Anyone else here NOT impressed with Niseko?

[cabrider 0]

I'm sure this is really un-cool, but Niseko don't impress me. Nice snow, yeah, but apart from that I don't see why it gets adored so much. It's as if there's nowhere else with decent snow.

 

Let the flames begin!

[jared 0]

So tell me, what do you look for in a ski resort?

[cabrider 0]

What do I look for?

 

BEFORE GOING CONSIDERATIONS:

- easy to get there;

- not too expensive;

- not too much of a journey

 

WHEN THERE:

- big and wide;

- good snow;

- high elevation;

- steep slopes;

- the usual things

 

IT'S IN JAPAN:

- the feeling of being in Japan (eg Nozawa);

- not being mini-Australia

 

I much prefer Nozawa, Hakuba valley, Shiga Kogen to Niseko. I've been to all of them a few times.

 

It's my opinion, so there you go. I am not saying it's trash, it is a good place - I just don't think it quite deserves the level of adulation it seems to receive. Nothing against anyone having that opinion!

 

I was just wondering if anyone else shared mine.

[jared 0]

I cant really comment as I have only spent any real time at 2 resorts in japan Niseko and Geto. Its too expensive to do anything but get a pass to one field and go there all the time. As for wanting to feel like your in japan rather than Oz - thats odd, I would have thourght the 6 metres of snow on the ground and the fact that everyone isnt wearing their rain coats would have taken care of that.

[xxx 2]

I think he was referring to the traditional Japanese onsen town atmosphere of Nozawa etc.

[indosnm 0]

Possible reason for liking Niseko could be that it is far from my usual weekend haunts and feels like more of a holiday..

As for Japanese feel if you want that why dont you go stay in a ryoukan near fuji and sit in an onsen and take in the breathtaking views?

I have been to niseko a few times with my J-wife, we had a great time , stayed in a little japanese ryokan, ate japanese food everyday etc etc. but it seemed like japan to me.

we didnt go out and party, just boarded for 5 days straight from am-pm

saw a few gaijin, but most that i spoke to we either from the states or UK.

being Australian I cant understand what this mini ozzie is all about? maybe I had my eyes shut..

PS.

also using ones brain, we could conclude that japans winter being the southern hemispheres summer that we would possibly more likely see OZ and NZ boarders? If I was canadian I know that I wouldnt be spending thousands of dollars going to niseko when I could be enjoying home for cheaper....

 

Jesus loves Niseko too....

[miteyak 0]

I've had two great stays in Niseko, seemed just like Japan to me, although the more laid back attitude of the Japanese there lends to a more progressive feel. I didn't stay at any foreign owned places though, so maybe that made a difference.

[mogski 0]

I went there to get away from the "Japanesim" of the rest of my life. I met alot of great people from Oz, US, Japan. I went to the Onsen, I went to the bars, I hung out with Japanese people, I hung out with English natives.

 

I never went out of my way to make sure I did not have a Japanese experience nor did I go out of my way to have a non-Japanese experience. I went for the holiday and the snow.

 

I went to get away from the city and work.

 

It just so happens that I like to ski, I like snow, I like going places and I like meeting people. Who cares if there is alot of Australians. There is a lot of Japanese. I am sure if you went to the US, Euro or Canada you would run into them too.

[Ocean11 0]

But not in Scotland probably.

[sachiko 0]

I want go to Scotland.

 

And Niseko too!

[Will Lee 0]

Will let you know after my visit there in Jan.

[AsterG 0]

I'm impressed with it.

Impressed with peoples love of it too.

[sunrise 0]

I didn't see any snowgums when I was in Niseko (Higashiama).

[sunrise 0]

I didn't see any snowgums when I was in Niseko (Higashiama).

[NoFakie 45]

We had a grand time there at the beginning of last season. Top of Hana and Miharashi, nice slopes, nice pow. It felt much colder than Hakuba though.

 

Yotei hidden behind cloud the entire time

 

If they're still letting people in the trees then all power to them. They've got my support for sure. There may be a backlash against the Oz thing, as there is against Hakuba and its so-called "wildness", but its far easier to miss it than to somehow get caught up in it against your will. I've never been to Nozawa, but people hype up its "Japaneseness" to the extent where I'll be disappointed if it's not like some lost-in-time trip like Tsumago or Shirakawa.

[klubhead 0]

just come back from 3 days in hirafu, 4th season in a row. every day, knee deep powder tree runs, had to give up each day cos my legs were dead. I have boarded all over the world but niseko is special. if you can't understand why, then you can't ski/ board well enough.

[f5h76r 0]

Must be then.

 

So it's an "experts" resort then?

[Markie 0]

Well, I'm am certainly no expert but I had a great time last season (this year) just doing the Green and Red trails.