A short run on a long slope

The sky is getting dark and through the window of the Greenleaf Niseko Village, I can see thousands of snowflakes being buffeted around by the strong wind. Sipping a fine draft Sapporo beer, I ask my table companion, a lovely lady by the name of Noriko Sakaki, if she thinks and Yuki Onna will be dropping by tonight.

Yuki Onna is a Snow Lady – or a snow spirit. Like a nymph in Greek mythology or “nang mai” in Thai folklore, Yuki Onna loves to fool a man – not necessarily a good-looking man – who loses his way on a snowy night.

“She appears on snowy nights as a tall, beautiful woman with long black hair,” says Noriko, who is probably wondering why I want to speak of such an evil spirit on this particular snowy night. 

“She would seduce a man, usually a hunter who has become lost, and invite him to her place. Warm clothes are prepared and warm sake is served before the man is asked to get into her bed.”

I don’t need Noriko to tell me that the man is found dead in the morning, frozen in the snow.

“Would she fool a skier?” I ask Noriko, as we watch a group of snowboarders float over the slopes and hurry towards the overnight store as the resort closes the pistes for another day.

She purses her lips then smiles, letting me guess the answer for myself. 

In fact, it’s not the mysterious Snow Lady who lures skiers to Niseko in northern Japan but the powdery snow, which even draws “ski virgins” like myself from Thailand. Thanks to Thai Airways International, which now flies direct from Bangkok to Sapporo, a white holiday is more affordable and Thais no longer have to head to Europe for a winter retreat. 

Tucked away in southwestern part of Hokkaido, Niseko is a ski resort town surrounded by several mountainous ranges. Standing at 1,308 metres, like a gigantic mother hen guarding her little chicks, is Mt Annupuri around which several ski resorts and operators are clustered. Niseko’s usual population is just 4,600 people, but the density increases in the winter, with some 200,000 snow enthusiasts pouring in over the season. Today, Niseko draws visitors from Australia and Asian countries for skiing, snowboarding, trip on snowmobiles, snow hiking and cross-country skiing.

“Here the snow falls every day, so the pistes always boast a healthy covering of fresh powdery snow,” says Noriko.

For my week-long winter escape, I check into Greenleaf Niseko Village – a small yet stylish ski resort owned by Malaysia’s YTL group. 

Part of Niseko Village, the Greenleaf also has a sister hotel, the Hilton Niseko Village, which is best suited to visitors who prefer a large property and a wide choice of restaurants and outlets. I personally prefer smaller places with loads of character and a greater sense of privacy, so the Greenleaf answers my winter’s call. 

As ski-in, ski-out bases, both the Hilton and Greenleaf are ideal for anyone’s personal Winter Olympics. I drop my key at the reception, slip into my ski suit and seconds later, I’m on the slope ready to take the Greenleaf’s own chairlift to the piste of my choice – in this case, the bunny trail for beginners. More experienced skiers can head to the top of Mt Annupuri and tackle the challenging descent.

Skiing is not too hard to handle even for a “tropical plant” like myself.

The first day at the resort, my English friend Mark Jackson and I sign up for skiing lessons and spend the next few hours learning the basic skiing posture – walking on snow, snow break, taking off the skis and remounting them.

“Shift your weight to the ski that is not in the direction you want to turn,” my American instructor keeps telling me. “If you want to turn right, press your left leg.”

A tricky business: I keep thinking of what would happen in a car and turned the steering wheel to the left in order to turn right. The advice didn’t make sense until I knocked Mark off the bunny trail into the plastic net.

We do our first run on the real piste at the “community” – a venue for beginners to enjoy “hit-and-run” skiing over a 700-metre-long trail. Thrilling as it’s exhilarating, skiing gives me a terrific adrenaline rush as I come sliding down the slope. With poor braking techniques and terrible turns, we run into the bushes a few times and also spin in the middle of the piste. It’s fine and fun to fall, and every one does it. Just make sure you don’t take a direct flight from the piste to the bar. 

To satisfy my addiction to new experiences, I want to drop everything and follow the falling snow to the piste. The instructor even convinces me that we could go to the Bonzai, and sweep down the more challenging trails with funny names like “Shaky Knee” and “Final Fling”. Mark, who is probably afraid that I’ll fall into the hands of that nasty Yuki Onna, suggests we try some off-piste life instead.

Most of the skiers in Niseko spend their off-piste time in the Onsen. The Green Leaf Onsen stands out as one of the most beautiful natural rock pools in Niseko. The Onsen has separate indoor and outdoor pools for men and women with the water source originating from mineral spring. 

But stripping off my clothes, soaking in hot spring with other men and watching huge flakes of snow swirling down, doesn’t turn me on. I decide instead to occupy a bar stool and exchange words of wisdom with the bartender though I do agree to  take a side-trip to Otaru and Yoichi. 

Otaru, an ancient port town north of Niseko, is famous for the finest sushi in Hokkaido, and Yoichi is home to Nikka – one of Japanese finest single-malted whiskies. These two small towns are perfect destinations when it’s blowing too hard or you want a break from the slopes. Even Niseko Town itself, with clean air, sharp temperatures and cosy cafes, is worth exploring for an exhilarating winter experience. 

I turn back to Noriko to ask more about Yuki Onna but her mind has already taken a different track.

“You definitely need to spend a week with us if you want to make decent turns,” she says.

 

The writer travelled in Hokkaido as a guest of Niseko Village.

 

 

 

If you go

_ The best time for a winter holiday in Niseko is from December to April. 

_ Do invest in a snow-proof jacket and pair of snow boots for your holiday. Ski suits and all the other gear can be rented at Niseko Village.

_ Swap your eyeglasses for contact lens when you go out skiing. There are much more comfortable with ski goggles and, unlike glasses, don’t get fogged up.

_ Thai Airways International operates direct flights from/to Bangkok and Sapporo. Niseko is three hours on the Shuttle bus service from New Chitose Airport.

_ For information on accommodation and holiday packages at Niseko Village, visit www.Niseko-Village.com.