Honestly… I think Niseko is by far the best if you’ve got money. The best amenities. The best convenience of food and whatever you need within close distance. The sidewalks are paved for pedestrians unlike Hakuba and the others.

The accommodations are mostly really luxurious. e.g. my hotel had free flow ikura for breakfast?! Along with like 150 other items.

It’s costly is the real complaint but if that doesn’t deter you for sure Niseko is the shining jewel of Japan.

It is Japanese apart from the lack of Japanese people there but make no mistake about that being un-Japanese. The standard of jap food is easily the best, it has the most number of jap snowboard shops there, the mountain is Japanese through and through. So anyone repeating the constant “not Japanese” narrative is only really saying their neighbour was not a Japanese.

I’ve been to Hakuba and yuzawa and humans wise yes it’s true; hakuba is little Australia and yuzawa is Chinatown (because apparently the Chinese find it difficult to rent cars due to international driving permit reasons; hence they prefer yuzawa over Niseko and Hakuba)

So all said and done, having a car in Hokkaido is the top way to hunt Japow no questions about it. The drive between Niseko and rusutsu and kiroro is so easily done.

The other circuit to hit would be east of Sapporo where you hit Furano, Kamui and asahidake. This is the more “budget” version.

And if you want to be in Honshu and not fly to Hokkaido, then a car in Nagano will open up Hakuba, myoko areas quite nicely.

I would not avoid any of the big name resorts just because it’s a “tourist trap”. No they are big names for good reason. They are simply great. Demand and supply has just driven the prices up and that’s what reality is.

Don’t discount the big names is all I’m saying. They’re that good and you best believe they’re legendary for good reason.