Christmas in Japan
Ok, you got me. We actually did Christmas in Japan last year, while this year we were in regular old New Jersey. BUT, I never wrote about our Christmas in Japan, and it feels like a festive time to do it now.
First things first, a friend of ours had recommended staying at a really interesting looking castle near Kiroro Ski Resort. It was well off the beaten path near the town of Otaru, which is about an hour from Sapporo. So, that’s how we ended up here:
The castle hotel was nearly empty and kind of spooky! But it was interesting nonetheless. We weren’t sure, but I think we were one of the two or three only people staying there. Some things (like our broken bathroom cabinet) were a bit neglected, but it was an interesting experience for sure. Christmas in Japan was in full swing with decorations:
At the mountain, the skiing was fantastic! I don’t think I’ve ever seen so much snow, and it was nice and powdery. The slopes were miraculously uncrowded with hardly any lift lines around Christmas week, which is practically unheard of anywhere I’ve skied in the US. The resort had plenty of terrain and seemed great for families and all levels of skiers. We rented skis and snow clothes and found the whole experience to be very well organized and affordable.
And if you’ve never had ramen as a ski lunch, you are missing out!
Even though we were some of the only guests eating at the hotel, they did not hold back on Christmas dinner. Here’s Bryan modeling our amazing hot pot and Sapporo Classic beer (and giant space heater that was the main heat source in the room):
Our second day of skiing was a total blizzard! We could barely see since we’d brought minimal gear on the trip, but we still had a great time.
We finished the day off by heading to the German beer hall in the town of Otaru (Otaru Beer Warehouse), which was tasty and fun.
And then we took the train back to Sapporo to spend the next day eating soufflé pancakes and visiting the Olympic museum.
I’ve skied in many different places and a few other countries, and I can say that skiing at Kiroro were some of the best or maybe THE best ski days I’ve ever had. I hope someday to return and ski in Japan again!