if we don't have one.

After December 22nd, we WILL NOT accept drop-outs and you WILL need to pay the full amount for the trip. Sorry, but we cannot change the reservations later than that date, so you will be responsible for your payment. So... MAKE  SURE YOU HAVE NO CONFLICTS FOR THIS TRIP. PLEASE.

Sign me up!

Hang on there! 
MAJET spends months planning the Yuki Matsuri and getting you a group discount. This means we cannot finalize a total cost for the trip until the end of January. We are expecting the final payment to be somewhere around 40,000 yen. It will probably be less, but expect to pay around that much. This means you have to save some $$$, but you have two pay checks to spread the payment out of! 

So, how do I get to go then?
To secure your place you need to do three things:
  1. Fill out the Google form by the evening of November 22nd. No form, no go. Sorry! Remember, a Facebook event RSVP does NOT mean you've signed up.
  2. Pay MAJET a non-returnable deposit via furikomi BEFORE December 22nd. No deposit, no go! Sorry!
  3. After you pay by furikomi, you must then e-mail MAJET with the date you paid the money. This is so we know that you have paid – we cannot check the details of each individual payment! No e-mail, no go! Sorry!

We need you to have done all three of the above things by the respective due dates to secure your place. Even if you pay a deposit, without the form and the e-mail, we won't book you a place! 

Remember:
Only a certain number of spots are available, so make sure to sign up early!!!


Paying the deposit should be done via furikomi. Details on how to furikomi are available here: http://www.miyagi-ajet.org/furikomi-info.html
Allow lots of time to make the furikomi, and remember many banks and post offices are not open at sensible times! Don’t leave it till the last minute!

About the Trip

What’s Yuki Matsuri?
"Yuki Matsuri" is Sapporo's annual snow festival. It features a collection of snow sculptures built by sculptors from all over the world. As anyone who has gone before will tell you, it's awesome! Some are chin-scratchingly artistic, some are outright silly, and some of them are ENORMOUS. Expect all sorts of surprises! There are even bars made of ice!

What else do we got?    
As well as the Yuki Matsuri itself, there are plenty of things to do in and around Sapporo. Sapporo hosted the Winter Olympics in 1972, so the ski jump from the games still stands, and in addition to a small museum, offers a nice view of Sapporo. Additionally, there are some relatively close snowboarding, skiing, and tubing places you can go to. Sapporo is also famous for butter ramen, soup curry, crab, oh and that little thing called Sapporo beer. There is even a beer museum! MAJET publishes a Sapporo guide every year, which will be sent out nearer to the date.

Traditionally, MAJET organizes a night out - a group booking at the Sapporo Brewery to enjoy their lamb and beer tabe-nomihoudai, or as it has come to be known, the lambyhoudai. It's awesome, and one of the finest yaki-nikus you will ever witness.

Trip Schedule

Day 1  (Feb. 7th Wednesday)
  • Leave from Sendai Port in the evening (~7 p.m.)

Day 2  (Feb. 8th, Thursday)
  • Arrive in Tomakomai Port, Hokkaido (~10 a.m.)
  • Bus from the port to Sapporo
  • Check-in and drop off luggage at hostel
  • FREE TIME
  • Spend the night at hostel

Day 3  (Feb. 9th, Friday)
  • FREE TIME
  • (Required) Lambyhoudai Dinner at Sapporo Beer Garden
  • Spend night at hostel

Day 4  (Feb. 10th, Saturday)
  • FREE TIME
  • Block 2/National AJET enkai (optional)
  • Spend night at hostel

Day 5  (Feb. 11th, Sunday)
  • Check out of hostel as a group
  • FREE TIME (in the morning/early afternoon)
  • In the afternoon, travel back to the port in Tomakomai
  • Board the return ferry in the evening (~7 p.m.)

Day 6  (Feb. 12th, Monday)
  • Arrive in Sendai (~10 a.m.)


Important:
Please confirm your nenkyu situation and workplace calendar before signing up.


Just one more thing…
In previous years, the MAJET committee has received what could be termed politely “a firm telling off” from the Board of Education for going to the effort running this trip. The BOEs, understandably, don’t like to think there is a date upon which all ALTs from across Miyagi suddenly down tools to drink beer in the snow. In their eyes this is not acceptable. To make it clear, the Board of Education is right. It’s not totally kosher that every ALT should flee Miyagi for a weekend of fun. However, nenkyu is awarded on a school by school basis, and you are contractually allowed it (if it doesn’t inconvenience your school), so this shouldn’t put you off.

You can help MAJET enormously in avoiding another “firm telling off”, by doing a couple of things:
  1. Make sure you can get nenkyu as far in advance as possible. Be polite and check your JTEs won't need you before you go hanko-ing all over the shop.
  2. DO NOT BOOK THE TRIP BEFORE ARRANGING NENKYU. If you aren’t granted it, remember the money paid is not-returnable (see FAQs). Your school will have a calendar for the entire school year, so please, please, PLEASE, make sure that you don't have any conflicts.
  3. This is important: if anyone asks, you are going with “a few friends.” Please don’t mention MAJET by name. Should an annoyed kocho-sensei then feel the need to complain about how you are always having (contractually allowed) fun and taking (contractually allowed) holidays, his rage can be directed at the silly education contractual system, rather than some well-meaning foreigners.

Details/FAQs

What does my fee include?

You get:
  • A ferry ride from Sendai to Tomakomai with a bed or a sleeping spot on the ferry, and a return ride in the opposite direction
  • Transportation from Tomakomai ferry port to Sapporo on Feb. 8th, transporation from Sapporo to the port on Feb. 12th.
  • Accommodation for all 3 nights
  • A tabe-nomihoudai (eat and drink all you want!) at Sapporo Beer Garden!

What do we do when we get there?
Whatever you want! MAJET are going to get you there and put you up, but only you can have your fun! We'll send you a MAJET guide before we leave of some cool places to check out in Sapporo, but once you are there, the time is your own! The cost of the trip includes an all-you-can eat-and-drink meal at the Sapporo brewery on Saturday night. Be sure to keep this in mind when making plans!

I want to go snowboarding/skiing. What do I do?
There’s a guide to various slopes and how to access them in the MAJET guide that will be published nearer the date. If you want to transport skis and snowboards, you can mail them to the hotel near the time, so they are there when you arrive.

What should I bring?
Anything you will need! Medications, clothing, beers for the ferry, a book to read, whatever you want! We will publish a list of suggestions nearer the time.

One thing worth noting is that Hokkaido is REALLY cold. So pack your heat-tech, some thermal socks, hats, gloves, and if you are more balance-challenged after a nomihoudai, you can get strap on spikes for your shoes. We recommend the spikes, but don’t spend much money on them; you can buy them in Sapporo from most combinis.

I want to make my own way there and stay with MAJET. Can I do that?
Well… MAJET books everything in one go. We get group discounts for many of the activities, and we expect to take a group of about 20-30. It is a long and drawn out organizational nightmare, which we take no payment for. Tailoring each individual’s trip would be lovely, but it's simply not feasible.

If you wish to make your own way, however, we are happy to tell you where we will be staying, so if you want to stay in the same hostel, you are more than welcome. Book fast though! And transport can be pricey!

I missed the due date, but want to go! What should I do?
We can't guarantee you a place. However, if someone drops out we can forward you their details and you can arrange to fill their space. This is a pretty agreeable situation, as the seller doesn't lose their deposit, and the buyer gets a spot. This arrangement is first come, first serve.

I signed up/paid the deposit and want to drop out! What should I do?
I'm sorry, we can't accept dropouts after the December 22nd furikomi deadline, and we can't promise we can return the deposit (with enough notice, and in the right conditions, it is only ever a faint possibility). However, if we have a person that missed the sign-up deadline that wants to go, we will put them in touch with you and you can arrange to put them in your place. This is a pretty agreeable situation, as the seller doesn't lose their deposit, and the buyer gets a spot. It is a first come, first serve arrangement.

Sign up here!