You’ve been out carving all day, your feet are killing you, and now you need to lug all of your gear back to your accommodation. It’s not an ideal situation.  Luckily, Niseko offers a lot of different valet services that allow you to store your gear overnight and collect them in the morning before you go out riding.  If you’re staying at a hotel that doesn’t offer ski storage services or is situated a little too far from the hill to carry your gear everyday, here are your best options for valet: Niseko Tokyu Grand Hirafu Mountain Centre  Skiing Grand Hirafu has never been easie ..read more

No matter what time of year you visit Niseko, it’s guaranteed to be a fun time. Although, if you’re looking for a bustling atmosphere with various events on offer, there’s no better time than Chinese (Lunar) New Year. In 2024, the Lunar New Year marks the Year of the Dragon, symbolising power, nobility, honour, luck, and success. To mark this commemorative event, we’ve compiled a list of Niseko’s different events on offer and the gear you’ll need to celebrate the Year of the Dragon in style. QUICK NAVIGATION WHAT’S ON IN NISEKO ESSENTIAL GEAR LOCAL STYLE GEAR LUX END GEAR What's On Arou ..read more

Want to come to Niseko for a family holiday, but still want the freedom of enjoying après and riding more advanced terrain? We’ve got you sorted, drop the young ones off at Kids Week and enjoy carefree skiing for 5 days. But don’t listen to us, take it from the ones who know best. We sat down with 4 of the groms shredding it up at Kids Week to hear their insider take on why they love the program. From their favourite lunches, to stand out activities, to the smelliest instructor–Anna, Tyson, Parker and Chase will fill you in on all of the details you need to know. Hey guys, thanks for let ..read more

When you’re planning your trip to Japan, it can be a stressful time. Itineraries, accommodation, airport transfers–it can become a whirlwind. Then, when it comes time to decide on the lift pass that will best suit your needs, it adds a whole new layer of planning and preparation. We wanted to make this process easy for you, so we’ve curated a step-by-step guide on the different kinds of tickets, the differences between each resort’s passes, and the varying benefits of each pass. Niseko Lift Passes Hakuba Lift Passes Furano Lift Passes Types of Niseko Passes There are four main types of ..read more

To settle your first question: No, premium doesn’t mean good, and standard doesn’t mean bad. All of Rhythm Japan’s gear is hand selected based on quality, practicality, and different usage needs to ensure that all of our customers are rented boards/skis that’ll best suit their experience and riding style. There are, however, differences between the models and who they will be most suited for.  We’ve broken down the nitty-gritty specifics of the two to make the decision as to if you should look into hiring premium or standard gear during your trip to Japan as easy as possible.  Firs ..read more

You finally conquer getting off the lift, sit down, strap in, and then think… ‘how do I stand up?’ It’s a struggle that every beginner snowboarder faces. Luckily, Burton’s new STEP ON system is here to save the day. Newly introduced to Rhythm Japan’s rental and retail fleet, these bindings are perfect for lower-intermediate to advanced riders. Burton’s STEP ON bindings make snowboarding faster, easier, and more comfortable.  STEP ON bindings can only be attached while standing up, meaning you never need to spend time sitting down in the snow or doing a balancing act to strap in as yo ..read more

For every skier and snowboarder who associates alpine sports with shredding deep powder, creating tracks in tree-lines and pushing themselves in the terrain park, there’s an equal number who automatically think of blisters, crammed toes and stiff plastic tightly hugging their feet. It’s a pain we’ve all felt, and one that can easily ruin your day out riding. Which is why when it comes to conquering the slopes, your boots can make all the difference to your experience.  So at Rhythm, we understand the importance of finding that perfect fit. That’s why we offer cutting-edge boot fittin ..read more

Exciting news for Niseko visitors! Navigating Hirafu over the winter months just got a whole lot easier, with the Hirafu Free Shuttle beginning operation for the season. In addition to the Niseko United Shuttle Bus that connects all four major resorts, the Hirafu area loop bus will be running from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily, with select services until 10 p.m. on certain days.  With the Hirafu East and Kabayama lines running every 30 minutes, and the Lower and Middle Hirafu lines running every 20 minutes, it’s never been easier to duck between the slopes, convenience stores, and back to y ..read more

“Will this keep me warm? Is this going to keep me dry? Oh, this jacket’s perfect… but it adds an extra 3 kilograms onto my luggage.” We get it, packing for Niseko can be a difficult task, especially if it’s your first time making the trek to Japan and you don’t really know what to expect.  That’s why Rhythm Japan has decided to make life a whole lot easier by creating a central recommendation hub for all those who are still unsure on what gear to pack. Here you’ll find custom picks from local legends who have spent a wealth of time exploring Niseko’s mountains, their conditions, and th ..read more

In huge news for Japan winter 2022/23, the Japanese government today announced that fully independent tourists may enter Japan from October 11, 2022.   Visa-free travel will resume Independent travellers may enter the country (no tour groups or travel agents necessary) The daily border entry cap will be removed   The announcement comes four months after Japan tentatively allowed the first small tour groups into the country in May following two years of strictly closed borders. A series of incremental steps to relax restrictions on entry have been introduced throughout the y ..read more