Niseko, Japan: Powder Paradise (Even When You Don't Want to Ski!)

Niseko United comprises extensive ski terrain across four resorts: Grand Hirafu, Annupuri, Niseko Village, and Hanazono. After an internal flight from Tokyo to Little Chiton airport, we caught a bus (Chuo Bus) to Niseko Village. The ride is just under four hours, very comfortable with a rest stop. We checked into the Sansui Niseko—a ski in/ski out resort, Sansui has on-site equipment rental, basement ski lockers, ticket sales, and ski school for all levels.

The 1000 meter hut, so much snow!

Entering the lobby of Sansui, experience “Wa” design, melding natural materials and balance. Located in Upper Hirafu, floor-to-ceiling windows bring the outside into the warmth. Every opening of the lobby door brought a mist of scent. I begged the concierge to tell me what it was, but it is merely called “fragrance” and the one thing I couldn’t bring home.

Our guide was a snow boarder.

Our one-bedroom suite provided a luxurious modern space with a full living room and kitchen, and the always entertaining Japanese bidet. The kitchen remained largely untouched because the food at the hotel Sansui Dining was too tempting to cook. A fantastic breakfast, slope side, began each day with a mixture of Japanese and Western cuisine, and in the evening we enjoyed local oysters and wagyu beef.

Sushi Shin

We splurged on a three-star Michelin lunch at Sushi Shin By Miyakawa, also located in the hotel. It’s a cozy experience, no more than 12 diners seated side by side to observe sushi theatre as chefs prepare courses like Black Throat Sea Perch and Bamboo Shoot with Fry-Simmered Broth. I keep the Sushi Shin menu on my refrigerator to remind me why we need to return. Our visit was in February 2024, and hotel additions for 2025 included a Kyoto tea master to host traditional tea ceremonies, and hands-on soba workshops. More exciting reasons to return!

Chefs at Sushi Shin create lunch and recommend sushi pairings.

Food was not the only reason to come back to the hotel at the end of the day. Toshiro’s Bar has received an embarrassment of awards for crafting cocktails worthy of the glass. I enjoyed more than one smoking whiskey apres-ski (onsen!) and the artistry was matched by the sip. So pretty, so cozy!

Smokey whiskey at Toshiro's Bar

I skied a bit, but the birthday boy is a skiing connoisseur and grabbed a local ski guide and enjoyed days of powder pleasure. Tim, from Hokkaido Mountain Experience, tailored days around various terrain and lunch stops. Even experienced skiers will appreciate the expertise of a local and experienced guide. Not all signs and trail maps are translated into English.

With 4 interconnected areas a guide can lead you down new slope every day.

Meanwhile, I enjoyed the onsen and spa facilities. Onsen etiquette was difficult to grasp for this New England puritan. Spend some time learning about the history and culture of onsen then give yourself over to the nakedness of it all. Watching the snow fall from the soothing warm spring waters is the best cure for embarrassment. I indulged in the full-service salon for both a facial and a massage, both customized for me.

Cold, dry Siberian air picks up moisture over the warmer Sea of Japan and greets the Hokkaido Mountains with fluffy powder. It snowed gently every day we were there.

We only had nine days from the east coast but found it very manageable. Arriving in Tokyo, we stayed overnight at the Royal Park Hotel Tokyo Haneda Airport Terminal 3. Convenient, easy to find with self-check in/out, we dumped our luggage, showered, and then explored the fairy land shops and restaurants in the airport itself. We had an early-morning flight to Sapporo the next day and an easy first night was perfect.

It took us an hour or two, but we finally figured out what was missing. Where were all the fireplaces?! Toasty, cozy fireplaces are ubiquitous in western ski resort lobbies, rooms, and outdoor spaces, but our modern hotel, luxurious as it was, alas, had no fires either in rooms, or lobby, or outside areas.

The hotel concierge had a lovely list of restaurants nearby and made reservations for my husband’s Leap Day Birthday, (apparently very lucky!) at Rin in Niseko Village. A delightful, cozy spot, we again sat stove-side and watched dinner cooked with love.

For more inspiration and insider recommendations, visit our Niseko page.