Was there in December. Absolutely LOVED Hirafu and stayed in Kabayama in AirBNB. Beautiful area, great slopes & super easy to get around on the free shuttle buses which you can track via GPS on their site. Food is quite pricey, but that's what you expect in a village area and ski season. Had the BEST Ramen in Hirafu in the lower village at Bar Moon. Wild Bill's is a grat spot, particularly for Aussies as it is very familiar type foods. Also for the aussies, you can buy tim tams at the mimi mart in the centre of Hirafu. You have to try the ice cream as well, Hokkaido ice cream is second to none and there is someting to be said for having ice cream in the snow. The view of Mt Yotei never gets old and honestly looks like a movie set. Can't wait to go back
Ooh thanks for those recommendations! We are planning more snowboard trips in Japan for this winter! We actually didn't try the ice cream.. adding it to the list!
Hey! It's the Men's DC Haven Snowboard Jacket Blue and Black ADYTJ03005 - we got it on the-house.com but it doesn't look like it's on that specific site anymore
Hey mate!! Love the content, im actually heading there for my first time. Quick questions haha 1. Should I purchase ski pass and rental boards before i get there, e.g 1 week out 2. Did you book many of the restaurants? 3. Are there any halfways houses/bars on the slopes? Thank you :)
Thanks for the kind comment! Answers below: 1.) There’s no need to book tickets or rentals before you arrive but I would recommend it to save you some time and ensure the rental shops set aside your sizes. 2.) Most restaurants don’t require a reservation but if you’re traveling with a group of more than 4 or so, you’ll want reservations because there are only so many restaurants servicing a lot of people, especially on holiday weekends. 3.) There are several lodges that serve food and drinks (alcohol as well) at the top/middle/bottom of the slopes. A couple lodges even have canned beer in vending machines! Stay safe out there! Hope you have a great trip and enjoy it as much as I did.
Great question! Surprisingly, this area was established by Aussies so many people speak English here. You shouldn’t have a problem at most places but the Google translate app has been very helpful for me.
That’s why people go to Niseko. So they don’t have to experience anything Japanese. Speak English. Eat burgers and pizzas. Meet non Japanese. 10/10 snow sports. 0/10 cultural experience.
I would recommend Hakuba if you’re solely focused on hitting the resorts. The Hakuba Valley incorporates about 9 separate resorts so you get a lot of bang for your buck. Niseko is really just one mountain that is technically 3 separate resorts. However, Hirafu is a fun place for a trip with friends because it has great bars and restaurants and it’s very walkable. Hope that helps and thanks for watching!
We were there in Feb and the snow was perfect. We went again in March and it was already beginning to slush. According to the Hakuba Instagram page, they have gotten their first snow!
Hey! Thanks for watching! We actually looked into this and Will booked this hotel thru the AMEX portal. We looked on there again, and while it's still listed, there's no way to book. They might not be open for this season.. if you really want to make sure, the next step I would take is email one of the hotels on that street and see if they know anything about if the Red Ski House will be taking visitors this season. I'm sorry that's not a great answer but I hope it helps!
Was there in December. Absolutely LOVED Hirafu and stayed in Kabayama in AirBNB. Beautiful area, great slopes & super easy to get around on the free shuttle buses which you can track via GPS on their site. Food is quite pricey, but that's what you expect in a village area and ski season. Had the BEST Ramen in Hirafu in the lower village at Bar Moon. Wild Bill's is a grat spot, particularly for Aussies as it is very familiar type foods. Also for the aussies, you can buy tim tams at the mimi mart in the centre of Hirafu. You have to try the ice cream as well, Hokkaido ice cream is second to none and there is someting to be said for having ice cream in the snow. The view of Mt Yotei never gets old and honestly looks like a movie set. Can't wait to go back
Ooh thanks for those recommendations! We are planning more snowboard trips in Japan for this winter! We actually didn't try the ice cream.. adding it to the list!
Thank you, very informative and helpful video
Thank you for this video - super helpful
3:58 where did you get your light blue jacket please?
Hey! It's the Men's DC Haven Snowboard Jacket Blue and Black ADYTJ03005 - we got it on the-house.com but it doesn't look like it's on that specific site anymore
Hey mate!! Love the content, im actually heading there for my first time.
Quick questions haha
1. Should I purchase ski pass and rental boards before i get there, e.g 1 week out
2. Did you book many of the restaurants?
3. Are there any halfways houses/bars on the slopes?
Thank you :)
Thanks for the kind comment! Answers below:
1.) There’s no need to book tickets or rentals before you arrive but I would recommend it to save you some time and ensure the rental shops set aside your sizes.
2.) Most restaurants don’t require a reservation but if you’re traveling with a group of more than 4 or so, you’ll want reservations because there are only so many restaurants servicing a lot of people, especially on holiday weekends.
3.) There are several lodges that serve food and drinks (alcohol as well) at the top/middle/bottom of the slopes. A couple lodges even have canned beer in vending machines! Stay safe out there!
Hope you have a great trip and enjoy it as much as I did.
How did you handle the language barrier? Do people speak English there ?
Great question! Surprisingly, this area was established by Aussies so many people speak English here. You shouldn’t have a problem at most places but the Google translate app has been very helpful for me.
That’s why people go to Niseko. So they don’t have to experience anything Japanese. Speak English. Eat burgers and pizzas. Meet non Japanese.
10/10 snow sports.
0/10 cultural experience.
Did you like hakuba or niseko better?
I would recommend Hakuba if you’re solely focused on hitting the resorts. The Hakuba Valley incorporates about 9 separate resorts so you get a lot of bang for your buck. Niseko is really just one mountain that is technically 3 separate resorts. However, Hirafu is a fun place for a trip with friends because it has great bars and restaurants and it’s very walkable. Hope that helps and thanks for watching!
When was this recording? Is it snowing at Niseko in Nov 2023 already?
We were there in Feb and the snow was perfect. We went again in March and it was already beginning to slush. According to the Hakuba Instagram page, they have gotten their first snow!
Sorry, Hakuba (Nagano) it is snowing. For Hirafu / Niseko, the planned opening date is Dec 2nd
Hi thanks for sharing all the information on Niseko, how do I book The Red Ski House? There's no email address or telephone number provided. Thanks.
Hey! Thanks for watching! We actually looked into this and Will booked this hotel thru the AMEX portal. We looked on there again, and while it's still listed, there's no way to book. They might not be open for this season.. if you really want to make sure, the next step I would take is email one of the hotels on that street and see if they know anything about if the Red Ski House will be taking visitors this season. I'm sorry that's not a great answer but I hope it helps!