Day one waking up in the beautiful mountain town of Niseko, on the northern Japanese island, Hokkaido! After getting out of bed and appreciating the runs outside our room’s window, we headed to the hotel’s restaurant for the breakfast buffet. Upon entry, we were required to expose our forehead for a machine temperature reading, sanitize hands, and wear a mask and gloves. The assortment of breakfast items was extensive and diverse! Miso soup, raw tuna, squid, and salmon, vegetables, scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, yogurt, baked goods, cereal, oatmeal, salad bar, juices, coffee, and best of all, more fresh fruit that remained astonishingly delightful. I must know the secret behind Japan’s fresh fruit…. Immediately after breakfast, I grabbed my rental helmet, board, and boots from the locker, and walked the short trip to the mountain.
Niseko United is composed of 4 different resorts: Annupuri, Niseko Village, Tokyu Grand Hirafu, and Hanazono. Our hotel was at the base, ski in/out, from Ace Quad Lift Center 2 #4 at Tokyo Grand Hirafu.
A hop and skip out the hotel locker room door, I strapped in and rode my first chair up. Mount Yotei sits across from Mount Niseko and was immediately breathtaking. I had neck stiffness from riding every chairlift that day looking to my sides and behind me in awe of the beauty. I had seen pictures online of the views on a highly visible day, but pictures never quite do it justice. And there is a beauty to that. I immediately got on another chairlift after getting off the first to ride higher up the mountain. I shared this lift with an Engineer from Seattle in Japan for business. He made mention that the conditions weren’t great, but I was still too awe-struck by the scenery to let it kill my vibe.
The conditions were indeed a bit icy, but growing up and learning how to ski on small foothills in Michigan, powder riding is by no means my standard. After one warm up intermediate run, I adapted well to my rental board, and I started hitting the black diamond advanced runs towards the top of the mountain. At the top of the highest chair (King Lift #4), a single seater chair, or “pizza box” chair as some Canadian friends call it, I noticed back country skiers and snowboarders hiking up to the top peak. It took about 20-25 minutes of climbing in snowboard boots to get to the top, but it was well worth it for the views. At the top I could see the ocean, other mountain ranges surrounding Niseko, and of course, a phenomenal view of Mount Yotei. I rode down the bowl shoot style run without an issue from the hard, ice patch filled surface. The run was fun and the views amused, so I made the trek up a second time. Days later (01/18/2023) I would make a final return to this peak, but it was a significantly more intense experience. I have a full post dedicated to that story.
After riding for a full 6 hours, only stopping once for a quick miso ramen lunch at King Bell Hut located halfway up the mountain, I headed back to the hotel. Joseph spent the first day working and exploring the town. We rendezvoused in the room and put on the robes and slippers provided to each hotel guest, bound for our hotel’s onsen (hot spring bath) for some relaxation time. Afterwards, we head into town for dinner.
Snow was falling while we explored the town, which raised anticipation of mountain conditions for the day to come. Still, underneath the light layer of fresh powder lied coats of ice. At least a dozen times each, we slipped and slid around town, watching everyone else also being put on skates by the sidewalks. Most restaurants were booked up and quite difficult to find seating for walk-ins, so we got kebabs from a Welsh man’s small outdoor kebab food spot called King Elvis Kebabs. We enjoyed our kebabs while walking around the town, then went into a music bar called Music Bar Mina Mina. The atmosphere and music of this bar was unique. We met some friendly Australians who had been coming to Niseko since nearly 20 years earlier, and provided us with some great recommendations! I enjoyed a flight of Japanese whiskey, then we headed back to the hotel to call it a night. My body was exhausted but spirit elevated from a full day on the slopes.