Why Book a Ski Apartment with a Kitchen in Niseko or Hakuba

David

A ski apartment with a kitchen lets you cook breakfast and a few dinners from supermarket food, which helps most in Niseko and Hakuba, where popular restaurants often fill up in peak weeks and eating out every night adds up. Food you buy to take away is taxed at Japan's reduced 8% rate, while restaurant meals and all alcohol are taxed at 10% (National Tax Agency). For a family or a group staying a week, that difference and the absence of waiting for tables are the main reasons to book one.

When is a kitchen worth it?

For trips of five nights or more, for families with young children who eat early, and for anyone with allergies, halal or vegetarian needs. Cooking for yourself means you know what is in the food. For a two or three night trip, or if you are staying ski-in ski-out in a hotel with a restaurant, the benefit is smaller.

In Niseko Hirafu and Hakuba, the restaurants that visitors talk about tend to be booked out over Christmas, New Year and Chinese New Year. Having the option to cook on the nights you could not get a table takes pressure off planning. Our ski-in ski-out guide covers what to check about location and gear storage before you book.

Where do you buy groceries in Niseko and Hakuba?

Opening hours change between seasons, so check the store's listing before you go. If you have no car, a taxi to the supermarket and back once or twice a week is usually easier than carrying bags on a bus.

What can you cook easily?

Japanese supermarkets make it simple to cook without a full pantry:

• Nabe (hot pot). Buy a packet or bottle of nabe soup base, a tray of thinly sliced pork or beef, and a pack of cut vegetables and tofu. Simmer everything in one pot on the table or the stove.
• Rice. Many apartments have a rice cooker; check the listing. Rice with furikake seasoning, natto or a raw egg is a cheap breakfast.
• Ready meals. Supermarkets sell bento, sushi trays and fried chicken, and often mark them down in the evening. Convenience stores sell the same kind of food around the clock.

Alcohol from the supermarket is taxed at 10% like any alcohol, but it is still far cheaper than a bar.

What to check before you book

• Equipment: a stove (often IH induction, which needs flat-bottomed pans), pots, a rice cooker, a fridge large enough for a group, and enough plates and chairs for everyone.
• Rubbish rules. Japanese towns sort waste into several types, and apartments usually leave instructions. Follow them, because bags that are not sorted may not be collected.
• Distance to a shop. An apartment that is ski-in ski-out but a 20-minute drive from the nearest supermarket works only if you have a car or shop once on arrival.

Dietary needs

A kitchen is the most reliable way to manage halal, vegetarian or allergy diets in a ski town, because many dishes use dashi stock, pork or mirin that are not obvious from a menu. Our halal and vegetarian food guide for Niseko and Hakuba lists the label words to look for and what to order when eating out. For a bigger party, our guide to organising a group ski trip covers the planning.

FAQ

Are groceries cheaper than eating out in Japan?

Generally yes, especially for breakfast and for groups. Take-away food is taxed at 8% instead of 10%, and you avoid resort restaurant prices.

Can I get groceries delivered in Niseko or Hakuba?

Some apartment operators and concierge services offer grocery shopping or delivery. Ask your accommodation, because availability varies by season.