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Hi all-

 

New to the forums. I just paid my deposit for a 10 day trip to Niseko to ski with Black Diamond Lodge in late January. Big thanks to MitchPee for the advice. Anyway, it's my first time to Japan so I really want to engulf myself culturally...beginning with food. Due to the immense wealth of knowledge on this site I was hoping you guys might give me a short list of some can't-miss places in and around Niseko where I can grub hard. Not really looking for a list of pubs/bars where I can hang out with Aussies (no offense), my focus for the trip is more on the skiing/local culture than nightlife. So if you got 3-5 places you know that are great I would love to hear it.

 

Thanks. Think snow.

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The Black Diamond restaurant is a good place to start :)

After that, grab a copy of the Niseko Guide when you get there -- lists dozens of restaurants.

Probably everyone who goes up there has their favorites, and places they'd suggest missing, and that's all personal preference that might not work for you. Have you ever eaten Japanese food? Do you have anything particular you like, or are interested in trying? What about Chinese cuisine? or Korean? or Indian? or Thai/Vietnamese/Middle Eastern? You can find all of those (I'm pretty sure) in Niseko, or definitely in Sapporo. And since you're in LA and therefore I must assume you've never enjoyed good Italian food... :sj-lol:

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I have my favorites...the places where only the locals go, mainly because they can only be accessed by car, while most of the tourists are on the "walk around the village" plan. Staying at Black Diamond, you would need to arrange transport or ride the shuttle bus.

 

There is a guidebook published by the Niseko Promotion Board, be sure to pick it up, as it has listings for many restaurants, including very good, detailed maps with the shuttle bus routes, etc.

 

Suggestion for in village would be A-Bu-Cha, izakaya style, with a friendly vibe.

 

Important: I would recommend making reservations, as most places get booked out very quickly during weekends/holiday periods. And if you must cancel, please be courteous and give them a ring, there is nothing worse than a no show, especially considering most of these places are small.

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Richie as DiGriz (as Jim said) BD restaraunt is good!

 

I would recommend Jyuu (okonomiyaki) as well. Super tasty Japanese-like pizza. I absolutely loved that place.

 

Niseko Pizza is good but SUPER expensive for what it is.

 

Umm there's a couple places in Kutchan which are pretty good as well.

 

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurants-g1025639-Kutchan_cho_Abuta_gun_Hokkaido.html

 

 

I can vouch for ezo seafood, soooo good!

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Kabuki 1 is also great for tepanyaki and okonomiyaki. Although it is difficult to get into as you can't reserve unless you have a table of 8 + people. We went really early and were happy we did! I am sure there is another thread where there was talk of great eateries in Kutchan. We had some great food there as well but couldn't tell you where or what they were called. We would just stroll around and go in if there was room. If you want pizza or even cheese fondue??? (so not Japanese) try Yummy's. Shabu Shabu at Sou is also excellent. So that is my 3 "Terry Tourist" Restos in Niseko. Although, you can also go to the retail ready section of the Max Value in Kutchan and grab some great local food and just chill out some nights! :wave:

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A mini review of my time there...

 

J-sekka was tasty but pricey.

 

A-bu-cha 2 had some great hokkai nabe

 

Seikomart has/had wholemeal loaves of bread.

 

Vale bar and grill was good but pricey.

 

Minamina was the missus' favourite htough.

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My favourite would have to be Kamimura. It is fine dining and quite expensive but Yuichi produces an incredible meal and I'll admit is a good friend of mine.

The Barn has a great chef. He used to have a little restaurant in Kutchan but his cuisine was little upmarket for the locals down there. Great quality food at a reasonable price.

Although both Japanese chefs these restaurants are not Japanese cuisine. I guess when living there it was a real treat to not always go out and have Japanese.

For Japanese food Abu-cha (the restaurant not the bakery on the corner) is a pretty good izakaya style restaurant. Ichimura Soba down at the traffic lights on the way down towards Kutchan before the bridge has some truly excellent soba noodles.

Probably my favourite Japanese dining experience though is Bouken Restaurant set in an old school house down on the corner of route 5 after the bridge to Kutchan. Great setting, lovely hosts and sensational food.

In Kutchan my favourite places to eat are Tori Matsu, a great little yaki tori restaurant and Nami Chan Chi, a little izakaya that's not overly pretty but has really good food.

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This is all great info thanks so much, plenty of choices to be had it seems, just need to put in the effort to explore a little and be willing to ride a shuttle every now and then. Going to be tough to fit it all in only 7 days!

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GN, any chance of highlighting on a map, like the attached, those recommendations? Bouken Restaurant sounds like a most try, thanks for the recommendations. Not familar with eithier the Barn or Yuichi but like so many places in and around town they can be tucked away in those side streets down in the lower village

 

http://www.town.kutchan.hokkaido.jp/mpsdata/web/3415/Town_MAP2009_eng_2.jpg

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I think Hokkiado, and particulary the area around kutchan is famous in japan for its potatoes, thats what we got told one night by the owner of a kutchan restaurant who insisted that we try a bowl of potatoes wedges, with butter and salt on top, not bad to.

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Hey MitchPee, wonder how you found Jyuu, that is one of my hidden treasures...the owner rides a Gentemstick board.

 

Forgot to mention a burger at JoJo's Cafe.

 

The original poster did not mention a budget, but some of those places that Go Native mentioned are pricey...think Tokyo prices.

 

Coming from Kali you will have sticker shock...

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I'm glad that Go Native told us how lovely and 'wealthy' he is again, though. Hadn't heard a variation on that one for a week or so. :p

 

I am going to campaign Wigan town to adopt a Meat & Potato pie as their mascot. Would be dead cool.

 

Not that I would want to use them but do they have any fast-food places like McDs, Kentucky etc in Niseko?

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Hey MitchPee, wonder how you found Jyuu, that is one of my hidden treasures...the owner rides a Gentemstick board.

 

Forgot to mention a burger at JoJo's Cafe.

 

The original poster did not mention a budget, but some of those places that Go Native mentioned are pricey...think Tokyo prices.

 

Coming from Kali you will have sticker shock...

 

 

I'll keep it quiet for you ;) just went there one day....pretty easy to do when you live 1 mile from it.

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I'm glad that Go Native told us how lovely and 'wealthy' he is again, though. Hadn't heard a variation on that one for a week or so. :p

 

I am going to campaign Wigan town to adopt a Meat & Potato pie as their mascot. Would be dead cool.

 

Not that I would want to use them but do they have any fast-food places like McDs, Kentucky etc in Niseko?

 

 

I didn't see any McD's, KFC etc.....prob some in Kutchan though.

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I'm glad that Go Native told us how lovely and 'wealthy' he is again, though. Hadn't heard a variation on that one for a week or so. :p

 

I am going to campaign Wigan town to adopt a Meat & Potato pie as their mascot. Would be dead cool.

 

Not that I would want to use them but do they have any fast-food places like McDs, Kentucky etc in Niseko?

 

 

I didn't see any McD's, KFC etc.....prob some in Kutchan though.

 

Not that I know of. No major American fast food giants there. It's kept pretty well Japanese.

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I'm glad that Go Native told us how lovely and 'wealthy' he is again, though. Hadn't heard a variation on that one for a week or so. :p

 

I am going to campaign Wigan town to adopt a Meat & Potato pie as their mascot. Would be dead cool.

 

Not that I would want to use them but do they have any fast-food places like McDs, Kentucky etc in Niseko?

Luckily No

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I'm glad that Go Native told us how lovely and 'wealthy' he is again, though. Hadn't heard a variation on that one for a week or so. :p

 

I am going to campaign Wigan town to adopt a Meat & Potato pie as their mascot. Would be dead cool.

 

Not that I would want to use them but do they have any fast-food places like McDs, Kentucky etc in Niseko?

 

Glad to see you've only entered a thread to have a go at me again and to bring up Wigan once again even though none of us could care less about that shithole.

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Thankfully the closest to western fast food is Niseko Pizza - which the kids nagged for all the time despite there not being a whole load of value compared to other meals elsewhere.

 

My faves that would need repeating:

A Bu Cha (whole family happy, every time)

The Brick (even though we are pretty sure the baby bear cracked his cheekbone falling down the steep stairs on the way out one night)

and a little Okonomiyaki place in Kutchan I have forgotten the name of now (YUM).

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