Hokkaido Part 2: Niseko + Overnight Trips with Kids

    Niseko is known as a ski resort, so summer is a great time to go if avoiding crowds is a vacation criteria. Hokkaido is the most expansive region in Japan, and places are far apart from each other. Committing to one location meant foregoing others due to distance. We chose Niseko because it has a beautiful river, nice mountain trails, and other outdoor activities such as fruit picking and farm visiting. Since Hokkaido is the northernmost island of the main Japanese islands, it typically enjoys dry and mild summers. Unfortunately, like other places around the world, this summer has been atypical in Hokkaido with lots of rain. 

    We flew into New Chitose Airport in Sapporo and rented a car to drive to Niseko. My mother-in-law, a lifelong Tokyo resident, described Hokkaido as being "just like America." With its majestic mountains and sweeping plains, I did feel like I was somewhere in the American west. The landscape felt refreshingly expansive compared to the main island. Like most places with big spaces, however, the easiest way to get around with kids and luggage is by car. There is a train line that runs from New Chitose Airport to Niseko, but there are not many taxis in Niseko to take you to your final destination. 

    About twenty minutes away from Niseko is a charming area at the foot of Yoteisan where a subterranean river gushes out in streams and little waterfalls. The water is cold and clear, and we saw other visitors who had brought jugs to fill up with this mountain water. I am instinctively skeptical of claims of untreated water being pure. Perhaps this is unfair, but how many things left in nature is "pure"? Where there is people, there is industry, and where there is industry, there is usually pollution. Then again, I thought, no one has been known to become ill despite crowds of people going there to drink the water. Despite my doubts, I dove in alongside the others to fill up my water bottle, and I have to say that it tasted amazing. Cold and pristine. So good was this water that E, whom we always have to encourage to drink more water, drank two bottles. She subsequently used the toilet three times in the next hour. 

    My favorite things about Japanese hotels are the pajamas and the futons (the Japanese bed kind, not the sofa bed kind). Hotels provide adult pajamas, and some provide child pajamas (in different sizes even). This means fewer things to pack. The futons are great for kids because I don't have to worry about cribs or kids falling off beds. Since my kids sleep in their own beds at home, they love the novelty of sleeping together on futons. I also like that the futon rooms create separate a sleeping space. Futons are set up on tatami mats in traditional rooms enclosed by sliding doors. With young kids, this gave us the freedom to stay up past 8pm in our hotel room. 

    We wanted to take advantage of Hokkaido's great outdoors and had planned for the whole family to go rafting on our first full day there. With the kids in tow, we had chosen a gentle rafting course that "even two year olds can experience." The rafting company we booked supplied wetsuits, footwear, and life vests. Along with a few other families, we met at their lodge to change. Then we were all driven to the river, where we were given tips and safety instructions. We rafted a stretch of the river that was calm, and even though there were a few thrills, it was very much still a controlled environment. One of the things I love about traveling in Japan is that outdoor activities are accessible to a wide audience. Like snorkeling in Okinawa last autumn, it was surprisingly inexpensive. Moreover, the rafting was marketed as something anyone could enjoy rather than an extreme activity for thrill-seekers. Our guides simply loved what they did, and loved sharing it. 

    We didn't make it to fruit picking because of the rain, but we did go to an ostrich farm. Ostriches are strikingly tall and aggressive. Surprisingly, they co-exist peacefully with cows. The two species live on opposite sides of a single pasture and mind their own business. We bought some ostrich feed, consisting mostly of corn, and headed to their large enclosure. E cautiously threw them the feed at some distance. M walked straight up to the ostriches, hand extended, throwing food at close range. The ostriches gawked and pecked at each other to get to the food first. Then, out of the blue (or maybe not for someone more familiar with these crazy birds), one of them bit M's hand. It was not a bite meant to hurt her but rather a "Hey you! Give me some food right now!" type of bite. She was just a bit startled, and her hand was a little red. I'm sure my scream attracted more attention than the bite itself. After that, we calmed down with a snack at the farm's cafe, and all was well. There you have it, the ostrich farm.  

Known as the food basket of Japan, farming is one of Hokkaido's main industries. When you buy dairy products in Tokyo, it will likely say "from Hokkaido," with a map of the region on the package. Hokkaido is cow country and the touristy areas are landmines of soft serve ice cream advertising Hokkaido dairy. While Hokkaido is also known for beef and seafood, what we really wanted was an abundant dinner full of seasonal vegetables. And we were able to end the first part of our trip with just that. 

A salad from Japan's land of plenty. 

Hokkaido Part 1: Traveling with Kids Within Japan

    For the summer holidays, we debated whether to return to the US, go to Europe, or stay in Japan. I wanted to visit family and my dog in the U.S., but Japan was still requiring Covid testing for returning residents. With the hodgepodge masking situation there and my spouse's limited vacation days, I didn't want to risk getting infected while abroad. My parents plan to visit us soon anyways, so we decided to postpone the American trip. As for Europe, some of the the same problems applied. In addition, airplane tickets to Europe are really expensive at the moment. So Japan it was. Since we had already visited Okinawa down south, we headed to Hokkaido up north this time. 

    From Tokyo, you can travel to Hokkaido by Shinkansen or by airplane. The Shinkansen takes over four hours and stops at Hakodate, located in the south of Hokkaido. We wanted to go to Niseko, which is really far from Hakodate, so we flew. As our second time flying domestically with the kids, we knew what to expect. Plus, M is now more toddler and less baby, making travel (mostly) easier. Here are some differences I noticed between air travel here and in the U.S. 

    Airport parking costs less in Japan. If it is an option, it's totally worth it to have a family member or friend park and help you with the luggage and children. Once you are at the airport, the going is easy. Even when it is crowded, as it was during our trip, the staff is organized and willing to help. We traveled during Obon week, which is the peak week of summer travel in Japan. Even then, the lines at both baggage check and security were controlled and orderly. 

    Airport amenities in Japan are incredible. There are plenty of dining options that extend beyond fast food. Most airports have convenience stores that stock the same things, at the same prices, as their non-airport stores. You will never have to dehydrate yourself to save $5 on a bottle of water. I do wish there were more water fountains and bottle refill stations in Japan. Of course, if traveling is an opportunity to indulge, there are options for that too. I found a Baskin-Robbins vending machine! There was another ice cream machine placed strategically next to the kids' play area - a strategy of which I am not a fan. 

The child seat even reclines. 

    For parents especially, there is a lot to be optimistic about. You can find free luggage carts with child seating at various stations in the airport. Bathrooms are clean, and there are dedicated family bathrooms as well as changing/nursery rooms for babies. Although it varies, most airport bathrooms are touchless so that you can flush and open the door simply by waving your hand in front of a sensor. It's hard to take that for granted in year three of the pandemic. 

    As in the U.S. and anywhere else, families with young children receive priority boarding. Maybe I've gotten lucky, but the time between boarding and takeoff seems shorter. It's entirely possible that they really are faster here, as it is the land of punctuality. Oh, and if you are hoping that the airline will wreck an old stroller to get it off your hands, you won't be lucky. The airline staff handle things with utmost care. They lovingly wrapped our old stroller in plastic to be shipped to the destination. The care they took was nice of course; the plastic was unnecessary. 

   The actual plane ride is the same as anywhere else: a beverage service and maybe a toy gadget for the little ones. I would say that air travel with children is easier in Japan simply because there are fewer delays: the airport lines are well-managed, the processes are streamlined, and the staff is always helpful. In my next post, meet us at our destination in Hokkaido. We will drink mountain water, go to a public bath, and get bitten by an Ostrich.