The Lunar New Year Holiday is about to start and it’s the busiest time of
the year on Niseko’s slopes. It’s the most important festival for Chinese
communities and the tradition is to reconcile, forget grudges and wish
peace and happiness to everyone – a good thing to remember should
someone crash into you on the mountain!
The coming lunar year is associated with the dragon, which is considered
the luckiest of the 12 zodiac animals. On our Snap page some of you revealed
the colour of your inner dragon and we met quite a few riders and skiers
out there with a dark and ferocious side! With the massive snowfall it was a
challenge taking those shots. High-pressure systems over the Arctic keep the
snow systems coming and Japanese media reports that we’ve seen the best
early season snow in 50 years. More great powder days ahead and for those
of you who are looking for après ski relaxation, there are dozens of hot springs
to choose from.
Our Discover Hokkaido page gives you a selection of lesser-known onsens in
Niseko and we hope you’ll find some time to take a dip in the many sulphur,
iron and mud pools. They’re not only a great way to relax, but also beneficial
for your health. Staying healthy in Niseko isn’t difficult with all the fresh food
we’re introducing you to in our Eat & Drink section. For a genuine sumo-wrestler-
food experience try the hot pot at Restaurant Ryogoku in Kutchan, which
is run by an ex-sumo wrestler. Our restaurant review will also give you a brief
introduction into sumo culture.
Enjoy the food, powder and onsens and please email us your best experience!