As a Gen-Z snowboarder who’s scrolled past reel after reel calling Niseko “the powder capital of the world,” I had to see it for myself. Growing up in the Midwest, my options for slopes near me were limited and the thought of riding through mountains in chest-deep Hokkaido snow definitely piqued my interest.

But I had my doubts. I’d seen the viral clips of insanely long lift lines and we were visiting in as peak season ramped up in late December. Not to mention, in almost every reel comparing the top ski resorts in Japan, the term “Niseko prices” came up over and over. The way people spoke about it made it sound less like a ski town and more like a luxury resort with a mountain attached, making me wonder if a second-year salaryman could actually enjoy it.

My friend from New York joined to see whether Niseko could live up to the hype without letting the price tags run the show.

After a late-night flight from Tokyo to Sapporo, we picked up a rental car and started the drive out through winding mountain roads, steady snowfall, and that quiet winter feeling you only get in Hokkaido. Watching dry, powdery snow stack up along the roadside, my expectations were through the roof. It already looked like the Niseko I’d seen nonstop on social media, and I couldn’t stop thinking: if it’s dumping here, the mountain has to be unreal.

As we got closer, Mount Yotei came into view and honestly, nothing could’ve prepared me for it. Despite the top being covered by a massive dark cloud dumping snow onto the summit, this massive, perfectly shaped volcano rose up across from Niseko and seemed to fill the entire windshield. It’s not as tall as Mount Fuji, but from the road it feels just as commanding. Coming from the Midwest, where the horizon is basically endless and flat, my brain didn’t know what to do with a mountain that big. It was the kind of view that makes you go quiet for a second, just to take it in.

We booked our lift tickets online ahead of time, going with the 3-day consecutive Niseko United All Mountain Pass for 35,000 yen (about US$225). Compared to what I’m used to seeing at places like Vail or Tahoe, it felt like a steal. Later though, a few of my Japanese friends told me that by Honshu standards it’s actually pretty pricey, where many resorts there are closer to around 7,500 yen (around $50) for a day pass. Either way, we’d already built the cost into our budget, so if the pass was going to be expensive, then we were going to get every yen’s worth out of the mountain.

As we arrived in Niseko, our first stop was to get our rental gear. After comparing prices and reviews online, one spot outshined others: BIGBAN in the nearby town of Kutchan, sitting at a perfect 5/5 stars on Google. We had made a reservation to get fitted for our gear at 6 PM, as they don’t charge for the day if rentals are made after 4 PM.

As a budget-friendly shop, the gear wasn’t the newest or flashiest, but what BIGBAN lacked in brand-new inventory, they more than made up for in service, hospitality and flexibility. We showed up an hour early for our appointment, and instead of turning us away, the staff welcomed us in and got us set up without hesitation. The all-Japanese staff also clearly had experience with an international crowd and did their best to communicate with customers from all over the world.

Being a relatively novice snowboarder, they did an amazing job working with me to make sure we would be prepared for our upcoming time on the mountain. The rental process was straightforward: try on a pair of boots/helmet that fit, find a board that you like, and the employees take care of the rest.

While basic, the staff at BIGBAN helped us dial in sizing and adjusting our setups without rushing, making small talk along the way to create a warm atmosphere. It didn’t feel like a rental shop trying to upsell you; it felt like a local place that genuinely wanted you to have an amazing day on the mountain.

The staff were incredibly flexible. On our first day, my friend realized his boots were too big and his feet were sliding around inside, which made stopping and turning harder than it needed to be. We drove back to BIGBAN that afternoon, and they swapped him into a smaller size for free, no hassle. Then, on our last day, on our final run, I snapped a binding while making a hard stop. I was already bracing for a big damage fee and dreading the return. But when we brought the gear back, they told me a broken binding counts as “regular damage,” and they took it back with no extra charge. Huge relief and honestly, it said a lot about the kind of shop they are.

We went with BIGBAN’s standard rental plan: a regular board and boots for three days, plus a helmet, for 14,700 yen total (about $95)—some of the most competitive pricing we found in the area. Even if you are a novice boarder, I recommend opting for the "Premium" board upgrade (an extra 2,400 yen). As you progress over three days, the added stability of a higher-end board is worth the small investment. I couldn’t say enough nice things about BIGBAN and I would recommend them to anyone who isn't concerned with renting the top of the line brands.

With on-resort hotels exceeding $1,000 per night, we decided to stay off-mountain and booked a vacation rental in Kutchan. This was close enough for easy access to the slopes, especially since we had a car. Note that there is a bus service for those without a rental, and you can read more about it below.

Although the property was on the simple side, it had everything we needed. Our thinking was that if we were going to spend most of our waking hours on the mountain, it didn’t make sense to blow the budget on a fancy room we’d barely be in. The highlight of the property was the view: Mount Yotei staring you in the face when you wake up in the morning.

We shared a room with two twin beds for 82,165 yen (about $525) for four nights, which felt like a bargain for the area. The only downside is that it was a shared house with other guests, so if you’re not comfortable sharing common spaces with strangers, that’s something to keep in mind when booking.

At the suggestion of the staff at BIGBAN, we started at Niseko Annupuri, the mellowest of the four resorts. It’s the perfect place to test your rental gear and find your "snow legs." The weather was sunny with clear skies, which felt great but it also meant it was on the warmer side. So my dream of instant, chest deep powdery snow on day one didn’t exactly happen

Even so, the riding was a good warm-up, and the views from the top of the lifts were great but not as dramatic without Mount Yotei in the picture. Around midday we stopped at the Rest House for ramen and a craft beer from Yotei Brewing. It was definitely pricier than what you’d pay for ramen in most of Japan, but that’s kind of the trade-off on the mountain as you’re paying for the convenience of not having to leave the resort.

After a few more runs post-lunch we headed to Niseko Village where I noticed it was an immediate step up. Niseko United is an interconnected resort, so on a good day you can move between areas on snow by following the connecting lifts and traverses near the top of the mountain. In our case, though, a few of those higher connecting lifts were closed, which meant that instead of riding straight from one resort to the next, driving or taking the shuttle is necessary to hop between base areas.

The lifts were bigger, the terrain opened up, and the views of Mount Yotei were unreal. This is where I found some of my favorite runs of the trip: long, winding trails that forced me to stay on edge and really commit to sharper turns instead of just cruising.

The only letdown was the main gondola closed at 3:30 PM, and we only got to ride it once before it was closed for the day. There was only one smaller lift open in Niseko Village and we had heard that there was night skiing available.

We went to the largest resort, Grand Hirafu, to see if we could squeeze in a few more runs after dark as we had seen plenty of lights on the mountain the night before and were optimistic that we would get some snowboarding done under the lights.

Unfortunately, the two main gondolas, King and Ace, also closed at 3:30 PM, and only two small lifts on opposite edges of the resort were open. With everyone funneled onto the same few runs, the snow got tracked out fast and turned icy as the night went on. It was fun, but it wasn’t quite the dreamy “night skiing in Niseko” experience we’d imagined from social media and felt more like a crowded, late-day scramble. Knowing this in advance can help set realistic expectations.

Hokkaido weather, especially earlier in the snow season, can be fickle - something we hadn’t realized before our trip. We were hungry for the Japow we came for, so we started at Grand Hirafu as soon as the lifts opened. The morning looked promising with clear skies, sunshine, and great views of Mount Yotei, but still no sign of the legendary Niseko powder.

Nevertheless, there’s a reason Grand Hirafu is the most popular base area. You could spend an entire day here without getting bored. The two main gondolas fit eight people and are fully enclosed, which is a luxury when the wind picks up. The newly opened King Hooded Lift #3 keeps you warm while taking you higher up the mountain, where the terrain opens up even more.

With wide trails and a solid mix of difficulties, it never felt like we were trapped doing the same few runs. Even though the resort was clearly busy, there were moments where we’d drop into a section and somehow end up completely alone with the whole slope to ourselves.

As the day went on, we watched a wall of clouds move closer and thought we were finally getting some snow. But around 2 PM the clouds arrived without the flakes, and instead we got hit with thick fog that hung over the mountain for the rest of the afternoon. Visibility dropped to almost nothing, and riding went from fun to survival-mode. At one point I got lost in the fog and somehow ended up alone, unintentionally finding the terrain park at the fourth resort, Hanazono.

The signage on the mountain is pretty easy to follow, but when visibility was low, trusting my gut and taking a wrong turn ended up being quite the time-consuming mistake.

Lesson learned: when you can’t see ten feet in front of you, snowboarding stops being relaxing and becomes a bit stressful. After finally making my way back to Grand Hirafu, we had time for one more run before the big lifts closed at 3:30 PM before getting a few more runs in after dark on the other side of the resort.

The situation was the same as the day before: only one small lift opened and with everyone congregating there, the snow turned into ice pretty quick. Day 2 started great, but the fog made it a little less enjoyable so we were hoping for better conditions on our last day.

Our last day started off with the worst conditions of the entire trip. We decided to start the day off back at Niseko Village, but when we arrived it was raining and just as foggy as the day before.

Even up near the top of the mountain, it was drizzling. One of my favorite runs from earlier in the trip was basically ruined; the rain turned the surface slick, making it hard to commit to turns without sliding out. After a couple frustrating laps, we decided the conditions clearly weren’t in our favor, so we packed up and headed back to Grand Hirafu to see if our luck would change there.

It was still foggy and drizzling when we got back to Grand Hirafu, but at that point we didn’t really have a choice as we were determined to make the most of our last day. So we powered through, hoping the weather would finally break. After a few runs, we took the same route I’d accidentally ended up on the day before and cruised over to Hanazono.

With some lifts closed it didn’t have as much variety. Aside from a couple mellow green runs, it had some of the steepest slopes we rode on the trip. It was fun for a change of pace, but many of the runs felt like straight shots downhill rather than long, winding trails.

We only did a handful of laps before heading back. Grand Hirafu had been the standout for us for the whole trip, and we wanted to finish the trip where it felt the most complete.

On the way back, we stopped at the Boyo-so Rest House for katsu curry and a couple of Sapporo beers (cash only) and being on the resort again, our lunch ran about 6,000 yen ($38), which again was pricy but forgivable since we didn’t want to waste precious time on our last day finding somewhere off the resort.

Luckily though, that lunch break was the turning point. After two and a half days of fog and drizzle, our bad luck finally ran out. The light rain faded, and then, almost casually, it started to snow. Even with only a few hours left, those were easily the best hours of the entire trip. The snow was dry and powdery and felt like gliding over sugar making everything feel smoother.

Turning was easier, speed felt more controlled, and every run was fun again. While it didn't snow for long, getting even a taste of the Niseko powder I’d been seeing all over social media was enough to make the whole trip feel worth it. We managed to catch the gondola one last time before it closed at 3:30 PM, and we took our time on our final descent slowing down to soak in the views, picking fresh lines, and floating through new snow all the way back to the bottom.

Of course, the morning of our departure we woke up to see snow absolutely dumping over Niseko. With our lift passes done, there was nothing we could do but stare out the window in envy. If the mountain was trying to send a message, it was pretty clear it was saying we have to come back.

Overall, even with unpredictable December weather, Niseko delivers. We rarely dealt with long lift lines. January is a different beast: I’m seeing videos of Niseko absolutely dumping snow but insanely long gondola queues to match. But if you want the powder without the 30-minute lift lines, late December provides a great balance of accessibility and action. Being able to keep moving, explore different resorts, and rack up laps made the trip more enjoyable than I expected, and all on a reasonable budget.

Written by: Hikaru Carolin