I had no intension to write this post, but the day after I wrote my previous post about Japan (‘Winter Scenes from Japan’), I came across an article in a local newspaper about Niseko in Japan. It was as a continuation of the theme of my previous post and it drew my interest so I made a small search about the place.

Niseko is the most famous skiing center in Japan located in Hokkaido near Mount Yotei. The town is known for its quality powder snow, traditional onsen -Japanese hot spring baths- and restaurants. It takes two to three hours drive to reach Niseko from the airport in Sapporo where there is an annual Snow Festival as I have mentioned in my previous post. There is a large number of foreigners in the region – especially the Australians.
Niseko’s ski resorts are all located on Mount Niseko-Annupuri. There are three major resorts: Grand Hirafu, Niseko Village and Annupuri. These resorts also have international snow schools, spa and onsen facilities and luxury residences. Grand Hirafu is the largest of the resorts. Hirafu Town has a variety of hotels, pensions, holiday homes, restaurants and an active nightlife. (www.japan-guide.com)

In the newspaper I read, ‘Bang Bang Restaurant’ is suggested. It is famous for its ‘yakitori‘- the Japanese for various meat, vegetables and seafood on skewers grilled over hot charcoal, seasoned with traditional sauces. Bang Bang restaurant is classified as an ‘izakaya‘. Izakaya stands for Japanese gastropubs or tapas bar with a diverse menu and a wide selection of drinks. Izakayas are said to be great for social gatherings where it is common to order food slowly.

The other restaurants suggested are ‘Karabina’ and ‘Rakuichi’ in Annupuri where they serve noodles, yakitori and other traditional dishes. Karabina is an izakaya- a small wooden hut over the snow. Rakuichi- where a reservation is a must- is run by Tatsuri Rai, one of the world’s greatest chefs who also participated in the TV program ‘No Reservations‘ of Anthony Bourdain. The interesting story of Rakuichi is well illustrated on their internet site.

Niseko Brewing is another suggestion for beer lovers where the beers are brewed using fresh water from Mount Yotei. Besides regular products, they have seasonal special brews such as the Pumpkin Ale during Halloween.

Unlike many ski resorts in Japan, the nightlife in Niseko- where there is a strong western influence- is said to be vibrant with a good selection of bars and pubs mostly located in Hirafu. Among the many bars suggested, the ones that drew my interest most is ‘Ground Pub Niseko’ and ‘Bar Gyu+’ in Kutchan Town.
Ground Pub Niseko is said to offer a relaxing atmosphere to chat with friends with soothing jazz music and more than 250 kinds of liquors and authentic cocktails made from seasonal fruits. (www.vacationniseko.com).
Bar Gyu+ has an iconic entrance- an old Coke-A-Cola vending machine- which is said to be usually crowded. It is an intimate bar where the tables are candle-lit. There are live performances at the bar at some nights. The specialty of the pub is said to be the rarely found Japanese single malt whiskies including the ones outside the menu like Karuizawa or Hanyu a glass of which costs almost 200 dollars.

Finally, I want to mention karaoke spots in Kutchan Town as karaoke is said to be a must-do when you are in Japan. Karaoke in Japan is said to be different in the sense that it is not a one-man show in front of a big crowd but a popular activity among locals, where you enjoy a private booth with friends and family instead of singing in front of strangers. There is also a karaoke scene in the famous movie ‘Lost in Translation‘ by Sofia Coppola. Utaya Karaoke is suggested in Kutchan Town which offers private rooms and drink services and which a has a large database of up-to-date songs including the English ones. (www.vacationniseko.com).

As I was searching about Niseko, I found the place interesting not only for its being a popular skiing center but also for its cute town center, different traditional restaurants and cosy bars. I could imagine how nice it would be to have a drink at the cosy atmosphere of Bar Gyu+ against the view of the snow from its windows.