Peter from AUSTRALIA writes:
First time in Niseko. I'd heard the rumours of it being Aussie-fied. But the reality, now that I am here, is that it has been given a makeover for tourists. Probably the one place in Japan that is oriented to international tourists as Japan caters for Japanese exclusively in most places. This makes it attractive to the world's most traveled populace and all those mad skiers. Once more Australians come here the mad crowd will get sick of it and go to Furano and other places.
The things I like about Niseko:
1) It has snowed each night, 20-30 cms, like a tropical storm!
2) Facilities are very easy - food, supermarkets, roads: all easy.
3) Finding a mountain guide, who is a ski instructor, who knows the whole area and can suggest places, if very friendly and can teach me more Japanese is great - go the Hero!
4) I ski piste and it is good here - great grooming and good skiing first thing in the morning, not like skiing ice back home - off-piste is a new experience.
5) There is enough powder to actually learn on - not one run and oops! That's it!
6) There is night sking - so can ski 10 hours - outrageous.
7) The reprt is quiet - no guns, very little announcements
8) It is very Japanese - personnel are polite, helpful, careful, clean the seats well, help put skis in the gondola, help take them out and they don't do it for tips which they are not after anyway
and
most
important:
9) Niseko is the one resort (95% sure on this one) that has avalanche control - and places are closed off, conditions monitored, warnings are posted where all guides, staff, instructors can see them and are available online each day. Maybe some visitors are suicidal but the locals will keep people safe.
For these reasons I will come again to Niseko Hirafu.
Thanks others for your comments. Niseko may not be for everyone but it is very good for me and my family. They will also improve, I am sure.
Cheers,
Peter
2010-01-31 |
