dusty23

10 days til we're at Niseko!!! The suitcase is 90% packed already

I just had a QUICK look online for restaurants in Niseko. without seeing the prices, Sekka may be out of our price range by the looks of the review. what about abucha or bang bang? they were the first ones i found that appear to have english translations on the menu. cheers, Dusty

Thanks for the help guys, very useful information!!! any particular restaurants in Niseko that people can recommend for Japan newbies for x-mas dinner? We're staying at the Landmark apartments and preferably want something easy to find in a moderate price range. any suggestions would be helpful. cheers, Dusty

Hi, our trip is all organised for Niseko over x-mas & NY (can't wait!!!), but i've got a couple of questions i was hoping to get a hand with: 1) I've never been boarding in temps as low as Niseko, so will my Camelback freeze throughout the day? i normally wear it external to my jacket. 2) I understand we need some apre boots or spikes for walking around in Niseko. are these easier to purchase in Sapporo/Niseko rather than Australia? 3) same goes for helmets- are prices comparible to australian prices in Sapporo/Niseko? 4) I've been told that we should book ahead for

Apart from the Astil, are there any other hotels that people can recommended? we're first timers to Japan and are chasing a standard western style room close to the action. any recommendations would be apreciated. cheers, Dusty

Hi guys, there's 5 of us (2x couples + 1 single) going skiing in Niseko over x-mas and NY. Our itinerary for that is all sorted, but we're still trying to sort accommodation for Sapporo and Tokyo. this is our first time in Japan, so something easy to find is essential. we're looking for cost effective hotels (or similar). any ideas for Sapporo or Tokyo? cheers, Dusty

well.... just booked our trip to Japan for the end of the year. can't wait for december to roll around! we're spending 10 nights boarding in Hirafu over x-mas and NY then another 10 days to travel around Honshu. What can we expect for X-mas & NY in niseko? any must do's? Can't wait!!!

awesome, thanks guys! thought that may have been the case. just how busy are we talking here for Niseko over the holidays???

make that another... our first season in Niseko also (group of 6-12). sorry to hijack. any ideas on a good travel agent for Niseko? we're based in Nth QLD, so obviously not many choices up here happy to organise via phone/email. also, since we're going over x-mas and NY, does anyone know if the slopes shut down at all during this time? cheers, Dusty

Thanks snowhuntress. I think once the 09/10 ski prices come out we'll get a quote for both Niseko and Canada and see where that leads us. would love to go to Japan to see a different culture, but as everyone has said, if the exchange rate isn't half decent we won't be able to afford it.

thanks guys. we are weighing up whether it's cheaper to go to canada or not. unfortunately if both japan and canada are looking too pricey, we'll have to settle for a tropical holiday rather than a snow holiday. So would Niseko be the best suited for us? Any recommendations in Niseko?

thanks. I had a look in the accommodation section and it will definately help out when we get to the stage of fine tuning our selections. I'm keen to get people's thoughts so i can narrow down the possibilities.

Hi, We are in the process of planning our trip to Hokkaido and would appreciate some advice/opinions. There are 6 or more of us (25-30yr olds: couples & singles) planning a trip to hokkaido for skiing/snow boarding over a 2 week period around Dec 09 - Jan 10. we are beginner to intermediate levels of experience (at NZ slopes). None of us can speak japanese, but are certainly keen to learn some basics. Other than good slopes, I guess we are looking for an area with access to restaruants and bars to keep us entertained after hours. we were hoping to stay in appartments also.