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
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(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
March 16, 2010
Chris
Chris
I've been round a bit, and skied a fair few places, but for mine nothing compares to Niseko (Niseko Hirafu) for the all round experience it offers. Everyone raves about the snow, and they're right, but there's so much more. The food and accommodation's amazing. There's no crowds, and once you actually get here it's really cheap. And you can nowadays get some real cheap flights too!
A friend of mine summed up the pow best when he said "I skied a week of Heli in BC (Canada) in January, and it wasn't as good as what we're getting here straight off the lift."
Ski everywhere, then go to Niseko is my advice. Ski Niseko first and you'll end each holiday saying "Yeah, it was good... but it wasn't Niseko!"
March 11, 2010
Marcus
Marcus
Niseko Hirafu is a perfect resort. The views from the peak are amazing, snow is fantastic and soft, village has a mix of Aussie/westernised culture as well as Japanese styled restaurants and apartments. Good amounts of snow fell, not quite as much as I'd heard Niseko's 'big dumps' to be, but still all good. Just wish we had discovered the Strawberry Fields run earlier in the week or just after it had snowed, would of been so much fun, not that it wasn't anyway! The chairlift lines were virtually empty. Only 1 time we had to line up for more than a minute but I was there from 27th Feb to 5th March so that must be spring skiing for you there; empty resort with snow still falling. Hope to go there next year. Maybe try during peak season...
February 17, 2010
Caroline Donodine.
Caroline Donodine.
With all this Aussie bashing going on, I'm glad to be skiing Niseko country (Niseko Hirafu) as a Kamilaroi woman. For those who don't know about Kamilaroi, it's an Aboriginal language group of northern NSW, Australia. So for all those obnoxious Aussie's who invade this wonderful Japanese destination, I'm glad to separate myself from them, and proud to appreciate another culture as Australia should appreciate mine.
Much love and respect.
February 16, 2010
Andy
Andy
I haven’t skied Furano so can’t compare snow, but I have had three separate weeks at Niseko (Niseko Hirafu) and never had lifts close for wind. I have never had three days in a row without fresh snow, and have never had anything that you could remotely describe as heavy. I have skied “powder” days at Morzine, Chamonix, Val d'Isere, Keystone, Arapohoe, Telluride, Copper, Breckenridge, Aspen, Deer Valley, Snow Bird, Alta, Whistler, Steamboat, Winter Park, Hakuba, NZ, everywhere in Australia and several places in Chile, and never come across lighter snow than we have seen every time we have been to Niseko.
No question that the runs are short at Niseko (Niseko Hirafu) and without the snow it would be a so-so place to go, but so what?... It's about the snow! Have a look at the Furano trail map, it is shorter and flatter.
Plus, Michelin doesn’t even have a guide for Hokkaido.
February 07, 2010
The Don from
Japan - Nagano
The Don from
Japan - Nagano
Besides the incredibly consistent powder conditions at Niseko (Niseko Hirafu) which has made it famous, one of the main reasons for it's popularity is that nearly everything can be organised in English. Compared to most other ski areas in Japan this makes Niseko almost unique. It's just so easy to book your accomm and other services and for people hiring gear they have western sizing! For those travelling to this country for their first ski trip Niseko is a great introduction. Many, of course, fall in love with it and come back year after year.
February 06, 2010
will martin
will martin
In my opinion, a reviewer here has no concept of what Niseko's (Niseko Hirafu) snow conditions are. Japan consistently receives snow falls of up to 40cm a night. Also, Japan is known for having the best snowfall in the world, sided by some of the lightest snow. The Salamon ski team has taken me to America - Aspen, Vale and Banff, Canada - Whistler and Big White and heli-skiing in the Monashees. In comparison to Japan, theses places don't come close in terms of consistent snowfall and the lightness of pow. The only features that Japan lacks is height and steepness.
January 31, 2010
Peter
Peter
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
January 21, 2010
Samuel Hill
Samuel Hill
All this Aussie bashing or boasting regarding Niseko Hirafu is both deserved and missing the point entirely. There are a lot (I do mean a lot) of bonza-blokes out there. They have taken over and the resort is ugly (looks) as a result. A real hodge podge.
Aside from Holdens being way better than Fords though, you don't go to Hokkaido to ski the piste or "dine" on mountain restaurants.
You go to get out amongst the pow in the back country and enjoy the superb Japanese food - most Michelin Star restaurants in the world so that tells you something.
However, if you are skiing in Niseko, be prepared to stay at least 10 days. Why? It is windy. The snow gets blown off the mountain and the lifts close. This is not ideal.
Skiing the piste is dull as dishwater - unless you're an Aussie family on vacation of course. Then I suppose it is okish, if a bit short.
For the days there is powder, get a guide and get up early. It is worth it. However, bare in mind you need 10cm of fresh snow a day to get consistent fresh tracks. This won't happen that often, in spite of what the brochures say.
Also, remember Niseko Hirafu is close to the ocean so lower down the slopes, the snow is a lot heavier. Not ideal on skis, boards fine. Skis not so much.
Better snow quality, less Aussies and more authentic is Furano and surrounds. Facilities are fine (big gondola & cable car) but nightlife is somewhat slow. Food though is outrageously good.
If you are in Niseko Hirafu and want to get away from the Aussies and get amongst the locals, Niseko Village is for you. The restaurant by the now-closed Higayashima Gondola is superb. Genghis Khan for 1100 can't be beat.
January 14, 2010
Lollipops
Lollipops
First things first. I am going to Niseko (Niseko Hirafu) for awesome powder not for who's there for culture, culture is the reason we are going to other parts of Japan first.
Second, I am Australiana and I hate being labeled bad simply because there are bad Australians out there but, I have to say, I am sure there are also bad Europeans, Kiwis, Americans, Asians and all cultures to be found. Please don't label all of us because some choose to act poorly. I am respectful enough of other cultures to at least try and learn some very basic language skills and be polite to all people.
As for it becoming a popular and developed place, that is not such a bad thing. More popular and developed means better facilities and after breaking my arm horrifically in 3 places and dislocating the shoulder on a previous boarding trip I truly appreciate devloped facilities for aid.
For those of us who don't appreciate the 'bad' mannered Australians, should maybe be grown up enough to be good examples of how real grown ups behave.
I hate seeing negative comments as I am really excited about being able to go to Niseko (Niseko Hirafu) and I am very grateful as I know there are heaps of people in the world with worse things to put up with than bad Australian manners. So sorry for some of my fellow countrymen & women choosing to act like pigs but we are not all the same.
Sign off, sincerely a snow lover not fighter. L x
January 09, 2010
Terror-piste from
Pakistan
Terror-piste from
Pakistan
Whilst I am in fact Australian, I am embarassed by the sheer number of Australians and the general level of arrogance.
Niseko (Niseko Hirafu) might just be the winter version of Bali....
VB was even on sale. Honestly, why put dishwater on sale when Japanese beers are some of the best in the world?
Off to Furano soon so hopefully we`ll see a few less bogans.
Nearest