7 Essential Japan Bucket List Items To Tick Off This Winter

1. Backcountry Touring Experiences

We all knew it was going to score a mention, so why not kick off the list with the all time Niseko experience? Backcountry skiing (or snowboarding). 

When it comes down to it, Japan – or Japow – is famous for two things; pow and backcountry terrain. 

Whether you're visiting Niseko or Furano, almost every way you look are mountains – rideable mountains if you know what you’re doing and have the correct safety gear. 

So naturally, it’s become such a rite of passage for many, with the word being well and truly out about the best pow in the region being found in the backcountry (always). Although as a result, there has become an increasing trend of riders over backing themselves and heading out into the backcountry without proper preparation. 

Which is why we suggest, if you are keen on heading out for a hike and earning your turns, we recommend looking into a private guiding or touring experience. Not only are local guides trained in reading the area’s unique (and ever-changing) weather conditions, they know where all the best pow is depending on the day, guaranteeing you have THE bucket list experience of finding the best untracked pow while out touring. 

Plus, most touring experiences come with private transport, meaning you can pay less on transport while exploring more of the region!

Keen to find out more about touring in Niseko? Check out our guide here. Or if you want to dip your toes into ungroomed terrain but don’t want to hike to do so, find out about Niseko’s gate system here!

2. Sushi Making Class

When you haven’t been to Japan before, there’s nothing more annoying than that one friend who comes along to a sushi date to claim the entire meal “isn’t anything compared to what it’s actually like in Japan.” 

We all know one, and we all know that those people are the WORST. Like, bruh, just let me enjoy my sushi in peace... That being said, more often than not, they are right. 

Eating fresh sushi and sashimi in Japan is a bucket list experience in itself, but for this list we decided to level up the memory. So for our second must try bucket list experience, we’re suggesting a sushi making course! 

Around the area, there are a stack of these kind of experiences, varying in cost and tutor experience, but we reckon the go-to is Niseko's Sushi No Saito’s, which sees two artisan chefs traveling around to hotels and villas to teach you how to make sushi, the right way.

Plus, for added novelty (and max Instagram photo ops) they will also dress you up in the sushi chef costume, white jacket, hat, maegake and all! 

3. Finding Your Own Private Onsen

Ok, so when it comes to touring the backcountry, everyone talks about the incredible views, deep pow and perfect treelines. But did you know that hidden in the Niseko and Furano backcountry are epic pockets of nature that sometimes include natural onsen hot-springs!

You read that correctly! A natural, free onsen in the wild! The first time you stumble across one, you'll be feeling like Ash Ketchum after courting his first Pokemon.

So if you're hunt for a backcountry onsen, circuits like the Furano's Mt Tokachidake, and Niseko's Goshinki loop (accessed by Niseko Annupuri Kita-Shamen), among others,  host an onsen right at the foot of the bowl! Meaning you can gear up, hike up, shred it up and then wind down with an onsen before packing it in for the day. 

If that’s not the bucket list item of all bucket list items, we don’t know what is. 

4. Attending A Sake Tasting

In terms of Japanese food and drink experiences, sake tastings are as essential as trying sushi. But sake tasting events vary in shapes and sizes, depending on if you want to go to set tasting tours like at Niseko Shuzo or Hakuba's Ichinoya Sake Brewery, or you if want the freedom to taste freely like at small speakeasies like Bar Sasa (which has over 20 local sakes on offer). 

Either way, it’s an epic way to dive into Japanese culture, learn about the unique spirit and have a good time while you’re at it.

5. Lapping Strawberry Fields

When coming over to Niseko, everyone wants to shred as much pow as possible, but diving face first into gated areas can be intimidating for those who have don't previously have experience skiing ungroomed pow. And as we all know, there’s nothing worse than struggling your way down a run that your abilities aren’t up to scratch for. 

So if you want to begin experiencing the real Japow and not just the light dustings found on groomers, we recommend Hanazono’s Strawberry Fields. The perfect entry point, Strawberry Fields has spacious trees, mellow terrain, and most importantly, deep pow – all within 50 metres of the resort's groomers. Meaning that if you do end up in a ‘oh god damn’ situation, it’s only a short traverse back to the safety of a groomed run!

6. Belting Your Heart Out At Karaoke

We will not accept any arguments on this one. If you visited a Japanese ski resort and didn’t sing karaoke, you didn’t visit a Japanese ski resort. 

‘But Rhythm, I spent 10 days in Hakuba and have photos and receipts to prove it, I just didn’t go to karaoke.’ 

Nope. Doesn’t count. 

Karaoke is a cultural phenomenon in Japan, and while many foreigners commonly associate it with drinking culture, it couldn’t be furthest from the truth, with everyone from school kids to groups of oba-chan (grandmas) meeting up to belt out a few of their favourite tunes on the reg. 

That being said, a lot of karaokes do offer nomihōdai (all you can drink), so a little bit of liquid courage is always on offer if that’s your steeze. 

Bevvies or not, one thing you can trust us on, is that you should sing karaoke. Overcome those fears and just do it. Not only will the memories last an absolute lifetime, it’s also an awesome way to meet local Japanese crew (who are always keen to jump on the mic and back you up). 

Pro Tip: Avoid songs with long guitar solos. When you're standing on stage mic in hand, a 2-minute guitar solo feels like an eternity. 

Pro Pro Tip: Don’t try to be the funny guy singing ‘Tequila’, it’s been done. 

7. Riding Four Resorts In One Day

It’s a well-known fact that Niseko has four interconnected resorts, yet still, so many stick to just the resort they are staying in. Why not experience them all?!

And in Niseko, you don't need to book out a week to check out all the resorts, you can experience all four resorts without ever needing to unstrap! Obviously this bucket list item is dependent on two things, weather (as you will need all resorts top lifts open) and your lift pass (will need the Niseko United All Mountain Pass), but if the weather is permitting and you have the right pass, you can start your day in Hanazono, drop into Grand Hirafu, venture across to Niseko Village and then finish the day in Annupuri – all by using the resort’s lift-lines and trails. 

Trust us, don’t just put ‘riding Niseko’ on the bucket list, put shredding all four resorts in one day on it instead – it’s an epic experience that you’ll always remember. 

Pro Tip: If you’re keen on exploring all resorts but getting overwhelmed looking at trail maps, check out in-resort guiding options and have a guide show you the best ways between the resorts!

8. Riding 10 Resorts In One Day

We know, we know – it's not a competition. To those who tick off four different resort peaks in Niseko, that's a lot to be celebrate. But for those of you who want a real challenge – how about knocking over ten resorts in a single day?

It sounds impossible, but in Hakuba, it actually couldn't be easier, with the Hakuba Valley including ten single resorts – giving those of you with an All Mountain pass endless terrain for riding... and one pretty epic challenge. 

9. Eating Ramen

There's A LOT of debate about what the staple Japanese food is. Some strongly feel it's onigiri. Others, are adamanet that it has to be sushi. Then, there's a huge group of us who feel has to be ramen. 

How could it not be?! It's the one Japnese dish accessible in every single supermarket around the world! Although, that being said, those dehydrated cup noodles that kept us all alive throughout our uni years are nowhere near what you're served up in Japan. 

We're talking the real deal – and after a day out on the slopes, a soupy bowl of pick-me-up ramen will well and truly have you sorted.

10. Eating At A Konbi

When you've never been to Japan before, the amount of stories you hear about convineince stores in Japan seem truly odd. Why would you go to a country so rich for culture and cusine and eat at a convinience store?

Because that's the true local experience. Everyone eats convinience store food in Japan. EVERYONE. 

Why? Because it's delicious and cheap. 

Believe us on this one, once you go konbini, you never go back.