ski | Hello from the Five Star Vagabond

Niseko Ski Resort Japan

February 13, 2020 by David Herd

Niseko Ski Resort Japan

Niseko Ski Resort Japan is the most famous and popular of the all of the Japanese ski resorts, offering a variety of accommodation, fantastic restaurants and modern facilities to complement the epic mountain.

Mt. Niseko-Annupuri

Not a bad view. 🙂

Coronaviris

As you can see my friend Hamish Elton is in contact with the Coronavirus. Hamish took all the photos for this blog, but it seems he spent more time in the wonderful restaurants than on the slopes. 🙂

See what I mean

Hokkaido is like a crab-lovers fairy-tale with its coastal waters containing some of the biggest and most delicious crab in the world. Famous hairy crab, snow crab and king crab are abundant, and each morning in the markets of Hakodate and Otaru, buyers and sellers trade the best crab available. Many of these crabs are purchased by Niseko restaurant owners, and within just a few hours, could be on your plate!

Hokkaido is famous for seafood

Make sure you take your platinum credit card. 🙂

Komagatake Single Malt

This will help keep you warm in the snow.

Single Malt Komagatake Limited Edition 2018 is a blend of "nicely aged" whiskies that have spent at least 3 years in either a Bourbon cask or an American White Oak cask. Unlike the Double Cellars and Yakushima Aging releases, the Limited Edition 2018 is aged entirely in Shinshu.

Ezo Seafood Oyster Bar

Salmon roe is another Hokkaido favourite that you simply must try in Niseko. Often marinated or soaked in soy sauce to add a rich, savoury element to the flavour, the 'popping' sensation when eating Ikura is a fun experience when dining with friends. You will commonly find ikura served with uni in a rice bowl or salad.

Little girl, big crab

She had to struggle to get it out of the tank. 🙂

Team Hamish

On the final night the mob decided to have Indian food instead of seafood, I can't imagine why? 🙂

Magic mountain

The team from Healthcert

They provide medical and Patient Education: In collaboration with universities and other teaching institutions, Min focus is to teach GPs how to diagnose and treat various medical conditions.

Steak Rosso Rosso restaurant

These Hokkaido scallops look good enough to eat. 🙂

The main course

TripAdvisor rating is # 19 of 252 Restaurants in Kutchan-cho.

Niseko Prince Hotel Hirafutei

Very close to the snow with an Onsen on the bbalcony. A short ski to the main lift. Hamish stayed here & was very pleased with cleanliness& location. Get an excellent room discount through THIS LINK.

Niseko Ski Resort Japan

Thanks for visiting my Niseko Ski Resort Japan photo blog.

For an excellent room rate sround $80 USD at the Niseko Grand Hotel just use THIS LINK.

For London & UK hotels there are great discounts through this link.

Counter only started February 16 2020.

This gallery contains 2 photos

Sushi Kato Niseko Japan

February 10, 2020 by David Herd

Sushi Kato Niseko Japan

Sushi Kato Niseko Japan is an interesting restaurant in Japan’s number one snow resort which is located in Hokkaido, a 2.5hrs drive from Chitose Airport. There are 4 interlinked ski resorts here – Grand Hirafu, Hanazono, Niseko Village and An’nupuri .

First thing you will see is the rustic Bar Kato pictured above, a whiskey and sake bar that serves as both the waiting room for the restaurant as well as a perfect spot to unwind over a quality drink.

Sushi Kato Niseko Japan Set menu

Most of the photos here were taken by my friend Hamish Elton who enjoys food more than he enjoys skiing. 🙂

Sushi Kato offers three different set menus, Matsu (pine), Take (bamboo) and Ume (plum). The restaurant solely practices Kaiseki style of dining, meaning it is a prescribed set course dependent on the seasonal produce.

Hairy crab

This opening dish was appropriately the restaurant’s staple ingredient; hairy crab served in its shell accompanied by cod roe and ponzu jelly garnished with citrus flowers.

Just bring out the food

The owner Kato-san, Chef JJ and their impeccable team, have brought true authentic Japanese sushi to Niseko.

Portions are rather small

As you would expect with so many dishes on the set menu.

Tempura

More wonderful hairy crab, too much hairy crab is never enough. 🙂

Sushi Kato Niseko Japan

Shiraoi Beef grilled on a hot stone. The selected beef is Japanese Black beef, raised locally in the nearby town of Shiraoi which provides the perfect combination of weather, food and an abundance of water allowing the farmers to craft their prize cattle into some of the best produce on the globe.

Some sweet tasy fruit to finish

Thank you for visiting my Sushi Kato Niseko Japan photo blog, & thanks to Hamish Elton for sharing his wonderful experience. Before you leave check out this Michelin Starred restaurant.

Here are some more posts to check out

Sydney Paris Bangkok

Tokyo Rio De Janeiro Budapest

London Beijing Capetown

Great hotel room rates anywhere in the world if you

book through these links below. Book now & pay later.

Plus free cancellation .

Bangkok Hotels Pattaya Hotels

A-One hotel on Beach Road

For a great room rate at the A-One hotel opposite the beach just book through THIS LINK.

Brazil Hotels

Pattaya live webcam

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That’s all folks

Counter only started June 16 2020.

This gallery contains 1 photo.

Ski Japan Hakuba Happo-one

March 6, 2016 by David Herd

Hakuba Happo-one-Winter-Resort-Japan-snow-ski

Ryokan Shirouma-so

Ski Japan Hakuba Happo-one

Ski Japan Hakuba Happo-one Winter Resort has many good hotels as you would expect, Shirouma-so is a modern Japanese ryokan (inn) combining both traditional wood and modern Japanese ”Wa” architectural styles, resulting in a creative and beautiful design This traditional hot spring hotel is surrounded by trees and only 10 km from Mount Shirouma and 12 km from Lake Aoki.

The mountain looms

The ryokan is 500M away from the main ski resort called Happo One so it’s an easy walk to and from the lifts at the base, only takes 10-15 mins. Very quiet with no line ups at any of the lifts jut jump straight on every time.

Nice rooms

Shirouma-so is a traditional Ryokan, rather than a hotel, you have traditional room and the beds are put out a night on the floor. Shared showers plus it has a Onasen (bath house) in the basement, and a very traditional Japanese breakfast as you would expect. Use this link for an exceptional room rate.

Small rooms

All hotel rooms in Japan are rather small and this is no exception.

Hotel restaurant

In my book there is no better food in the world than Japanese.

Wonderful Japanese food

Over the centuries Japanese people have made eating and food an art form.

Hamish Elton

My friend Hamish is building up his strength for the slopes. I introduced him to Japanese culture in October 2015 and he is now hooked.

Big dump last night

What a day time to hit the slopes.

Bus snowed in

Ok folks time to break out the shovels.

OK team lets go

Adam Fletcher is a close friend of Hamish and hails from Melbourne.

Here is the team

Well, it’s certainly not the A team, like his golf Hamish needs a little improvement to his downhill slalom technique.

Hamish’s speciality

If taking “selfies” was an Olympic event Hamish would certainly be a medal contender. 🙂

Where are all the people?

According to Hamish 80% of all the skiers were Australians who were enjoying both the fabulous conditions and lower prices than Australia.

Catch me if you can Hamish

No doubt about it, the boys really looked the part.

Ski Japan Hakuba Happo-one

Only four hours by bus from Narita airport in Tokyo.

Selfie bomb

Adam is wise to Hamish’s love of selfies, so he successfully bombs this one. 🙂

Thanks for visiting Hamish’s Ski Japan Hakuba Happo-one photo blog.

Granbell Hotel

If you would would like to stay at Shibuya I got an excellent deal booking through this Agoda link.

Here is my favourite Japanese song.

Watch this video on YouTube

Here are some more posts to check out

Sydney Paris Bangkok

Tokyo Rio De Janeiro Budapest

London Beijing Capetown

Great hotel room rates anywhere in the world if you

book through these links below. Book now & pay later.

Plus free cancellation .

Bangkok Hotels Pattaya Hotels

A-One hotel on Beach Road

For a great room rate at the A-One hotel opposite the beach just book through THIS LINK.

Brazil Hotels

Pattaya live webcam

That’s all folks

Pattaya live webcam

Dotonbori in Osaka

Piss Alley Tokyo

Oyster bar Sendai

Shinkansen bullet train

Fukuoka – Hiroshima – Sapporo – Sendai

Tokyo – Kagoshima – Kanazawa – Nagoya

Nagasaki – Yokohama – Kyoto – Kamakura

Counter only started February 16 2020.

This gallery contains 1 photo.

Northern Italian ski resort

October 23, 2013 by David Herd

Northern Italian ski resort

Northern Italian ski resort Lake Garda is a great part of the world, obviously it is a skiers paradise, however I was there in summer in July 2010, it was great being able to move around without the crowds and the snow. I also used it as a base to visit St Moritz & Salzburg.

Crazy Germans cyclists

I met two crazy Germans who were riding bikes at 8,500 ft on top of the mountains.

Madonna di Campiglio

Totally spectacular.

David Herd 8,500 ft high at Madonna di Campiglio, Italy.

Madonna di Campiglio is a ski resort in the alps in northeast Italy. It is 1,500 m above sea level and about 1000 people live there.

Italian ski resort

Rugged mountains and blue sky.

A beautiful view of the mountains

Captivated by the wonderful view.

The village of Peio in the Italian Alps.

Peio is a hamlet in the Italian Alps, which has focused on agriculture and cattle raising. Since 1970 it has become a popular ski resort. Peio is rich in mineral water which they bottle and export.Lake