Out there…

The dark side. Unknown, and ever changing. Bigger faces, colder temps, no people.

And more snow…

I’m talking about backcountry of course, whereever you find it.

You don’t have to look far from the lifts here for great out-of-bounds skiing and that’s one of Niseko’s  drawcards. Side-country, or even yo-yoing are both so much fun and you can get so many good turns in it’s sometimes hard to drive past the lifts.

But just once I’d really recommend you truly hike for your turns. Get away from the resorts. The crowds and beers, the comfort; and hike something. Yotei’s great simply because it’s so iconic and it’s right here, but there are literally dozens of great faces around. On a fine day from Nakayama Touge – just over 30 mins away – you’re surrounded on all sides by peaks and ridges rising around you, wide open faces in the distance. Natural hits and booters. Drops. And some truly steep country. And then there’s Taisetuzan National Park. Japan’s largest NP with more than a dozen peaks and enough untracked pow to keep anyone happy.

Niseko’s great, and there’s so much more than just the resorts.

It’s all free too, you pay for your turns with sweat. But if you’ve sweated and dragged yourself up for four hours, believe me. After a bit of time to recover, you’ll adjust your goggles, click in, lean and all of a sudden be in a whole new level of enjoyment. The speed, commitment, and pure fun makes every step worthwhile and walking out with your buddies you’ll know you’ve shared something special.

Do take care though. Get smart. Take an Avalanche Certification Course. Get good gear and know how to use it. Follow a solid plan and watch the weather. And come home safe and ready to do it all again.

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Although listed on the map as at the NMS office, this tree is actually in the front lobby of the Landmark View.
A really cool slope runs through the tree and makes is a repeat viewer.IMG_4907

Remember – derek@nisekotourism.com or drop by the Safety Centre to cast your ballot.
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Tree Q- The Italian Job

Bella bella!

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Niseko Pizza has a very creative tree. Kids love it too!

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Tree A- Graubunden- Das Tanebaum!

How lucky is that ? Of the 7 total German words I know, Christmas tree is one of them – score!

If you stop by and see this tree and don`t have either a Graubunden sandwich or the slices of heaven they call cake, well I believe we can not be friends. Sorry.

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Tree N – The Nisade Ronin

This tree once stood infront of the majestic and magnificent vale but has seemed to find a new home in front of Setsumon?

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Anyways , its a good one and if any one can find it for me again , please report back to derek@nisekotourism.com or drop by the Safety Centre as you vote.

Tree E – SkiJapan “TreeJapan”

Another early riser and a beautiful tree to boot, the SkiJapan Treeperience is all about the balance and even spacing. which is amazing when you consider the two front desk girls who decorated it would be lucky to surpass 2 metres in height combined- I kid , I kid!

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Tree F- Niseko Real Estate/Lars Longcox

This tree was the first up and is big ,bright and beautiful. I really like the way it reflects off the glass at Lars- makes the whole corner sparkle ( sorry , twelve of these in a row and you get a little sappy).
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It is a beaut though.

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Tree G-Niseko 343 – the most useful tree in town

if you ever come by the Info centre looking for buses to Annupuri or the Hilton, you know that we always use this tree as a reference point. It`s super bright, super blue lights make it a landmark for us, just as the 343 has been a landmark for those looking for the best in performance ski gear in Hirafu.

these pictures in no way do this tree justice.
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go see it for yourself, then skip across the road to the Info Centre and register your selections there, or email derek@nisekotourism.com
to do it online.

Tree C – TNC equals TLC

This tree is located at The Niseko Company home office across from NAC in Izumikyo 1.

Great tree – great places to stay!

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Tree L- J -Sekka ” A Very Deli Christmas”

This tree is very novel and cute- stacked full of items found at the deli !

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Michi , Shell, and Kat went to great lengths ( imagine the logistics of a 2 metre tree indoors on a table) so drop by and give the ladies props for their hard work. I`d tell you to buy something there but 5 minutes inside their doors and I challenge anyone not to walk out without a mouthful of something delicious.

Remember , if you like these trees plese come by the Information Centre next to Siecomart to register your vote or contact derek@nisekotourism to log in.