Rusutsu

Rusutsu Snow Snow Snow

The snow is as good in Niseko, but there''s only 30% of the skiers. Weekends are bussier.

Tree skiing is GREAT.

Night life in the hotel itself is very quiet, but there are 4 little restaurants next door to the hotel (which is 4 minutes by the hotel monorail) which are great : cold beer, good food, very intimate and friendly.

I rebooked my holiday the week I got back.

Rusutsu

Lots of fun off piste. Generally quiet even on blue days (one day we had knee deep powder on trail after lunch!) Good mountain access with interlinked chairs.

On mountain facilities are excellent. Trails easy to distinguish.

Rusutsu Resort is an experience in itself, in a crazy Japanese way. Amazing staff.

We have been to Rusutsu before and will continue to return.

Disneyland on snow

If you are planning on a Japanese cultural experience then don't go to Rusutsu (unless you think Japanese culture is defined only by tacky glitch). However, if you love riding through the trees and expect powder everyday (it snowed for the 6 days we were there and it was very, very cold eg -20C) then give this place a try. The hotel complex is very tacky, but if you can get over this (and have a laugh about it) its a minor issue.

The staff are very, very friendly (kind of Stepford wives friendly), but you couldn't complain about the service. It's 2 mins walk to the lifts, the gondola to east mountain can be busy in the morning because everyone in the resort wants to use it, but once across the crowds thin out. Lift lines come and go - mostly very short. Variety of terrain not great - some places very flat (tricky for snowboarders) and not a big resort.

Without fresh snow you will get bored in 1-2 days if an experienced rider. With fresh snow the lines among the trees are awesome. Signs say no off piste riding but ski patrol ignores this and so does everyone else. It's pretty much a free for all. I wouldn't go again for 6 days - but if you are visiting somewhere else in Hokkaido and the forecast predicts powder (and you love riding through trees) I would head to Rusutsu for 2-3 days.