Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Japan can be very expensive. Apart from the cost of flying there, hotel accommodation, food, and ski pass are all quite costly.
If you want ski in ski out hotel facility (eg. Prince Hotel in Shiga Kogen or Naeba; Rusutsu Resort in Hokkaido; Niseko Hilton etc), you are looking at 80 quid per person per night.
Food in the hotel can be pricey, Rusutsu Resort buffet dinner was Yen5,000 per person couple of years ago. Outside in the village/town meal might be a bit cheaper, but they do inflate the price to rip off the tourist.
Ski pass generally about en4,000 per day.
I am also interested in this. Purely getting an idea but in 2015 hubby had a big birhday and has always wanted to visit Japan. I was wondering if we could do a trip to celebrate and get a bit of skiing in while there but also visit more of the country.
Has any body down this?
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
mcuh moola!
My trip Jan-Feb 2013 was, 563GBP LHR -NAR rtn, 4 day JRE rail pass 164GBP, Budget Tokyo hotel 70GBP/night(no breakfast), Myoko Kogen B&B 50GBP/night(+breakfast), Niseko hotel 80GBP/night (+breakfast), 6 day Rhythm ski hire Niseko 195GBP/6 days, Myoko was cheaper.
20GBP on food and drink per day, skipasses 4000Y/day, exchange rate was approx 140Y at the time it's 150 now, Burger/chips/drink in green leaf cafe, Niseko approx 10GBP.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
When I went it was cheaper to use a package from the company I linked above, rather than working your own package out....
This is from 2011 to ski Jan 2012, but price/details are
Pending flight and accommodation availability and based on 2 person travelling from 28th January 2012, we can offer a holiday package for a price of £1,695 per person including the following services:
Multi-leg flights from London to Sapporo, Sapporo to Tokyo and Tokyo to London departing London 28th Jan
Transfers from New Chitose airport to your Niseko accommodation
8 nights Niseko studio apartment accommodation from 29th Jan
Welcome meeting with experienced rep
Private mountain orientation
Full ground service support in Niseko
Transfers from Niseko accommodation to New Chitose airport
1 night central Tokyo superior hotel accommodation from 6th Feb
Recommended Tokyo itinerary
Highest levels of service and expert advice
Financial protection (ATOL: 9802)
The studio apartment accommodation included is called The Freshwater and is located in the main area of Niseko Hirafu Village, providing fantastic location near the best of Niseko's apres ski and close to the ski lifts
After all it is free
After all it is free
kitenski, thanks. I did try and follow the link but their site doesn't work on my phone.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
Many of the core costs are similar to skiing in say France, but of course flights circa £500+ more, and accomm in resorts higher.
Only other thing I'd add is research guiding options; if snow in Niseko is iffy, and it was not epic when I was there, then you need a plan b to access fresh stuff...
Slopeside accommodation at the Mountain Hotel, Kiroro, Hokkaido
All you can eat breakfast buffet
All you can eat dinner buffet
Lift pass valid from 9am - 8pm
can be yours for JPY 18,000 / 119 quid per person based on two sharing
add a substantial lunch with a beer for JPY 1,500 / 9.85
and drinks in the bar between JPY 500 - 1000 / 3.30 - 6.60
for no lift lines, deserted slopes, untracked powder most of the day, most days
e.g. Friday 22 February 2013
Faceshot Friday Part Deux
(Ian in green, yours truly in blue)
Flights and general travel were easily the most expensive portion of my Japan trip but getting there from Iceland is always going to be a bit of an effort. Our accommodation was pretty cheap, 600 quid for two weeks, in a lodge that was a little way out of Hirafu which served up a huge breakfast. We walked in to the lifts a couple of times to beat the queues so it wasn't too far out but there were also regular and free shuttle buses around the place and inter-area. Lift ticket prices are comparable with Alps prices and we bought everything by the day as we tended to move around a bit to find good snow and spent the extra cash to get out away from people. Going back I'd hire a car and get out and about even further, plus there was lots of fun looking mini-golf lines by the roadside.
Food and beer really depends on were you end up. There are loads of non-bank breaking places in Hirafu but again that's a bit relative as I'm used to paying Iceland prices for things so most places tend to feel cheap by comparison.
The most expensive part is the realisation after the fact that just once is not enough.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
meh wrote:
The most expensive part is the realisation after the fact that just once is not enough.
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Quote:
The most expensive part is the realisation after the fact that just once is not enough.
+1
NickyJ, when I booked in August 2012, BA and Virgin were head to head at 563 each, I think JAL and ANA were more.
Never looked at any connecting flights to Sapporo as I wanted a day in Tokyo at the start of the trip and a day there at the end.
Only other thing I'd add is research guiding options; if snow in Niseko is iffy, and it was not epic when I was there, then you need a plan b to access fresh stuff...
+1
local knowledge is powder
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
What's the skiing like in the Nagano area? We passed through a couple of small ski resorts a couple of weeks ago on the bus trip from Matsumoto to Takayama on a non-skiing trip, and they looked pretty fun. I love the Japanese onsens (http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2292.html), so would like to ski somewhere in Japan sometime with good onsen facilities. I know people seem to focus on heading up to Hokkaido, but is that the best/only option?
sugarmoma666, We skied Shiga Kogen in Feb 2011,http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=84153&highlight=,http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=73205 , we didn't do any onsen, but I'm sure there must be some around there, you could always jump in with the snow monkey's
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
I have skied in Niseko 3 times and I did not find it expensive compared to top European resorts.
Lift passes and ski lessons are probably the only items that I think are expensive by comparison to Europe.
Food and drink on the hill is not expensive compared to Europe - and much better quality!
Food in the resort can be cheap or expensive.
Accommodation is cheaper than top European resorts - and again much better quality / value for money.
Transfers to the resort are fairly pricey if you take a private transfer, but reasonable if you go on the shuttle bus.
The most expensive part will be your flights to get there if you're traveling from Europe - but that's because it's a long journey.
One general observation - Japan as a whole is a cheaper holiday destination than Australia these days!!
After all it is free
After all it is free
Beanie1, thanks for the info, considering going in Feb 2015. Looking at the lift pass price in Niseko, it is only a few bucks more than a 6 day all area pass in Banff but you get an additional 3 days, swings and roundabouts I suppose I work in the Airline industry so will be looking at Standby tickets which makes the whole thing a lot cheaper wrt flights
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
sugarmoma666, no it's certainly not the only option nor necessarily the best. It is however the most readily organised to deal with incoming western tourists.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
beanie1 wrote:
.....One general observation - Japan as a whole is a cheaper holiday destination than Australia these days!!
And North America IMO. When you add the guaranteed powder it's a no-brainer.
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
