Niseko

On the mountain

It being off season, I took a risk when I bought my ticket and prayed for snow. Lucky for me, Niseko got a huge snowfall right before I arrived; the mountain was fluffed up and ready for me to ride. I stayed at Annupuri lodge and indulged in 2 days of ski-in/ski-out snowboarding across 4 different resorts. Conveniently, I ordered my rentals (jacket, pants, gloves, and hats all included) and they were delivered to the lodge. The rentals were spendy, but it was helpful that lift ticket costs were reduced for spring season.

With the fresh snow I found some powder stashes and kickers off of tree runs, and went through Gate 5 to play on some backcountry slopes. While on the gondola, I met a group of boys that had been working at a pizza shop for the season and rode with them quite a bit. They introduced me to my favorite run on these slopes, which was somewhere in the middle resort (I think at Grand Harafu). I loved it because you cut in to the trees to find this this curvy half pipe. It was really fun to push off the rounded corners and switch at the lip, duck under some tree branches, and finally get spit out to the main track leading right to the chair lift. Or, continue down hill for one long, glorious run. On my second day I spent the morning riding with an Australian family I’d chatted with at the lodge. It was entertaining getting absorbed in their family dynamics and snowboarding with them for half a day. I haven’t experienced a family ski session in a long while. In the afternoon I ran in to the boys again and took off to play with them in the trees.

Après-ski

Annupuri didn’t have much going on in the area due to it being the end of the season. There wasn’t even a convenience store or restaurant open other than in my lodge. So, I spent my evenings relaxing and wire-wrapping jewelry.

Annupuri lodge had a square wooden bath which was like a mini private onsen (japanese public bath), so you bet I was in that every night. I also visited a nearby onsen, and had, in retrospect, the best cone of soft-serve of my life. The Hokkaido region is known for their dairy, and it really is beyond comparison to the products I’ve been exposed to in Asia.

With only two days to get to know the Japanese mountains, I had to squeeze in as many runs as possible. I was so sore after just two days! So I welcomed the soak sessions and peaceful walks in the silent, snowy nights.

I wish I had more footage for you, but here’s a couple of photos and videos. Next stop was Hakodate.