Yuki Yuuki means "snow courage"...and I definitely needed it after being off skis for two years!
We went to to the mountains of Niseko for our Winter Break from school, and it was FREEZING but gorgeous!!!
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| Satellite Image of Japan |
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| It is an hour flight from Tokyo to Sapporo (in Hokkaido). |
Sapporo is the same latitude as Vladivostok, Russia....brrrrrrrrr!!!!!
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Leaving Tokyo
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From the airport we took our chartered shuttle for the 2-hour drive to Niseko.
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| All of our kids sat together in the back of the bus |
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| This is where we stayed...Yama Shizen West |
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| We rented our equipment here, at Rhythm. Incredibly convenient...the stop for the FREE shuttle to and from the ski lift is right at their front door! |
After only a few hours of trying out different runs, I was at the top of the mountain, once again officially sukii kichigai (ski crazy)!!
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Going up with the beautiful Mt. Yotei in the background.
Mount Yōtei is an active stratovolcano located in Shikotsu-Toya National Park, Hokkaidō, Japan. It is also called 'Yezo Fuji or Ezo Fuji, because it resembles the more famous Mount Fuji. |
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| The Hooded Lift |
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| and....the Gondola Lift |
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| At the top with view of Mt.Yotei |
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| Nope...that's not me!! |
I use the much more difficult, yet classic, technique
called the "flailing arms freestyle."
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| Those who copy my technique will see it can be quite strenuous....many choose to lie down and cool off. |
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| Others may choose to enjoy a relaxing snow facial. |
About Niseko
The Niseko ski area receives over 640 inches (16 metres) of snow each season. This compares to about 500 inches of snow sometimes recorded at ski resorts in North America or Europe.
Frequent fresh powder snow showers consistently arrive with the cold frontal systems that flow down from Siberia...YES...I said SIBERIA!!!! These conditions result in some of the driest powder snow in the world.
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| We skied from Niseko Grand Hirafu |
At Niseko Hirafu, a single lift pass covers four different ski areas providing guests with over 48 km of ski runs serviced by 38 lifts. The longest run is an impressive 5.6 km. The resort features over 1,000 vertical metres comprising of 30% Beginner, 42% Intermediate and 28% Advanced.
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(Mt. Yotei's elevation is 1,898 meters, or 6,227 feet;
Mt. Fuji's is 3,776 meters, or 12,388 feet.)
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| With Jane Ellis |
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| Heading back down! |
Dining on the Mountain
The 1000m Hut
This cozy little hut at the top of the Ace pair lift #3 on Hirafu is a great spot to dry off and warm up during a snowstorm. There’s a choice of Western and Japanese food and the hot chocolate is the best on the mountain. Make sure to ring the bell outside the hut when you leave in order to honour Mr Kosukegawa, who loved skiing in Niseko and built the bell to pray for the safety of the skiers.
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| Lunch time at the 1000m Hut on Hirafu...with an Australian-style "pitcher" of beer! |
Boyo-so
For an authentic Japanese on-mountain dining experience, try Boyo-so (which means "gazing at Yotei) Tucked away in trees at the top of the Holiday Pair Lift #1 above Hirafu, the atmospheric restaurant serves delicious ramen (noodles) and has great views of Mt Yotei.
Fun After Dark
Niseko Hirafu also boasts the largest night-lit ski area in Japan, providing well-lit runs and an amazing experience. Night temperatures drop only slightly from those during the day so there are no excuses.
Eating options on the slopes abound with seventeen restaurants serving a vast array of Japanese cuisine and western style food.
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| Grant and his buddies loved the night skiing!! |
At the end of an exhilarating day many enjoy relaxing in one of the 16 local hot springs known locally as onsens.
Afterwards, they can head out to celebrate or dine choosing from over 50 bars and restaurants in Hirafu.
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| One of Niseko's many natural hot springs, or onsen |
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| The Vale Niseko Onsen |
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| The Hilton Niseko Village Onsen |
Dinner reservations are essential for most restaurants!
A-Bu-Cha, Hirafu
A-Bu-Cha is one of Hirafu's most popular izakayas (an izakaya being a casual but traditional Japanese tapas-style restaurant), and every dish is a traditional Japanese delight – from tofu salad to sun-dried squid tempura, to hokke (Atka mackeral). The cozy little restaurant’s speciality is the local Hokkaido hotpot dish – a large black pot is brought to your table in which salmon, vegetables, tofu and / or beef are simmered to perfection over a gas flame.
During the day, A-Bu-Cha is a café/restaurant and at midnight, it turns into a popular bar.
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| A-Bu-Cha, Hirafu |
The Barn Hirafu
After working in Lyon and Nice, Chef Kazuhiko Kojima aka ‘Kaz’ moved back to the Niseko area and has been here for the last eight years providing simple and traditional French cooking in a beautiful alpine bistro.
The glass fronted building, designed to extract memories of countryside barns in France, has a mezzanine bar overlooking the restaurant serving cocktails, fine wine and top shelf spirits and is the perfect village location for après-ski even if not dining below.
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| The Barn Hirafu |
The largest sushi restaurant in Hirafu has a large range of set menus as well as tempura and noodle dishes. Inside there is counter as well as tabled areas to enjoy the fresh sushi and sashimi, if you sit at the counter you will be able to watch everything being prepared in front of you.
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| Fuji Zushi |
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| Massive tank of live crab, octopus, etc. in the foyer of Fuji Zushi |
I have to show you just a few of the crazy signs that we see in restaurants all over Japan.
They keep us laughing, if not slightly confused...
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| This sign was at the door as we entered Fuji Zushi |
After Dinner
A Hirafu favourite is the Gyu Bar (which means "Cow Bar"), more popularly known as the Fridge Door Bar, in the lower village (Yotei-Zaka St). You have to crouch to enter the bar through a tiny Coke labelled vending machine door that is all but hidden in a giant snow bank. This place always seems to be happening.
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| Entrance to the Gyu (Fridge) Bar |
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| Inside the "Fridge Bar" |
Another "cool" hangout is the Ice Bar in Hirafu, rebuilt every winter (totally carved out of ice) and only open until the spring thaw!!!
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| The Ice Bar |
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| Another year and incarnation of the Ice Bar |
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| Bartender working the Ice Bar |
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| Patrons inside the Ice Bar Okay, my loyal readers...now YOU know what I know of Niseko and the Grand Hirafu Resort!! The best news of all was, comparing all to what we pay in Utah (our former ski-home-away-from-home), it all balances out pretty evenly...lift tickets in Japan are cheaper than what we are used to paying, whereas the equipment rentals were only slightly higher. So now that a few of our bank-drains have stopped growing, maybe we can invest in our own equipment!! |
It seems our little lady was believed to be Suri Cruise (daughter of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes).
See below. She was slightly amused but mostly embarrassed in the airports when shouts of "Suri" brought crowds with cameras.
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| Mine |
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| Suri |
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| Suri |
As I look nothing like Katie, I was repeatedly shoved into walls during the mayhem.
Enjoy the beginning of Spring...we are looking forward to the cherry blossoms and festivals!!!!!
Hi,
ReplyDeleteI love reading your blog, my family will be relocating to tokyo this April with my husbands job. I find your posts entertaining and full of great tokyo information. Thank you for sharing your hilarious insights!
Deborah
Thank's Deborah! Glad you are enjoying reading, and hope I can help more after you arrive! We have a close, friendly community of English speakers here, so I am sure we will cross paths soon. Look forward to meeting you!
ReplyDeleteThank you! I look forward to meeting other english speakers since I am finding japanese to be very challenging to learn. It is scary to move so far away from home, but your posts always make me look forward to this new adventure. Take care.
ReplyDeleteDeborah
Hi Mrs. Brown i love your post! they are fun to read and i can't believe people thought jane was suri!
ReplyDelete