The Best Places To Eat Out At Japanese Ski Resorts
If you look up any celebrity chef's favourite place to eat, more often than not, the answer is Japan. Known for its fresh ingredients, delicious barbecued meats, and, of course, famous noodle and rice dishes, Japanese cuisine is renowned as one of best and most popular worldwide.
So when you visit Japan this winter, don’t spend your time counting yennies and budgeting every meal, splurge out and discover the cuisine that makes this part of the world so famous!
Niseko
We promise, we say this with no bias – Niseko has one of the most vibrant, accessible and diverse food scenes in the world. Where else can you dine at a Michelin-star restaurant, stop by a konbini afterwards for some takeaway Strong’s, and then head out onto the slopes to night ride some of the deepest powder in the world?
Niseko is truly one of a kind, in terms of snow conditions and experiences around town. It’s also a resort that offers up something for all kinds of travellers, from budget-friendly quick eats to luxurious multi-course dinners, we can guarantee you won’t be leaving Niseko hungry.
Budget Friendly Dining Options In Niseko
Greenfarm
Featuring a menu of entirely Hokkaido based produce, Green Farm Deli is known for its fresh and innovative twists on crowd favourite's like burgers, banh-mi’s, sausage rolls, shrimp po’boys, and, of course, in-house roasted coffee.
Our Pick- The Shrimp po’boy.
Price Range: ¥1,500-2,000
Teuchi-Soba Ichimura
Now, we know that Hakuba is actually more of a famous location for soba, but we couldn’t go past Teuchi-Soba Ichimura. Offering fresh, house-made soba noodle platters, Teuchi-Soba is a local favourite for a reason.
Our Pick: Roasted Duck Soba
Price Range: ¥1,500
Tamashii
Got a picky eater in the family? One word: Tamashii. Burgers, steaks, fries – what more could they need?
Our Pick: Double Cheese Burger with Onion Rings
Price Range: ¥1,200 - 2,500
Moon Bar
Throughout the village there’s a lot of talk about which is better, Daishin or Moon Bar. The truth is, they’re both banging, it all just comes down to proximity and which one is your local. While Daishin has a slightly more refined menu, Moon Bar offers a stacked menu of different ramen dishes and multiple different Japanese cuisines – although all you need to do is flick to page three and find the ‘Devil Ramen’.
Our Pick: The Devil Ramen
¥1,000 - 1,500
Daishin
Daishin on the other hand, is slightly harder for visitors without access to a car to reach due to its location in central Kutchan. For those lucky enough to get there, it’s evident to see what all the hype is about.
Our pick: Cheesy Tantan Ramen
Price Range: ¥1,200 - 1,800
With an easy location in the heart of Niseko Hirafu, Raku’s an easy stop on your way home from night riding.
Our Pick- ALL OF IT. The great thing about izakaya is that you get to try everything!
Price Range: ¥1,000 - 3,000
High-End Dining Options in Niseko
Maccarina (Makkari)
A sister restaurant of the 3-Michelin starred, Asperges Furano, Makkari, delivers gourmet five-course French-inspired meals made with the highest quality of local ingredients.
Please note: Children 12 and under are not allowed during dinner service.
Robata Naniwatei
Niseko’s finest kaiseki ryori offering, Robata Naniwatei Niseko, an extension of its beloved Sapporo based restaurant, serves up set menus of fresh sashimi, all made with locally sourced seafood.
Hakuba
Out of all three locations, Hakuba offers the most variety in their dining options for western travellers, with restaurants serving up everything from traditional Japanese cuisine such as ramen and sushi to more western-friendly options such as burgers, pizzeria’s and steakhouses. Although, due to the spread out nature of the Hakuba valley, some options may be inaccessible without a car or transport option.
Budget-Friendly Dining Options In Hakuba
Aguraya
One of Echoland’s newest additions and an immediate staple, Aguraya stands out as one of Hakuba’s most recent success-stories, starting out as a hole-in-the-wall yatai oden stall that could sit three at a time, Aguraya has now grown into a fully fledged venue dominating the food scene on Echoland's mainstreet.
Our Pick: The Oden and Ramen Set Paired With A Local Sake (Or 4)
Price Range: ¥1,500 - 2,500
Located in Hakuba’s Wadano Village, only a few hundred metres from our Rhythm Wadano store, Tori Co. is a modern izakaya that specialises in yakitori (skewered meat). Japanese cuisine perfect for sharing with the fam!
Our Pick: Try as much as you can, it's all good!
Price Range: ¥1,000 - 3,000
Samurai Kebab
Doubling up as both a late night hangout equipped with pool and dart boards, and a perfect late night dinner spot. Annnnnddddddd to top it all off, they sell Coopers Pale Ale – talk about a way to make us feel like home.
Please Note: Samurai Kebab is one of the only halel restauarants in the Hakuba Valley.
Our Pick: Mixed Kebab with 2 Coopers Pale Ale's.
Price Range: ¥1,200 - 1,400
Blizzard
Located directly opposite the Happo-one gondola, Blizzard serves up an array of gourmet pub foods, from pizzas and burgers, to pasta and salads – while it's not Japanese cuisine, it's definitely an option that'll keep the young ones happy.
Our Pick: Pesto Pasta followed by a Pistachio Gelato
Price range: ¥1,500 - 2,000
Bar Refuel
A late night hot spot where you can get burgers at any hour of the night? That’s right, the aptly named Bar Refuel doubles up as one of Happo’s hottest nightlife destinations, while also being one of their best burger bars.
Our Pick: Refuel Burger
Price Range: ¥ 1,300 - 1,800
A local favourite, Takahashi-ke stands up as the Hakuba Valley’s most revered ramen restaurant. Situated at the base of Goryu resort, Takahashi-ke offers up an array of traditional Japanese cuisine's and delicious ramen options perfect for a mid-lap lunch or an after-shred dinner. The downside? It can be difficult to access without a car.
Our Pick: Spicy Tantan Ramen
Price Range: ¥900 -1,200
High-End Dining Options In Hakuba
Mimi’s
Run by Italian-trained husband and wife duo, Kazu & Yuki Shinamoto, Mimi serves up classic European dishes with a Japanese twist.
Traumerei
Amazing French inspired-cuisine served over 8 courses in a refurbished manor? That’s a dining experience that you can count us in for.
Furano
While Furano is slightly less built up as a resort, there’s still a tonne of awesome options for those looking to head out for a meal. From quaint family-run restaurants to traditional sushi options, Furano is a great place to explore Japanese cuisine.
Budget-Friendly Dining Options In Furano
Country Kitchen Kazamidori
A homely and hearty family-run restaurant offering up generous servings of homemade meals that’ll have you missing your fam back home. Get in quick, they normally sell out pretty fast!
Our Pick: Kazamidori Curry
Price Range: ¥1,150 - 2,000
Furano Delice
In Japanese cuisine, you’ll be hard pressed to find a bakery that offers up western treats such as vanilla slices and lamington's, but you will find sweet shops offering cakes and dessert treats. If you are a sweet tooth looking to satisfy those sugar cravings, Furano Delice offers a variety of sweets all made from regional ingredients such as Furano cheese and Hokkaido milk.
Our Pick: Furano Milk Pudding
Price Range: ¥600 - 1,500
Fenix Restaurant and Bar
Located on the 1F of Fenix Furano, directly opposite the Kitanomine gondola, next to Rhythm Furano, Fenix serves up a diverse range of traditional Japanese cuisine, from tempura rice bowls to sushi, shabu shabu and sukiyaki hotpot. Available for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Our Pick: Seafood Futomaki Set
Price Range: ¥3,000 - 11,000
Soba-ya Jurokumon
While it’s only available for lunch, Soba-ya offers delicious choices of homemade soba and tempura platters to warm you up in between laps. If you want to check it out, call in for an early lunch – Soba-ya Jurokumon closes their doors once the fresh soba runs out!
Our Pick: Tempura Prawn Soba
Price Range: ¥1,000 - 2,000
Fukuzushi
Did you even go to Japan if you didn’t eat fresh sushi? And no, we aren’t talking about the premade sushi you’ll find in the konbini (although, that is delicious). We’re talking about the traditional sashimi that you’ll dream about when you’re back home in Aus or the States. If you’re visiting Furano and have an itch for sushi, Fukuzushi is your spot.
Our Pick: Sea Urchin Sashimi
Price Range: ¥2,000 - 3,000
High-End Dining Options In Furano
Asperges
From farm to table, Asperges is all about serving up the best of Hokkaido’s locally grown, in-season produce, offering up dinner sets featuring premium beef cheek, pork loin and fillet steak options. As far as Japanese dining experiences go, you can’t get much better than Asperges surrene location right on the Ishikari River.
Furano Wine House
A picturesque venue perched on top of a hill, offering up some of the best views of Furano valley.
Tips For Deal Hunters
Now, we understand that this list is mainly targeting the adventurous traveller looking to splurge out on dining experiences (OR the smart traveller who saved enough money with our early bird deals to have the extra cash to splash), although we also wanted to offer up some unreal tips for deal hunters looking for more conservative spending this holiday.
For the best cheap eats around each village, make sure you check out:
Supermarkets
Japanese supermarkets offer up HOURS of fun, different food options, and a great way to save a buck, whether you’re after huge cuts of premium meat, fresh locally sourced seafood or massive share platter bento boxes Japan’s supermarkets offer up some phenomenal budget-friendly options for much cheaper than you'd find at restaurants, konbini's or vending machines.
Food Trucks and Konbini
You’ll be amazed by the quality of Japanese cuisine you’ll find at both the convenience stores and food trucks around the resort, so if you’re looking for a budget-friendly option on the go, konbini's will offer endless cheap choices.
Pharmacies for Great Deals
‘Pharmacy’ is a term used very loosely in Japan. While they do stock all of the standard medicines and cosmetic products you’d expect, they also double up as fully-fledged supermarkets offering some of the best deals on food in the region.
Farmers Market
For great deals on produce, we recommend checking out any of the locally run and operated Farmer’s markets. While they may not be an option in peak winter, if you’re planning on coming to town for some spring skiing, you’ll be arriving just in time for the start of farmers market season.
Things to keep in mind When Dining Out In Japan
Trust us, whether you go to Niseko, Furano, or Hakuba, you’ll want to book your restaurants in advance! With such a high tourism demand over the winter months all restaurants around the village normally book up months in advance.
Spring Is King
It is a lot easier to secure restaurant reservations in spring, so if you want to make the most of your time skiing and eating out around the resort, spring is your best bet!
Try Something New
You’re in Japan, you won’t always know what you’re about to eat, but more often than not it’ll be delicious! Branch out, try something new and find your new favourite meal.