It’s spring, and the snow is starting to get slushy in Niseko. Stephen and I both have the entire weekend off so I really wanted to make the most of it and go to another mountain. Stephen went to Rusutsu earlier in the season but I’m still yet to have gone, so off to Rusutsu we go. We hired a car and Sam and Zane, a kiwi couple we’ve made friends with, came along with us, as did Marie.
It was such a fun day. Rusutsu is a huge resort! During the summer there is a theme park with ferris wheel, rollercoaster and huge water park area. But during the winter there are 2 main mountains, so the options for skiing and snowboarding are endless. We spent most of the day on one mountain and at about 2pm we moved over to the other. Stephen and Zane enjoyed spending time in the park, practicing jumps, while Sam, Marie and myself liked searching for powder in amongst the trees and taking advantage of the wide runs. One thing I have to mention is the spring vibe was so fun on the first mountain! They had a DJ playing outside, there were Red Bull give away girls handing out a new Red Bull product (which I didn’t try because I’m not a fan of energy drinks, but everyone else had one and said it was good). The highlight for me though was this BBQ area they had created. Lots of small crates had been placed out on the snow, with tiny little coal grills in the middle, you could buy a selection of raw meat and vegetables and then cook it yourself. It was so much fun, and tasty!
By 4pm we were all absolutely knackered and ready to go home so we walked through the main resort plaza area, got some more food, and headed back to the car. The plaza was an entirely different and quirky experience in itself, with lots of shops, a few cafes, a full-size carousel, a small arcade section, and a few random singing sculptures! Take a look at the photos to see what I mean, haha.
All in all, it was a great day, it was fun to have our own wheels and freedom and get out of Niseko, and the snow was better than that on Niseko mountain at the moment too. Thanks, Rusutsu!
Steve & Meegs 