Day 3 - Niseko
Blimey, what a day!! Nobody could have predicted it. With Europe having the best season in about 10 years, Japan was having the freakiest weather in about 40 years! We woke up to a raging storm and rain. Everybody got up the mountain the same to make the most of it and not wimp out. After about half an hour it was decided that the day off would be taken early – today! And everyone decided to have a day of Japanese culture instead. And we met some fantastic locals. Zoe said ‘The Japanese are just so beautifully friendly - my first trip to Japan has been a revelation; culture, sush and skiing - my idea of heaven’.
-
There is a free shuttle bus that runs all day circulating round all three resorts, so we decided to take that into Hirafu, stopping off at the Hilton for a Sake or 2 whilst Neil English, the well known ski journalist who was accompanying us, checked in to the new hotel to test it. Japanese busses are more on time than Swiss trains! Some of the group came in perfect time to get it to the Hilton. They were bang on time for its leaving time and as they got to it, it left!! Another half an hour had to be waited for the next one! So time went past and then they rushed out to get the next bus well in time, got on it, went to the Hilton, met everyone in there, had a drink and then got the next bus to Hirafu. So second time lucky, they were all heading into town. It was after a few minutes that someone pointed out the mountains were on the wrong side of the bus!! This bus was headed back to the Annapuri Northern!!! Everyone got out at the hotel, had another drink – getting slightly tipsy by now, waited the half an hour and got another bus into Hirafu (3rd time lucky!!). This time the bus was right.
So the start of this cultural afternoon didn’t start off as expected. The Fridge and the Freezer were the downfall of the day!! The Fridge is a small and funky little bar tucked away in the back streets of town.
A few drinks were had in there, and then it was off to the Ice bar. Another ‘cool’ little bar, constructed out of ice. The drinks were served extra cold in glasses made out of ice. No need for ice cubes on this occasion. The DJ there was really on it with the music, and the vibe was good. Japanese partying! It was highly enjoyable!
Eventually everybody made it back to the hotel just in time for dinner. It’s Valentine’s Day by the way, so there had to be some romance. In Japan, Valentine’s Day is actually the man’s day. Jessica Geldart from the Niseko promotion board informed us that the girl has to treat her man good and chocolates must be given to all men. There is a ‘Wives day’ in March by the way, so it’s not all that bad. Myself and Warren took off to the Sushi restaurant, and were shortly joined by Ski Academy coach Rob Stanford who didn’t even think that we might be trying to be escape for a romantic meal for two! So it was a romantic meal for 3 and nobody is letting Rob forget it!! The sushi was incredible.
We sat at the bar watching it being prepared in front of us. We sat next to Mr Miyagi from the Karate Kid (dead lookalike!) and his wife, and Warren tried his chop stick fly catching skills. Mr Miyagi didn’t take him up on his feat. Great night! Happy Valentine’s day!
