I’ve previously posted about living in Niseko. The whole time I was there the place was covered in snow, it was only in the last week that we started seeing dirt underneath. Both Matt and I were surprised to be driven into a luscious green wonderland. Even the majestic Yotei, who had spent her winter under a veil of snow, was out in her full, fabulous green form. We had 5 days to explore Niseko and it’s surroundings, largely thanks to our friends for lending us their car.
Kutchan Potato Festival
On our first day, we went straight to Kutchan. Kutchan is a small town roughly 20-30 minutes from Niseko full of small-town charms and great restaurants. During winter, the entire town of Kutchan was under a thick layer of snow. We walked on narrow pathways and there seemed to only be a few stores in the entire place (You can read about winter Kutchan here).
You can maybe imagine our shock when we first walked upon the wise streets, along numerous stores. There was a whole water feature next to the Co-Op which we’d walked through on occasion.
Festival food is always good, but the festival food at the Potato festival was amazing. There was a hollowed out watermelon full of juice, crepes and the tastiest potato treats we’ve had.
After a day of hanging out, drinking and eating, the parade started. Hundreds of adults and children danced along the main street of Kutchan, wearing their summer yukatas (Different to a kimono, they are lighter for the humidity). At the end of the line, we were invited to join.
We felt really included in the community as we danced and laughed alongside the locals. After the dance finished we were treated to a fireworks display before heading home.
Climbing the Ski Hill
I’ve spoken about being in awe of Yotei and her green coat, but I haven’t told you about the ski hill (Actually I have, here!). The luscious green ski hill really had me going. There had been so many days I had looked upon it with contempt (I found snowboarding very difficult) or with love. I’d look over the numerous ski lifts and the people going down on my way to work.
During our stay, we decided we’d walk up the ski mountain. We armed ourselves with beers, sake and snacks at the conbini before heading up.
Rather than walk up and down, we decided to take the Summer Gondola up and walk down. For one way, the cost was 500yen.
We had zero regrets! As we scaled the mountain the view of Yotei got better and better, and Matt pointed out parts of the ski run that we rode together. Once we arrived, we headed for one of the lofty couches and sprawled out to indulge in our little conbini picnic. There was also a shop where I bought a summer Niseko shirt, as well as a wildlife display with flora and fauna.
The walk down was lengthy. In summer many mountain bike riders also share the mountain, so we had to be cautious to not get in there way. It took us almost 2 hours to walk down the mountain, but that included a lot of stops to take in the view and take pictures.
For me, it was a very proud walk. The mountain had caused me anxiety, had given me hope and was ultimately the place where I fell in love with snowboarding.
Milk Kobo
I’d been to Milk Kobo once with Nisade. Their cream puffs were famous in the area, however I didn’t have any dairy pills with me on that trip so I just missed out. Since then, I had acquired some lacteeze (Lacteeze helps to break down lactose; I’m lactose intolerant) and was ready to see what the big deal was about.
One of my favourite things about Milk Kobo was the big field. We sat around with our ice creams, cheese tarts and cream puffs (If I’m eating a dairy pill, may as well go all out) with a magnificent view of Yotei. There is also a sunflower field. When we were there they were a bit dead, but still very beautiful.
How does Milk Kobo rate against the rest of Japan’s cream puffs? Very well, I’d say, they were soft and fluffy with thick cream. The real winner for me was the cheese tart. The smell by itself was fantastic and the gooey inside was a delight. If you go to Niseko, even during winter, I’d recommend a trip here.
A Hungry Girl In Japan 