A Chance Encounter With a 2-Storey Carousel We first stepped into Rusutsu Resort by chance. During our Hokkaido trip in Dec 2016, we took the airport shuttle bus from Niseko en-route back to New Chitose Airport, and it made a quick stop at this resort to pick up passengers. We took the chance to come down and stretch our legs but what greeted us left us awestruck – a two-storey high carousel (free for in-house hotel guests) complete with a warm, inviting, almost Disney-like ambience. I … [Read more...]
Hoshino Resorts TOMAMU with Kids – The Complete VLOGs
Post Alert! Tons of Tips for Families headed to TOMAMU: This is an extension of our first post on our recent unforgettable winter trip to Hoshino Resorts TOMAMU with two lively young kids in early December 2017! When travelling with children, there are so many things we have to pack and prepare. It gets more challenging when you travel in Winter! In order not to forget these precious lessons we’ve learnt from our trip, we compiled them in 5 VLOGs complete with itinerary and tips! 1. … [Read more...]
Hoshino Resorts TOMAMU, Hokkaido 星野リゾート トマム
Hokkaido, Japan boasts one of the world’s best snows in the world! Skiers come from all over the world to experience the pristine ‘Jap Pow – Japanese powder snow every winter. Families too, are drawn to Hokkaido for its amazing scenery and gourmet food. However, not many know that Hokkaido has more to offer than just snow sports. Our recent 4D3N stay at Hoshino Resorts TOMAMU – a popular family resort shows how diverse and memorable a winter vacation in Hokkaido can be. From learning … [Read more...]
WhereTo Eat in Niseko, Hokkaido
In 2016 December (yes Winter), we did our very first free and easy, self-drive trip to Hokkaido with 2 young kids (age 8.5 and 2.5 years old)). As it’s a DIY trip, knowing where to get food is important. Moreover as it’s Winter, where to get WARM cooked food is even more critical. Unlike Singapore, eateries in Niseko are not located near each other and one has to sometimes brave sub-zero temperatures to drive/catch a shuttle bus/walk there. Some eateries require reservations while others … [Read more...]
Hokkaido: The Complete DIY Itinerary
Creating Unique Core Memories: We believe in travelling together as a family because of the global exposure it provides for ourselves and the kids. Despite the hassle and costs involved in travelling with children, many of these can be mitigated through early, careful holiday planning. We’ve travelled the world with our daughter since she was 7 months old and she's since gained a travel buddy in her brother three years ago. We’ve heard so much about the powdery snow in Hokkaido; … [Read more...]
Hokkaido: Asahiyama Zoo
“This had better be good…” I quipped while standing outside the entrance of Asahiyama Zoo 旭山動物園, waiting for it to open, in the cold of winter with rain pelting down. On all accounts, it was a dreary, overcast Winter's day. After a short walk to the Sapporo train station from Keio Plaza Sapporo Hotel, we took a 1.5 hour train ride to Asahikawa Station. From the Asahikawa Station, we had to catch a public bus to the zoo. The entire journey took 2 hours+ on public transport complete with 2 … [Read more...]
Review of Keio Plaza, Sapporo Hotel
Big on Space: We've all heard how space is a premium especially in Japan (hence the invention of capsules hotels). But the first thing you’ll notice when you step into Keio Plaza Sapporo is that it is spacious. Large, busy but well-organised…everything you can expect in a major Japanese hotel in a large Japanese city. But beyond offering travelers space, there are more pleasant surprises in store. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DsVi--B8ChU&feature=youtu.be Big on Service: Even … [Read more...]
Ki Niseko Hotel Review
Relieved: “Finally!” I told myself, giving a sigh of relief as I saw the sign of the hotel after driving for 3 hours in what was Hokkaido’s heaviest snowfall in 50 years. Visibility was poor and a route which the GPS directed us to on was temporarily closed, forcing us to detour. Read about our 1st self-drive experience in Hokkaido here. I was even more relieved when help in the form of 2 ladies and a man, impeccably dressed in uniform, came forward even before my car was parked, … [Read more...]
GoSnow Niseko: Ski School for Kids
This post is dedicated to the instructors at GoSnow, particularly Mel, Alexandra and Connor whom we are indebted to for initiating the love for skiing in my daughter. It’s not everyday that this happens – me standing in sub-zero temperature with snow blowing in my face, fingers frozen but standing mouth wide open, in awe as I saw my 8 year old daughter skiing down unaided on the ski slopes of the Grand Hirafu in Niseko – one of the top ski slopes in Asia no less… AND WAVING AT ME! 4 days … [Read more...]
Self-Drive Hokkaido: Winter Driving Tips
Hokkaido is a popular winter destination for families like us wishing to experience fresh pure ‘powdery’ snow without having to travel halfway around the globe. For those who wish to travel at their “own time, own target”, self-drive is an attractive option. We recently did a self-drive Hokkaido trip and here are some useful driving tips to share. For the record, we rented the car only for 3 days: picked it up in Sapporo, drove to Lake Toya, Noboribetsu and returned the car … [Read more...]