22/23 Japan scene?

[Mike Pow]

I'm headed to Sapporo & Niseko for the first time this winter. This thread has been a great help--thanks to everyone!

Anyone have recommendations for guides, cat, or heli operations in Niseko? We're looking for a couple of days of guided touring (or lift-assist) and maybe a cat or heli day. I have a couple of recs from friends (e.g. Whiteroom tours) but looking for other opinions.

Touring
https://www.nisekomtnguides.com/

Cat & Heli
https://www.hokkaidobackcountryclub..../cat-skiing-3/

[SUPERIOR]

Hokkaido BC and Rising Sun are good options, as is Whiteroom Guides in Central Hokkaido.

Niseko has been growing quite touristy/busy, but it will be interesting to see what the pandemic has changed.

For folks looking to save money, the further out from Hirafu you get, the cheaper it generally is. Also, the Japanese run pensions, which are their version of hostels. A solid google search will find this type of accommodation, and they are often very unique.

I worked at the Black Diamond Lodge a couple winters, and it’s a combo of hostel / pension with a cool history. They partner with HBC.

Get a rental vehicle and intl drivers permit before you go. Don’t strand yourself relying on buses, etc

Mike Pow, are you going back?

[wakefield]

Thanks for the recs, all! I'll check 'em out.

[MrPow]

Thinking of going to Hakuba AND Niseko.

Is Mid Feb too late?

any suggestions on which I should do first - from a powder point of view?


Also any tips on Itinerary logistics would be welcome. Should I do - Narita- Hakuba- Haneda-Sapporo-Niseko?


TIA

[SUPERIOR]

Thinking of going to Hakuba AND Niseko.

Is Mid Feb too late?

any suggestions on which I should do first - from a powder point of view?


Also any tips on Itinerary logistics would be welcome. Should I do - Narita- Hakuba- Haneda-Sapporo-Niseko?


TIA

Mid Feb is an interesting time to go, especially if you are into backcountry touring.

February can often bring a week or two of sunshine or even a rain event to Hokkaido. Honshu can be blessed or cursed with this note of weather all winter, which is why Niseko is so popular - it’s ultra consistent.

I have experienced excellent powder skiing in Feb and March in Hokkaido, but it’s just a little less certain.

Now, if you want to ski big volcanoes on bc gear… Feb is a good time for that.

[alfajores]

Thinking of going to Hakuba AND Niseko.

Is Mid Feb too late?

any suggestions on which I should do first - from a powder point of view?


Also any tips on Itinerary logistics would be welcome. Should I do - Narita- Hakuba- Haneda-Sapporo-Niseko?


TIA

I hit a late storm in late Feb/Early March a few years back and it was fine. The snow situation there is more like the PNW where the peaks get kissed more often and Niseko's Gran Hirafu is one of those places. The skiing is on the eastern aspect of the summit but with confidence, you might ski down the north aspect after the hike to get some newer snows if it is open. I think you will likely get something if you are there for more than a week, depending on weather.

Your timeline of Narita through Niseko is similar to my past path. If you are renting a car in Sapporo, you will want to kit up a few of the other spots in Hokkaido. Niseko is fun but there are plenty of places to ride and many of them are not expensive for a day pass. Also, this will allow you to get out to some of the onsen that are not $$$$ in Niseko (as long as you are not tattooed).

We are looking at Jan 1-9 in Hokkaido but need to sort out our details now that my wife gave us a greenlight. Just missed that big United sale on airfare last week.

[boltonoutlaw]

Hmmmm....Niseko this year = an August weekend at Perisher

[Mike Pow]

Mike Pow, are you going back?

Yes

Some time between Christmas and New Year through to end of February

You?

[Mike Pow]

Hmmmm....Niseko this year = an August weekend at Perisher

Possibly for the few days around New Year and Chinese New Year.

Think it will be steady, unless the big volume players start slashing the prices.

Then it will get messy.

[boltonoutlaw]

An unknown factor of pent-up demand + a historically weak yen + the year-on-year increase of inbound tourism prior to COVID-19 account for my boorish cynicism.



Source: https://www.macrotrends.net/countrie...ism-statistics


More on visits, not dollars: https://www.tourism.jp/en/tourism-da...stats/inbound/

[alfajores]

Hmmmm....Niseko this year = an August weekend at Perisher

This made me chuckle, inside

[singlecross]

Booked plane tickets today. I’ll be on Hokkaido with friends on a Black Diamond Tour Jan.16-27 with the flexibility to stay a week longer Jan.27-Feb.3 if conditions are all time. Suggestions for dirtbagging that second extra week welcomed as well as possible hook-ups with any Mags in country. Yen is still LOW.

[boltonoutlaw]

I wrote a post about SIM cards in my trip report and the link is HERE

[i<3on3p]

Planning a trip for the end of Jan and early Feb. I have epic and ikon, but I'd rather avoid the shitshow so I'm not sure how much time I'll spend in Niseko. I'd like to do a week at Tenjin/Minakami area, so I was wondering if anyone here has been there and what they have to say about it. To me it looks like the real deal for big mountain skiing, but I don't know if I'd be able to get up into the alpine at all that time of year.

[BFD]

i guess you are asking about this

sometimes things work out


there is some of this around if the alpine is not in shape. also a long line that puts you out down below the base.

excellent choices for lodging in the area.

there is also a bunch of stuff in a 20 mile radius but it was dumping to hard to get in the alpine when we were there.
like this

[Mike Pow]

OOOOOOOOOH

[jhyatt]

Booked plane tickets today. I’ll be on Hokkaido with friends on a Black Diamond Tour Jan.16-27 with the flexibility to stay a week longer Jan.27-Feb.3 if conditions are all time. Suggestions for dirtbagging that second extra week welcomed as well as possible hook-ups with any Mags in country. Yen is still LOW.

Nice! Did you get the direct flight Boston Tokyo?
I am still waiting on some other stuff before I commit. But I am also considering going kite surfing in Colombia. Apples and oranges and all that...

Sent from my SM-G781U1 using Tapatalk

[singlecross]

Nice! Did you get the direct flight Boston Tokyo?
I am still waiting on some other stuff before I commit. But I am also considering going kite surfing in Colombia. Apples and oranges and all that...

Sent from my SM-G781U1 using Tapatalk

No… I booked Portland,ME -> Newark -> Haneda -> New Chitose. Same return but through Chicago vs Newark.

I had Boston direct booked last year but c’est la vie.

[m2711c]

So how much did that route cost?

[CascadeCrudSkier]

Thinking of going to Hakuba AND Niseko.

Is Mid Feb too late?

any suggestions on which I should do first - from a powder point of view?


Also any tips on Itinerary logistics would be welcome. Should I do - Narita- Hakuba- Haneda-Sapporo-Niseko?


TIA

From a powder point of view you should definitely go to Hakuba before Niseko if you're going in mid-Feb. Spring comes very early to Hakuba and the temps warm up quickly by mid Feb as the jet stream starts to weaken and head north. Last year it was good until the first weekend of March but that was an unusually good/cold winter. It's already a bit of a gamble, I wouldn't bother with going to Hakuba if you end up going at the end of the month since you're probably just leaving a good chance of scoring to go ski in the sun or the rain.

If you're also going all the way to Tokyo to travel to Hokkaido then Narita/Haneda makes almost no difference. Choose whatever airport is offering the best flights to New Chitose. Peach is offering some crazy low fares right now but I haven't checked to see if they are only available to residents. Like $7 tickets from Tokyo to Hokkaido.

[boltonoutlaw]

Three-part series featuring Aomori City and Hakkoda: Life in the World's Snowiest City | Aomori, Japan

[singlecross]

So how much did that route cost?

$1700

[Mike Pow]

First decent fall of the winter in the Niseko Resort Area

13cm in the past 24hrs

Some resorts trying to get open for Japanese holidays next week

[beer30]

Bring it Ullr!!

[boltonoutlaw]

https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/2...ki-destination