Tsunami relief ride and BBQ
May 31, 2011
On Saturday, the Hokkaido JET Project Outreach chair in Kutchan held a charity event to raise money for those affected by the tsunami in Japan last March. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to make it on the ride (I stopped by for the food!), but I wanted to make sure as many people knew about his efforts as possible. The event raised around 80,000 yen, which will probably be donated to an area that one of our locals visited in the last few weeks.
Besides, the event brought out a lot of the local community, who I was able to meet for the first time.
Glen over at Studio343 was there for the whole time and put up several more photos. Check it out!
Edit: I got some more pictures from the event! They’re below:
Posted by: Max | category: Uncategorized | Tag: Comment: 0
Morning mist and bird calls
May 30, 2011
Having only arrived back in Niseko after a few weeks in the US last Monday, my roommate woke me up early last week to go explore Asahigaoka Park with one of the NPB’s nature guides, Naomi, and a few others.
The weather may not have been ideal, but the birds certainly didn’t care. We could hear a number of different type of warblers, some small woodpeckers, crows, and other types of (mostly small) birds with beautiful songs.
Naturally, there were a few other things to see in the park. The snow has really only vanished in the last month or so, and the wildflowers are starting to pop up throughout the park. For that matter, they’re sprouting throughout Kutchan, Niseko, and Hirafu, adding some energetic splashes of color to the recently revealed greens on the mountains and streets. The cherry blossoms have been blooming for a while now, and the pinks of some of the late varieties are astonishingly deep.
I’m happy to say that, even though it was early, we weren’t alone in the park.
There were a couple of other groups out enjoying the view and the still morning. Right as we got to the top of the local ski hill (part of the park), the clouds had just started to lift from Mt. Yotei. All in all, a beautiful morning. May there be many more like it.
- Max
Posted by: Max | category: Uncategorized | Tag: Comment: 0
Spring rafting for the adventurous
May 30, 2011
Yesterday, I went rafting with Hokkaido Lion Adventures.
The Shiribetsu River, one of the most dramatic rivers in Japan, offers a number of activities you can enjoy throughout the year, and spring rafting is the most thrilling experience of all . Click to read more…
Posted by: natsu | category: Activities, Green Season, Out there... | Tag: Comment: 0
Photographer Mr. Hanamura’s memories
May 18, 2011
Mr. Hanamura, a photographer who worked in Niseko last June for Trail-running Kingdom, ran a story about his memories of Niseko for his blog.
“An artisan photographer’s story/Spring in Niseko”
Don’t miss his work in Trail-runnning kingdom !
Mr. Hanamura mentions flowers of potatoes in his blog.
Potato-flowers are usually in full bloom from mid June to late June in Niseko. We can enjoy magnolias and cherry trees at their best now!
Posted by: natsu | category: Green Season, Out there... | Tag: Comment: 0
Le Soup Curry
May 16, 2011
I returned to Sapporo this weekend and had Soup Curry, which I love. I ordered the curry with 10 sorts of vegetables and added the porc fried – it was so big! It took an hour to eat it!
Soup Curry is a really popular food in Sapporo.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sapporo (See the topic of Culture and entertaiment)
It is now famous in all Japan, but I believe that the soup curry restaurants in Hokkaido taste a bit different (and better!) from ones in other areas. Here in Niseko, we have a few soup curry restaurants, too. I can’t wait to try them all…
***information on soup curry restaurants in Niseko***
http://www.nisekotourism.com/yellow-page/index.php?lang=en&g1=03&g2=01&g3=03
FRANCAIS:
J’ai revenue à Sapporo ce weekend et mangé le Soup Curry qui me plaît beaucoup. Là-bas, j’ai demendé le curry avec 10 légumes et ajouté des porc, c’était énorme! J’ai pris une heure pour le manger.
Le Soup Curry, c’est une gastronomie représentative de Sapporo. C’est conu maintenant dans tout le japon, et pourtant je crois que les restaurants du soup curry à Hokkaido se distingues par ses saveurs de ceux d’autres endroits. Ici à Niseko, il y a quelques restaurants du soup curry, je veux bien d’y aller et dominer les soup curry de Niseko.
***L’information des restaurants soup curry à Niseko (en anglais)***
http://www.nisekotourism.com/yellow-page/index.php?lang=en&g1=03&g2=01&g3=03
Posted by: Yoko | category: Uncategorized | Tag: Comment: 0
New Life in Niseko; La vie nouvelle à Niseko
May 12, 2011
Hi, it’s Yoko who have just started to work for the NPB office. I’m from Sapporo, so the native Dosanko, but I am debutante of Niseko life. All starts in spring in Japan and I feel also starting the everything new life in Niseko.
I love Hokkaido, salsa, onsen and gourmet. There are many marverous Kakenagashi onsens, the delicious foodstuffs and the attractive night areas here and also Susukino in Sapporo, I’d like to write down such infomations.
Just say hi when you see me around!
FRANCAIS;
Bonjour! C’est Yoko qui est juste commencé à travailler chez NPB. Je suis de Sapporo, donc la Dosanko natale, mais je suis toute debutante de la vie Niseko. Tous commence au printemps au japon et je me sens aussi tout commencer la vie nouvelle par ici à Niseko.
J’aime beaucoup de Hokkaido, Salsa, Onsen et gastronomie. Ici il y a beacoup de bons Kakenagashi Onsens (coulant de la source constamment) et des bonnes denrées alimentaires, et la cartie nuit charmante ici et aussi à Susukino à Sapporo, je veux bien informer des choses comme ceci.
Peut-être il n’y pas beaucoup de francophone ici, n’hesitez pas à concater en français pour moi. On va s’amuser ensemble dans la grande nature de Hokkaido!
Posted by: Yoko | category: Uncategorized | Tag: Comment: 0
Sakuragaoka Park Niseko is now the blooming season!
May 11, 2011
Sakuragaoka Park, located just above the JR Niseko Station, is a beuatiful area where you can enjoy a blanket of seasonal flowers like Fawn lilies and Corydails fumariifolia (ssp. Azurea). The scenery is truly magnificent.
Unfortunately, if you look closely, it seems like we’re at the peak flower-viewing team, but we’ll be at the end soon. Don’t miss these few sunny days!
Posted by: Yoko | category: Activities, Green Season | Tag: Comment: 0
Spring skiing in Niseko, Yahoo!
May 06, 2011
Missing the 2010/2011 season, I went skiing during the “Golden week hoidays”, to Annupuiri Kokusai on 3 May, and to Grand Hirafu on 5 May.
I finally hiked up to the Annupuri peak for the first time.
Yahoo! I made a V sign with my skies!
Click to read more…
Posted by: natsu | category: Activities, Mountains | Tag: Comment: 0
5 metre-high snow wall !
May 04, 2011
It is said spring has come to Niseko with melting snow and wild flowers, but it is true just about the foot of Mt.Yotei. We have lots of snow on the hill yet and the ski resorts are open during this golden week. We are still waiting for the backcountry ski season under the beautiful spring sunshine.
During winter some of the roads across the Niseko mountain range are closed for snow cover. We couldn’t wait for natural melting snow to open those roads in time for holiday season ,because …. Click to read more…
Posted by: natsu | category: Uncategorized | Tag: Comment: 0
