Tal06 0 Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 Hey guys, I'm planning on heading to Hokkaido in Feb 2012. We can only go for two weeks and we are thinking one week in Niseko, and doing the other week somewhere else. Where is good to go for a week on the north island? I have been to Rusutsu and it was great but I'm not sure I would want to spend a week there. Apart from there I have only been to Niseko. Somewhere close by a city would be tops or at least somewhere with some nightlife. Any ideas would be great. Cheers! Link to post Share on other sites
mitchpee 10 Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 I would say base yourself mostly out of Niseko and maybe do a few days in Sapporo hitting Kokusai, Teine, Kiroro, maybe even Tenguyama if you want! Sapporo is going to have your nightlife and if you have a car (rent one) you are going to find yourself getting to these places very easily. It's a pretty easy drive and not far for these resorts either out of Sapporo. Kiroro is always a good bet as well! Rusutsu is super close to Niseko and there are a few very uncrowded resorts around if any locals want to tell you what they are I know one place that will give you those answers! Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 Furano is also a city, right? Link to post Share on other sites
Tal06 0 Posted October 11, 2011 Author Share Posted October 11, 2011 Thanks MitchPee for the info, much appreciated. Are the slopes near Sapporo good for off-piste as well or mostly groomers? Have you based yourself (something you do to a turkey?) in Asahikawa before? I was thinking Furano TubbyBeaverinho but I heard they are very strict on you if you leave the beaten track? Could just be a rumour. Cheers Link to post Share on other sites
dale#1 1 Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 It is. Link to post Share on other sites
Ezorisu 0 Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 There are fewer nearby snow areas adjacent to Asahikawa than Sapporo - probably will need to drive/bus a little further. The trade-off will be fewer people and possibly better snow conditions. If your priority is night life, definitely Sapporo. If it's a week on snow someplace other than Niseko, Furano might be the better bet. Most snow areas near Sapporo have a fairly lax off-piste policy, just so long as you don't enter roped-off safety zones (like under lifts) or closed designated off-piste areas. Link to post Share on other sites
MagSeven 40 Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 Asahikawa isn't a bad place to base yourself for a week. You could have a couple of days in Furano, Kamui, Asahidake or Kurodake. Furano is very strict on ducking ropes, but at the others, you can ride anywhere. The nightlife in the city is decent too, plenty of great places to eat and drink, and a couple of ok nightclubs. If you hire a car, the ski jo's are all within about an hours drive. Link to post Share on other sites
Tal06 0 Posted October 13, 2011 Author Share Posted October 13, 2011 Good snow is the priority, but it's nice spending time out in a new city. I will check out some vids of the places yas mentioned around Sapporo and Asahikawa and go from there. Thanks for all the good info guys! Link to post Share on other sites
Mick Rich 78 Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 Just to add my 2-pennies-worth, Furano is a city but feels much more like a small town and yes, it still has a strict no-out-of bounds/under-the-ropes policy! Nearby Kamui, however, is a different story with some great off-piste fun to be had without any chasing ski patrol to worry about!! The trouble with Kamui is that there`s nothing else there, but then Asahikawa is just down the road. So yeah, a few days based in Asahikawa would be good, with the rest based in Niseko/Sapporo as MitchPee suggested. In any case, have a great time and I might see you up there! Link to post Share on other sites
Alexander L 80 Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 Furano is a regional capital. Plenty to do there and plenty of resorts nearby for day trips. Just look at the mountains surrounding Furano. Beautiful. Link to post Share on other sites
foreversnow 5 Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 Can anyone help me out with this. I have used the SJ Route finder and printed out the map. We are driving from Chitose to Furano and it suggests the DO-TO Expressway. Is this a finished expressway now that can be travelled in winter?? Link to post Share on other sites
seemore 66 Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 Judging by the snow reports I would give Furano and Tomanu a wide berth. Rusutsu is a crap place it hasn't snowed there for years and even niseko is is even getting any snow. i would definitely base myself in saporo http://www.snowjapan.com/e/resorts/resortdetail.php?resid=128 This place rocks seemore Link to post Share on other sites
norcal 5 Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 Ha! That's crazy, snowing so bad it's even white-out on the map! lol Don't know if its a new highway, but I assume that it would be open if it does exist. I just drove on Route 5 in white-out conditions and nothing was closed, along w/the expressway from Otaru to Bibai (partially snowy/limited vision). Ganbatte! Edit: found this on wikipedia: October 29, 2011 - Yubari Interchange - Shimukappu Interchange section opened. Edit (pt 2) http://www.drivetraffic.jp/map.html If you scroll up to Hokkaido, you can see an expressway run across the area. When you zoom in, some sections of the expressway are faded....not sure if that's maybe a tunnel...? Edit (pt 3) Yeah I think it's a tunnel...looked at some of the other expressways near niigata and they have the same thing. Time to sleep before I end up writing a book on expressways lol Link to post Share on other sites
MagSeven 40 Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 Yeah, that section from Yubari to Shimkappu has been kinda finished but not actually open for quite a while. But recently I have seen road signs around the place saying its open, so I guess they've finally got their act together! If its not open, then it's the 274 through Hidaka, which takes ages and winds it's way round the valleys underneath the empty expressway! Link to post Share on other sites
foreversnow 5 Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 Awesome thanks heaps. You have been very very helpful. 5 days and counting Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 Have fun snowhuntress! Link to post Share on other sites
norcal 5 Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 Just drove from Bibai to Asahikawa and everything was white. No sign of them closing the expressway. As long as its completed, I think you're good to go! Link to post Share on other sites
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