Come to Hokkaido

Niseko / Hirafu北海道

I'm turning 35.Come to Hokkaido.

31 January to 7 February 2027.

Are you in? The plan

Press space to ski · entirely unnecessary

The plan

I'm turning 35 this year, and in February I want a bunch of people I love in Hokkaido for a week.

Ski if you want. Don't if you don't. Eat far too much, sit in hot springs, drink things.

The dates are fixed. The house is booked. The only open question is you.

Yes, I just got married. No, this is not the honeymoon. Unless you all come, in which case it's a very strange honeymoon.

Where to stay

The chalet is full. Sorry.

It went faster than expected. One bunk bed left. Everyone else: Hirafu has plenty of beds, none of them mine, and you're still part of everything.

Option 1

Chalet Kokoro

Booked. Full. One bunk bed left.

Status: Booked, 31 January to 7 February. Not a drill.
Cost: Roughly USD 2,500 per person, full weekI was left alone with chalet websites. This is the result.
Food: Possibly a private chef or catering
Beds: One bunk bed. First to ask gets it. Ask nicely.
Booking: Done. Those of you in it, we settle up before we go.

Private chef: not confirmed. I regret discovering the option.

Option 2

A hotel or apartment nearby

Where most of you are staying. Your own place in Hirafu, at your own budget.

Who: Just you, your partner, your kids
Cost: Whatever you choose. Hirafu has everything from simple to very nice.
Nights: As many or as few as you like
Booking: You book it yourself, and soon. February in Hirafu does not wait. I can send suggestions.

The week

You absolutely do not need to ski.

If your plan is seven days of onsen and ramen, I have no argument against it.

Ski

スキー

Some of the best powder on earth.

Snowboard

スノーボード

Trees, bowls, and very deep snow.

Onsen

温泉

Outdoor hot springs, in the snow, facing Yōtei.

Ramen

ラーメン

Miso ramen was born in Sapporo, two hours away.

Sake

日本酒

Local breweries. Cold. Plenty.

Eat

食

Crab, uni, scallops, and absurdly good dairy.

Snowshoeing

冬

Birch forest, deep quiet, snowshoes provided.

Kids

子ども

Ski school, snow parks and sledging.

Nothing

何もしない

Window. Blanket. Snow.

Down in the village

One possible evening.

18:30
Ebisutei

The izakaya in Hirafu. Grilled crab, sashimi, tempura, one small room. Booked weeks ago, obviously.
21:00
Bar Gyu+

Niseko's oldest bar, behind an old Coca-Cola vending machine door. Japanese whisky, records, snow falling outside.
23:30
Half Note

Karaoke. I will do it. You will regret encouraging me.
01:00
AFURI

Yuzu shio ramen, because the alternative is a konbini and some poor decisions.

One night we do this properly

Rakuichi Soba

A twelve-seat hut where Tatsuru Rai rolls the soba by hand before each service. Anthony Bourdain called it the best soba of his life, and then ate it again. No walk-ins, two-hour course, and the seats go months ahead.

If you want one of the twelve seats, say so now. I am not fighting you for it in January.

Also worth the walkSushi Hanayoshi, omakase from that morning's market · Yakitori Fujiwara, ten seats at the grill · Tsubara Tsubara, soup curry with twenty levels of spice · Mina Mina for live music · Tamashii when it turns into a dance floor.

Niseko turns over every season and February books out early. Tell me what you want and I'll get on it.

February 2027

What's on while we're there.

Sapporo starts on the 4th, Otaru on the 6th, Shikotsu runs the whole time. The dates were not an accident.

4–11 February

Sapporo Snow Festival

A dozen enormous snow sculptures and a hundred smaller ones down Odori Park, lit until 22:00, plus a street of ice sculptures in Susukino. Two hours from Hirafu.

6–13 February

Otaru Snow Light Path

Candles in snow lanterns along the old canal and the disused railway line, 17:00 to 21:00. The prettiest evening in Hokkaido, and an easy drive.

30 January – 23 February

Lake Shikotsu Ice Festival

Towers and caves built by spraying lake water into ice, lit blue and gold after dark. An hour from the airport, so it works on the way in or out.

Every evening

Night skiing, Grand Hirafu

The lifts keep running until 19:00 and it's included in the day pass. Floodlights, falling snow, and almost nobody left on the hill.

The birthday

I'll host one or two proper dinners or parties during the week, so we're all together at least a couple of times, wherever everyone is staying.

You book your flight and wherever you sleep. Birthday dinners are on me. I'm not a complete cunt.

Who

Friends, partners, kids, families.

Friends from completely different parts of my life, their partners, their kids.

Come for three days or all seven. I don't really care how you do it. I just want you there.

If I sent you this, I mean you.

Steve, if you don't come to this, we're not friends anymore.

Questions

Short answers.

Is this happening?: Yes.
When?: 31 January to 7 February. Fixed. Something expensive and irreversible has been booked.
Is the chalet full?: Yes. One bunk bed. Ask nicely.
Do I have to ski?: No.
Can I bring my kids?: Very welcome.
Can I bring my partner?: Obviously.
Can I come for part of it?: Of course.
How much?: The bunk bed: roughly $2,500 for the week. Hotels nearby: your call.
Flights?: You book your own. Fly into Sapporo (New Chitose), then about two hours by road.
Private chef?: Not confirmed. Regrettably, discovered.
Why Hokkaido?: Snow, onsen, food. And I've wanted an excuse for years.
Is 35 actually midlife?: No. This appears to be a personality issue.
Why is there a website?: Excellent question.