Three Crazy Days in Niseko Neither a Celeb, Pro, nor Local, Just an Average Joe on the Slopes

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I've known Niseko for 25 years. Even now, as a working adult, I travel from Tokyo to Niseko Hirafu almost every year in mid-February.

The reason I go in mid-February is because the tours were cheap—well, they "used to be" cheap.

In the past, when we thought of winter in Hokkaido, it was all about the "Sapporo Snow Festival". So, after the festival ended, direct flights from Tokyo to Chitose became very affordable, and the tours were a real bargain.

However, that situation has drastically changed due to the surge in inbound tourism demand.

About 10 years ago, I started spotting a few Aussies here and there. About 5 years ago, the ski resorts were almost 99% Aussies, it seemed. In recent years, not just Aussies, but also Chinese, other Asians, Americans, and Europeans have been flocking in, with the foreigner ratio now seemingly at 99.9% (in my observation).

With the introduction of the Shinkansen, Niseko is rapidly becoming a resort town. Everything is turning upscale, and while that's not necessarily bad, the idyllic Niseko of the past seems unlikely to return.

In the mornings, I'd line up at Center 4 by 8 AM to ski the super course, pass through the gate, hike up to Annupuri Peak with skins on, and then ski down that vast slope overlooking Mt. Yotei. I'd do this twice if I could. At noon, I'd eat in the quiet Hanazono area and lazily ski, returning to Center 4 in the evening. I'd also ski the Ni-kabe and under the Hirafu gondola, finally finishing around 9 PM. Sometimes, after skiing from morning to night, I'd get so exhausted I'd nearly faint. Oh, and by the way, the night skiing hours have been sneakily shortened over the years, now ending at 7 PM.

What I want to say is, no matter the influx of tourists, the construction of Shinkansen stations, or the proliferation of luxury hotels, the snow and slopes of Niseko will remain eternal, at least for as long as I live. What has changed is human activity. Nature remains unchanged.

To be honest, for us skiers, concepts like "hospitality" don't really matter. That's just a rational service for those who want to profit. For us, as long as there's a place to sleep and we can eat the food that locals normally eat, that's enough.

As long as my body allows, I'm determined to keep skiing in Niseko.

(Translated by ChatGPT)


0:00 Start
0:27 Annnupuri peak
1:08 Fujiwara no sawa
5:31 Strawberry field
6:34 Super course
9:52 Oohiroma
12:56 Super course
13:33 Furiko course
14:18 Alpen course
15:22 Super course
16:27 Oohiroma
19:00 Annnupuri peak hut
20:00 Annnupuri peak
22:00 Fujiwara no sawa
24:54 Hanazono
25:16 Alpen course
25:51 Hirafu gondola
30:40 Super course
31:51 Furiko course
32:31 Super course
32:44 Alpen course
33:46 Super course
34:53 Niseko Moiwa
35:13 Main course
36:30 Sky slope
37:19 Shirakaba slope
38:56 Shirakaba slope
42:43 Main course

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