Here I’m sharing impressions and addresses from Niseko and Sapporo in Winter. Click here for impressions and addresses from Rusutsu and Otaru.
Niseko
In the list of unusual experiences related to the pandemic, we’ve experienced a very popular ski resort uncrowded. Slopes were deserted and we were mostly the first ones to get to the fresh powder, so it has been by all means a luxury. I’ve briefly covered Niseko on this post about Rusutsu from last year. The resort is made out of four areas: Hanazono, Hirafu, Higashiyama and Annupuri. Every side has its charm; personally I’ve enjoyed the blacks around Hirafu gondola the best. Niseko is a good place to initiate oneself to tree runs – it’s fun! Regardless of the route chosen, a one-piece suit is a good idea as powder tends to get everywhere! In my experience, this is the best snow in the world, due to its consistency (if you fall it’s like a hug!) probably related to the proximity to the sea. Exploring outside the tracks is fun, only thing to keep in mind is that the snow is way deeper than it looks ~ in Winter it does snow around 97% of the time (I don’t recall a time the snowing stopped for longer than five minutes). It’s worth mentioning that Niseko is very international ~ in non-pandemic times it gets lots of tourists from Hong Kong and mainland China, but above all it has been taken over by Australians. There are still many local businesses and ‘super Japanese’ things, but this area feels more English-friendly than others, delivering mostly a taste of ‘global village’. That much on the authenticity.
Hokkaido being of a wilder nature (it has notably been part of Japan for less than two centuries, so culture is quite different) it is famous among other things for its farms. We visited the Takahashi dairy farm and had a wonderful time ~ everything was delicious, but the yogurt drink was my favorite. They ship everywhere in Japan. Not too far from it there’s Niseko’s only mixed onsen ~ there are many open air onsens on the Annupuri side. There was so much snow that day that we boarded the distance from the bus stop to the onsen.
A succinct list of recommendations:
Food has exceeded expectations in so many ways I have a hard time focusing on one item. Red tuna sashimi has been amazing overall, but especially here (the avocado version) and here. Also, in izakayas and sushi places I advice to always order the salad. One of my favs is the fried octopus (not takoyaki, what you’ll get here is basically fried tentacles). Things that sound really plain are often taken to a whole new level, like burdock or potatoes. On a different side, miso ramen can be amazing. The coolest bar in the world is in Niseko, you open the fridge door and walk into a slice of perfection. Amazing drinks can be found at Toshiro’s bar. Aside from the snow, Niseko is a place you come to for the vibe ~ days go by effortlessly and it’s suddenly time to leave.
* Japanese ski brand recommendation: Oyuki (especially for gloves and first layers) consistent with the usual love for simplicity it literally means ‘snow’. **I strongly recommend to ship your gear using Yamato/kuroneko: it’s extremely reliable and affordable and you can also ship from the convenience store or the airport.
Sapporo
Sapporo is a city where in Winter you’ll use umbrellas daily due to snowfall. This time I had a full day there so I ventured a bit further away. In southern Sapporo there’s a massive cemetery where a huge Buddha hides behind a hill. First you only get to see the top of its head from behind, then you slowly make your way there. Built by famous architect Tadao Ando, I found it absolutely majestic. Very quiet and peaceful. I’ve changed the filter on some of the pictures, because I feel they really didn’t do this piece of religious art justice; for better photography this link should be more satisfactory. It’s not a secret, but it takes some time to get there: you need to take the metro to Makomanai station and then the bus 106 or 108. There’s a bus every hour so that gives enough time to walk around the site and contemplate. I strongly advice to visit at the warmest time of the day during Winter; the bus back was 20 minutes late and me and the other tourist were almost freezing. Hokkaido in Winter should never be downplayed. There are other sculptures in the area, including these moai statues – Japan makes me always think of Las Vegas somehow, but here everything fits.
Sapporo is the place to have sushi for breakfast; Nijo market is one of the first places to open as early as 7am and stays open until 6pm – worth going also for the visual effect of gigantic crab and squid, fish catch here is truly fresh. I had an amazing Japanese breakfast at this ryokan that I truly recommend; it’s really a whole meal that gets you through the day (there’s both sashimi and cooked fish, as well as fish eggs, corn soup and other Hokkaido delicacies). If you have the chance, I really suggest to try soft katsugen, a probiotic drink sold only in Hokkaido.
On the way to the airport you’ll be able to spot deers and if you take the bus you can buy clams at the cashier at the gas station. Hokkaido feels exotic to me in those ways. A brief note on the airport: time really flies by when you’re here! There’s so much to do, shop and eat of local produce!!
Hokkaido steals my heart every time!
