Hi all,
Below is a plan of our honeymoon trip to Japan. We’re big skiers/snowboarders, so keen to get a bit of that in – aware that it’s likely to be busy in Niseko in Feb (any busier than 3 Valleys in half term?). As most of the time we’ll be in cities, quite keen to get an onsen town in, however Kinosaki is a bit of a journey, so any other decent alternatives welcome + any recommendations for any of the other places mentioned.
TIA!
**Days 1 – 3 – Tokyo**
Arrive in Tokyo, check in to accommodation. Want to check out all the usual recommended spots, Yoyogi Park, Golden Gai, Omoide Yokocho, Shinjuku/Shibuya, Sumo Stables (if possible). We wanted a few days here before moving on, to try and get rid of any jet lag as I’ve always found going East (from UK) worse than vice-versa).
**Day 4 – Tokyo -> Sapporo -> Niseko**
Fly to Sapporo in the morning and then get train to Niseko. Toying with renting a car, although could be risky due to weather.
**Days 5-7 – Ski/Snowboard in Niseko**
As the title says really. On day 7 we’ll get the train back to Sapporo after skiing.
**Day 8 – Sapporo**
Spend it in Sapporo. Go for lunch at the Bier Garten and up Mount Moiwa in the evening.
**Day 9 – Ski/Snowboard in Sapporo Teine**
Get public transport from Sapporo to the ski resort & spend the day skiing.
**Days 10 & 11 – Osaka**
Fly from Sapporo to Osaka. Again keen to do the usual recommended things, visit the castle, Dotonbori, Shinsaibashi-suji. Also want to do one of the parkruns here, if anyone’s done one of them?
**Days 12-13**
Train to Kinosaki Onsen and spend day 13 here.
**Days 14-15**
Train to Kyoto. Seeing the Bamboo forest, Golden Pavilion and Gion.
**Day 16-18**
Train back to Tokyo and spend remaining time doing things we missed the first time round before flight home on Day 18.
2 comments
Do not take the train to Niseko… or, at least if you wish to get there in a timely way.
Check the Chitose airport website..they have dozens of dedicated bus routes along Hokkaido for direct shuttles to resort regions. Pre Covid..shuttles to Niseko every ..90 (?) minutes kinda thing
(Edit).. renting a vehicle in Niseko. There is a Toyota ‘Toyopet’ rental agent along the bottom of the hill/Main road Niseko..next to the stand alone 7–11. Be very very clear in insurance (dealing with snowy roads)…there could be difficulties renting post Covid with no availability of vehicles. I’m not sure if you are familiar with driving in winter conditions in this area, but realize this is a very serious place to drive. There is no way I’d rent without winter tires and the ability for four wheel drive/AWD. I did go up to the parking area two and a half years ago looking for cars with winter tires on their rentals.
Highly highly consider the luggage forwarding services such as ‘Yamato’(the black cat logo) or similar forwarding services to your hotel, convenience stores, airport counters and even train stations [here.](https://www.global-yamato.com/en/hands-free-travel/scene02.html) . There is lots of discussion in r/JapanTravel about the variety of companies. Be aware the majority of the arrangements will be on a Japanese weighbill/ order form with fields in English. Experienced agents at Narita/ Haneda ..perhaps the Welcome centre at Nikseko (a popular hub) and certainly Chitose counter have a fairly good command with English to help you. 7-11, hotel desks or smaller agents will have likely zero ability with English..leading to confusion.
Why I mention this is that the service is so good, it can be seamless compared to lugging your crap around, up and down stairs and dragging through the snow…especially if you don’t know where you’re going…late at night, etc etc.
Very roughly a ski bag was about $40-50USD one way (pre Covid) from Narita to my hotel in Niseko..awesome to arrive carrying a small bag with all my crap delivered waiting in the lobby. Don’t forget-you are saving baggage fees with your flight from Main island Honshu to Hokkaido.
Also, it is so great to pack your things away..and send it to Narita to be waiting for you in the big flight home. The one caution I will say about this is being space is costly at the large international airports, these couriers hesitate to send large items weeks in advance to airports. This is hinging on storage fees as you finish your skiing and you decide to tour around the country for several more weeks.
Consider arranging your oversize items 2 or so days before your big trip home or your departing airport..and don’t forget to consider the time it takes to check in your flight and FIND the proper courier company desk at the CORRECT terminal you are flying out of. Narita would easily have a dozen separate courier desks to receive your things between all the terminals
At times during my visits there, I have played the leap frog game of constantly forwarding large items (I take two pair of skis and avalanche gear when I go) to hotels or place’s strategically during the last weeks of my trip after I finish skiing.
Considering the novelty of lugging around all my crap..getting off and on trains.. locker fees in stations (which get expensive for oversized items after 12 hours), using service like Yamato is *really* affordable considering time and distance.
Edit…and a big thumbs up to [Sport Tube](https://www.sportube.com/) for packing all my crap. Expensive (..~$200 USD) but awesome how solid, lockable (..don’t forget an approved TSA lock).. where you can put two pairs of boards back to back and everything else. Really consider ‘collapsible’ ski poles like BlackDiamond/G3/ or similar to maximize space. It is so awesome to wrap this thing up..wheel it to the courier and send it on its way..
IMHO I’d strongly suggest you do not rent a car in Niseko unless you have significant experience driving in very snowy conditions.
The transport there via bus is very good and if you only plan to ski/ride Niseko area you won’t need a car. Take the bus there and back.
Now, if you want to go check out Rusutsu or other resorts nearby, it might be worth a car, but there are also busses to and from, or you can hire a guide service for a day.
After doing Niseko and Tokyo before, if I were to do it again, I would prefer to arrive in Japan and go directly to Sapporo/Niseko on the same day. Then you could stay in Sapporo or go directly to Niseko.
Then on your return to Tokyo, you’ll have more time and you’ll be more adjusted to the time. Just my two cents.
Sounds like an epic itinerary. You’ll have a blast!