Niseko Station in autumn 2025 !

by Kazu

The train turning machine was still there to make those retired train in service and on the rail again. The house of the predecessor of the current "Niseko Go" was put the sign of "finger-pointing reassurance" on the wall as well as the one of "Niseko Railway Heritage". 

for the train and railway manias, some benches, table and chairs were set in front of the old locomotives near the station. A few people were taking photos there.

The local train in service for the citizens and the tourists arrived in the station.

 

Niseko Station !

 

by Kazu

An old locomotive is displayed near Niseko Station with its water-supply facility in service before. They seemed to be well-maintained so much that we could felt the love of the trains particularly the old locomotive. 

This is the predecessor of the current Special Exclusive Express Train "Niseko Go" that connected Sapporo City and Niseko Town. The design is nostalgic and the windshield is so large compared to its successor. 

Of course, the train settled in its house making the use of the special railway led to there but it seemed to be so small and uncomfortable for the retired train, unfortunately.

Arrived in Niseko by Train !

 

by Kazu

This is the perspectives of Niseko Area and Shakotan Peninsula. This area has already filled up with the tourists including skiers in winter but soon even in the green season, it will allure hectic mount of tourists from overseas. 

So-called over-tourism should be treated even now and the advertisement of the tourism should be focused on the affluent tourists with good travel manner, I think.

The taxation on staying in the hotels and inns in Hokkaido should be allocated to the countermeasures to the over-tourism and epidemics including pandemic such as covid-19 and its variant strains, I think.  

"Eki Ben" Meal Package in Hokkaido !

by Kazu

The Special Exclusive Express Train "Niseko Go" 2025 had come to the platform of Sapporo Station. With the pink body of the locomotive of the train, it was known by almost all the train mania in Japan.

Our choice for breakfast on the train was the meal package called"Eki-ben" like rice-bowl topped with grilled salmon flakes and salmon roe called "Sake Meshi" in Japanese produced in Ishikari Region including Sapporo City.   

The other one was "Seafood Ezo" meal package topped with sea urchin, crab meat, salmon roe, pickled veggie grilled salmon and grilled flatfish. It must be luxury breakfast speaking of the quality, not the amount. 

 

Special Exclusive Express Train "Niseko Go" 2025!

by Kazu

The Special Exclusive Express Train "Niseko Go 2025" was coming to the platform of Sapporo Station. We would take it to go to Niseko this year, not to Hakodate as we did last year. The accommodations were much more satisfying in Niseko, we thought.

Before taking the train, we bought two meal package called "Eki-ben" and drinks on the first floor of the station and went up to the first platform of the station. My wife seemed to be excited as well as last year. 

All the cars of the train seemed to be fully booked but some people take the train on the way to Hakodate, so not so many people were on the platform and taking photos of the train on that day.

 

The Beginning of the Train Trip !

by Kazu

Not every time but so frequently, I can enjoy such beautiful scenery at at the northern end of the premises of Hokkaido University at the crack of dawn. I think the joggers early in the morning increased. 

The great art works of the nature had given us human beings irresistible delights and inspiration since the ancient era  but nowadays, the collaboration of nature and the artificial buildings and facilities gave a twists to the art. 

The co-existing natural and artificial beings show us their unbelievable countenances sometimes and teach us the delights to live in this beautiful world. The malice and greediness can not overwhelm them, I hope. 

 

The Rainbow of Hope !

by Kazu

At the end of summer, there were few families on the beach. It might be a little bit too cold to dive into the ocean even at the shallow point. But for kids, it didn't matter.

The next day, I saw a rainbow over a certain seafood wholesale company building on my way of regular jogging early in the morning. The weak sunshine at the crack of dawn made it and gave a sign.

Absolutely, it was kind of privilege for the early birds joggers and workers.The beautiful start of the day was a godsend and it might show us the end of summer and coming autumn.

 

Wilderness Cafe in Yoichi Town 2025 !

by Kazu 

A hectic amount of orange pumpkins were displayed in front of Niseko Station and along the road in the town. I didn't see many " Jack O'lantern" in the town.I knew the difficulty of picking out the ingredient of the huge pumpkins.

On our way back to Sapporo, we dropped by " Wilderness Cafe"  on the beach of Yoichi Town where famous distillery of Nikka acquired by Asahi Beverage is located.

As you may know, the founder of Nikka Whisky Company Mr. Masataka Taketsuru and his wife Rita are sleeping under the ground of somewhere in the Town.

 

Halloween in Niseko !

by Kazu

I've not stayed in the penthouse of Hotel Setsu Niseko but to collect the investors, the photos of the rooms on the top floor was shown on the wall of the hotel. 

The bar for supper was empty at noon on that day but sometimes,  small violin concerts had held at around four o'clock or five before. Listening to the sound of the violin near the fireplace was so comfortable and healing.

Mt. Yotei looked like wearing a cap of white cloud. On my way to the parking lot, I found tiny pretty flowers on the slope. They rarely draw attentions of the guests of the hotel but many crickets were whispering under the flowers so nicely. 

 

The Singapore Company Complated the design !

 

by Kazu

Our favorite Hotel Setsu Niseko seemed to be collecting the investors, considering the fascinating display on the wall of the hotel. Each room has so nice IH cooking system and laundry machine. 

I heard that the hotelier stuck to the design of the exteriors and interiors of the hotel. 

The in-house ramen noodle restaurant "Afuri" headquartered in Tokyo? will draw so many tourists and skiers soon in winter. There were a few tourists in the restaurant at lunch time on that day.

The Sushi Bar "Katou Inori" in the hotel seemed to involved the traditional patterns on the indigenous people in Hokkaido. It put the title of "Crab Sushi" on the name of the restaurant but I've not tried crab meat in the restaurant so far. It must be so expensive.

Invest in Niseko !

by Kazu

Before leaving our favorite Hotel Setsu Niseko, 

we had  course lunch in the Sushi Bar Katou in the Hotel as I mentioned in the previous post. It was wrapped up with minced fatty belly of tuna and salmon roe.

Even now, Hotel Setsu Niseko is collecting investers. I am not sure what kind of investment is preferable for the hotelier but normally, the ownership or timeshare of the rooms in the hotel may be typical, I think.

The former chef of the sushi bar called "JJ" had retired and would soon go to Philippines to run a sushi bar owned by the local entrepreneur, I heard. Now the chef of the sushi bar was handled by a young chef and to cheer him up, such campaign was advertised on the wall of the hotel.