Japan, whats the crack?

https://www.google.com.au/

Australians, Ramen, Deep Pow, Expensive as fuck.

Niseko Hirafu closes tomorrow. Ive been here since December =) as the 1st reply states, this town is populated maybe 80% by Australians in the high season. The resort is marketed alot to them..

I have had a great time here. I would say its pretty easy to live cheaply, I have been living in staff accom so cant really comment on rent but If you live just outside of the main town (Hirafu) then it will be alot cheaper.

Terrain is possibly the only downside of Niseko but to be honest, downside is too much of a strong word. The terrain is by no means bad, it is just not as steep as what you would see in the Rockies or Europe. From top to bottom Niseko has 700 meteres of vertical skiing. and realistically you will only ski 100 meters of that at a time (in bounds anyway).

The snow is obviously the main attraction of this resort. In my opinion Niseko has the best season round snow I have ever skied and I have skied Europe and Canada for 2 seasons. The snow is still falling here and there is currently a pretty decent park setup on the upper mountain which is making the warm spring days much much more enjoyable.

Finally, I would say, do not come to Niseko to experience the culture of Japan. It is without doubt a holiday resort and is mainly inhabited by non Japanese. You could probably find that close by in resorts like Rusutsu or much more likely, mainland Japan (Honshu). I will more than likely return to Niseko next season to ski more back-country in the high season. Work more, and travel more to nearby resorts in Hokkaido the boast equal if not better snow reports with much less tourism and 'laryness'!.

I would definitely recommend Japan and the Japanese. My experience of the culture of Japan has been 100% positive and I have no bad things to say about the Japanese people I have met along the way..

Good Luck!

Sounds like good fun! How did you go about landing a job, and what did you do?

Working hloiday Visa, Im from the UK and I worked for a ski school as an Instructor. Loved It =)

ha ha, i am too from the UK and will probably work as an instructor. Thanks for the answer man.

Craic, not crack.

My personal opinion is that Niseko/Hokkaido are perfect for a holiday because ur guaranteed pow and nightlife. but if you have a whole season to spend stick to Honshu if u want legit big mountain skiing, backcountry, and an authentic cultural experience. Honshu gets great snow, better on average than anywhere in north america, but it isnt consistently puking the way it is in the north. which is a good thing, cuz u need clear days and stability to ski the epic alpine steeps and spines! i spent a year in japan, skied all over, and by far my best days were riding out of bounds at the resorts in the Hakuba Valley area and at Nozawa Onsen. enjoy!

Guess it depends on whether you're looking to get a job. In Niseko, Hakuba and a handful of other places, its far easier for foreigners to get jobs. Get a working holiday visa and you'll probably be able to pick something up, even if you have no Japanese. Especially in Niseko (you rarely hear any Japanese spoken in Niseko!)