Snowsure: 4.6
- Occasionally gets enough snow for skiing
- Is often closed due to a lack of snow
- Occasionally suffers from a lack of snow
- Rarely suffers from a lack of snow
- Niseko Grand Hirafu is snowsure even in the poorest seasons
Visitor reviews for Niseko Grand Hirafu Ski Resort
Click here to submit your own review of Niseko Grand Hirafu
(NOTE: Reviews may be edited by our content team for the purposes of ensuring accurate and relevant information)
(NOTE: Reviews may be edited by our content team for the purposes of ensuring accurate and relevant information)
Latest
February 24, 2011
Will
Will
I've been riding in Japan now for close to 20 years, another ten before that. I'd ridden lots of places in Europe and North America before I ever got to Japan but Niseko (Niseko Hirafu) is special.
I'd agree with another reviewer's comment, but I'd also say that I never really see the crowds of drunken punters (just like I never see them in Oz) because I don't hang out in those kinds of bars! There's some great people living in Niseko running wonderful restaurants etc. Look around!
There's a reason that Niseko is among the most featured resorts in ski & snowboard movies - and it's not because it sucks. Many of the hardest skiing & riding guys and girls on the planet make a yearly visit because of the combination of snow, terrain, and culture. There's lots more to Niseko than what you'll find just off the Niseko United Lifts. Like No Back Country says, "Hike (or drive or sled or cat) and ye shall find"
Great skiing, amazing food, wonderful people.
What's not to love ?
February 23, 2011
No Back Country For Old Men from
United Kingdom
No Back Country For Old Men from
United Kingdom
Lots of lovely dry powder, but lots of Aussies tracking up the easily accessible stuff in a matter of hours. It's not unusual to see a snake of literally 100's of people hiking up to the peak in the morning. There is a lot to go around though. Hike & ye shall find ;-)
Often windy & they seem quick to close lifts.
Fairly outdated lift system, with few modern lifts. Queues in Hirafu (Niseko Hirafu) are commonplace. Niseko Village & Niseko Annapuri are quieter, but smaller.
Can be expensive, although not outrageous compared to Europe.
The only nightlife is in Hirafu, but it is fairly laid back. If you are looking for wild apres ski, look elsewhere.
February 22, 2011
Kose
Kose
Just got back from my first boarding trip to Japan, specifically Niseko (Niseko Hirafu) and instantly I was blown away by the consistency and quality of the snow.
But as soon as I started traveling around Hokkaido, I realized I was working way too hard for fresh lines back there. As soon as I got back to Niseko it just seemed way too hectic to worry about anymore.
Great mountain, too many people.
February 16, 2011
Adam
Adam
I first went to Niseko - Rusutsu in Feb 2005 with six mates and we have been back four times since. We have also skied Hakuba twice but I think the north island of Hokkaido has been more reliable for the powder. Yes, we too have seen the development of Hirafu become very westernised but it's not all totally bad. It's how you look at it, I guess. I agree with the comments from "Broad Meadow" and intend to explore many other resorts in Japan. If you look outside the popular main ones that are promoted at the ski shows, etc the choice is enormous. As for the "abundance of annoying Aussies" in Niseko, that can be anywhere in the world. Try surfing in Sydney these days at your local break with the "abundance of annoying Brits, Brazilians, etc".
February 09, 2011
Broad Meadow from
Japan - Nagano
Broad Meadow from
Japan - Nagano
A little perspective on the Niseko propaganda machine is probably a good thing.
There are over 500 resorts in Japan. The vast majority get similar and, yes it's true, better snow than Niseko (Niseko Hirafu). Been all over the world, skiing and think Niseko is the best out there? Try skiing all over Japan. The key is powder in Japan is amazing; it's not limited to Niseko. As for resort size, Niseko probably ranks somewhere in the middle. Terrain difficulty even lower than that.
Japanese culture in Niseko? That's like going to Euro Disney and commenting on French culture. With very few exceptions, from hospitality, to accommodation, to food the culture you are getting is a western based developer/marketers version of Japanese culture.
Niseko is only unique in that it caters to westerns. If you don't want to go out of your comfort zone it's a great place. You never even have to attempt a word of the language and the locals will put up with you because you are spending a fortune to be there. Personally, and you hear this a lot from ex-pats living in Japan, I like it because it feels like a trip outside of Japan without having to leave the country.
It was a great place that is losing its charm to massive developments a la Whistler.
Having said all that, it's still a good place for an introduction to skiing in Japan but don't limit yourself to going there year after year. Be adventurous and try something different!
February 04, 2011
Robb from
Japan - Nagano
Robb from
Japan - Nagano
Amazing snow and an abundance of annoying Aussies at Niseko Hirafu. Kind of a Noosa heads on Ice. Shame to see it each season swallowed up by very greedy western developers that say they are helping the locals and town,if that was the case they wouldn't have such a nightmare on their hands when it comes to clearing all the snow after a big dump.
December 13, 2010
Kretinburger
Kretinburger
I think next Feb will be visit no 8 to Niseko (Niseko Hirafu). We will have about 10 in our party next year. We always stay at Pension Fullnote where Tohsan and the crew look after us like kings. We even have our own Jazz Bar downstairs. Yes, it's popular with Aussies but with very good reason. Because it's so good its popular but why should we go somewhere else when we love the snow, love the people and love the village. Oh, and we looooove the beer,Sappo Black of course.
[note from editor: some editing here in order to maintain relevance]
September 03, 2010
Mike Wilkinson
Mike Wilkinson
Having been lucky enough to have skied around the world since childhood and lived in Sun Valley, Idaho and St Anton in Austria, I thought that Japan would be too expensive and crowded. It wasn't till 2004 that we decided to go to Hokkaido and specifically Niseko (Niseko Hirafu) and was blown away how something so good was below our Radar for so long. I have sat in some of the best resorts in the world looking up at majestic peaks with little or man-made snow on the slopes, where as in Hokkaido,(Niseko) they mighten have the longest and steepest slopes but they have consistant powder that you can ski all day. It seems that you wake up every morning expecting it to be knee to waist deep and I for one have skiied more powder in the last 6 years in Niseko than I have in the last 30 years in Canada, USA and Europe. Niseko reached its peak with powder starved Aussies in 2006 and the resort has been overtaken with Hongkongese, Singaporese and Expates from Asia that arn't powder skiers but normal punters that get lessons and leave the ungroomed for us. Niseko and surrounds have turned into a truely international resort, with a thankful local comunity and some of the best food in the world. I now have a house there and will retire to pow heaven as soon as the Japanese goverment allow me to stay more than 90 days or I marry one of those beautiful local ladies. Niseko is the total package: great snow and mountains, excellent food and amazing people.
April 26, 2010
Dillan Josland from
New Zealand
Dillan Josland from
New Zealand
I just got back from my first trip to Niseko (Niseko Hirafu) having skied April 10th - 24th. Although it was the end of the season, the snow was great with main trail snow depths of 1.0m at the base, and 3.0m at the summit, deeper drifts in the gullys. The weather remained cold for the whole trip with several days of snow falls freshening up the hill. Having skiing throughout New Zealand at the best of times, the skiing in Japan even in late spring was far better than I could have imagined. Being able to ski a 3000' verticle drop all day and relax in Onsen hot pools after skiing are the way forward. The town of Hirafu was fairly quiet, night skiing had finished with most bars and restaurants closed, but Kutchan and Sapporo are reasonably close by train and have great night life. Even though the powder is the best from Dec-March, if you want the entire mountain at Niseko Hirafu to yourself ski in April!
April 14, 2010
Brad
Brad
My next trip will be Niseko Hirafu in search of more powder days + a bit of the home comforts that you do miss & struggle to get at other resorts in Japan. And I for one will be glad to see some other Auzzies around.
I purposely chose Hukuba for more of a cultural experience & to see the snow monkeys. Stayed @ Hukuba Goryu @ Alpine Aqua which was great(part owned by Steven Bradbury so westernised), locals were great & although we had 3 powder days out of 8 & there were no lift lines (spoilt if you get that @ Auz resorts) you couldn't get a barista made coffee, little English signage in Hukuba resorts & not many English speaking ski instructors + little western food on offer.
Those little things may not effect others, but when you have a young family with two young kids 8 & 10 years old it makes a big difference. We had enough of that isolation feeling by day 8, as we were lucky to see anyone that spoke English on the slopes, and when the lifts shut due to wind and you had to ski back to where you came from with no direction with whinging cold kids @ the end of the day, it does your head in. I can't get the family back to Japan unless it's Niseko.
I hope this gives family people some insight.
Nearest