[2026] Japan(in Jan)uary .
Arriving in Japan.
My partner loves to travel. I am happy to tag along and add some spontaneity to the trips she plans. Japan has been on her list for a long time. The opportunity to ski powder, eat sushi, and stay in Tokyo was too much for me to pass up! We showed up with return tickets booked, and nothing else planned. We landed in Tokyo and explored the city for 3 nights. At the Tokyo Haneda airport, we checked our ski bags to get forwarded all the way to Grand Hirafu - a popular ski resort in Hokkaido. Then we were off to the city! The wife started her day with a japanese breakfast every day. We did some shopping, visited a few shrines, and a Samurai museum, learning to use throwing stars. We also went for daily morning runs at the nearby parks where we were staying in Shinjuku.
Karate Kid at the Samurai Musem.
Japow!
Next, we flew to Sapporo and took a few hour bus ride to Niseko. There we were able to enjoy our first private Onsen, which is a hot spring we could share together. The day before we showed up, Niseko got a foot of fresh powder, and it didn’t stop the entire three days we were skiing! Fresh, thigh-high powder! We ate fancy sushi with a private chef, sushi at the hotel, and ramen throughout the town. I never knew Japan was such a culinary destination.
Mt. Yotei from Grand Hirafu.
Small Town Powder
Our next stop was Morioka; a northern city recently rated by the New York Times as a top global destination. We met some friends from Seattle that wanted to ski there, and the snow did not let up! The ski resorts were much smaller and quieter, but that just meant more fresh snow for us! We visited more onsens, got our rental car stuck in the snow, and a friend got violently ill from eating under-cooked bbq.
Free refills in Morioka.
Back in the Big City
Next, we were back in Tokyo for a few more days. We stayed in Ginza this time, which is closer to the shopping.. But unbeknownst to me, I was shopped out. We did end up getting some kitchen items; fine bone china, and a handmade chef’s knife. But the real treat was staying in the Palace Hotel - easily the nicest hotel I’ve ever stayed at. And we were in town for the Grand Sumo Tournament. I thought seeing sumos would be just another tourist trap, but the tournament was so enthralling, we’re already trying to find tickets for next year!
Overlooking the Imperial Palace
with ice cream.