daily expenses Niseko

[Legolas]

I know that many of you are single, but we are just nutting out our Yenage for Niseko (25dtg I think).

We will have our accomodation, ski hire, ski school and lift passes all paid for before we go.

That leaves food, living, gifts, travel.

What do you reckin the average family of five would spend a day? (keeping in mind that I don't need any more appliances this year graemlins/big_laugh.gif )

[JA2340]

Two of us, last year, spent around 2000 dollars worth in a 11 day stay at Hirafu plus 4 days sightseeing in Osaka. A train ride to Sapporo on a "lay" day was paid out of cash reserves.

As you have, we'd paid accom, lifts - own skis and gear - so pretty much we were spending on same as you. Admittedly, the 100Yen Noodle was still there then - damn shame it's been redeveloped!

2 sleeps in Oz!! :cheers:

[popshuvit]

I think I would have spent between 3,000 and 5,000 yen per day (depending if I ate lunch on the mtn, which is definately cheaper to buy than than in OZ)
That would include dinner (I agree with JA2340 about the 100 yen noodle place.. favourite dinner spot) plus beverages (beer/coke etc).
The beer is quite cheap cause you can buy a 6 pack of 500ml cans in the seko mart for if my memory serves me 1,700 yen.

[BlueHue]

I spent about 5000-6000 Yen a day. Same as you Legs with lifts and accom. and ski gear all paid up front.

Also I did not do many side trips or extra travel though but overall did not do it on the cheap as much as some do.

[Legolas]

thanks guys

so. Five of us (2 adults 3 kids). Perhaps 18 000 - 20 000 a day?

and I am right in converting that to roughly a couple of hundred a day?

and am assuming this would roughly cover groceries, snacks on mountain, eating out a lot (I'm on holidays), a few souveniers (that looks wrong) and gifts.

I'm just gonna not go near the ski shops or I'll go silly (and Pods will attest to my appliance frenzy at the sales).

Thanks guys.

(I know, I'm being anual -u, which is really really not like me, but with three littlies, and minimal communication skills I'm just not leaving anything to chance).

[ 10.01.2008, 05:52 PM: Message edited by: Legolas ]

[Podlettte]

There really isn't anything inspiring as far as ski shops in Niseko, though the ski clothing is prety good! Didn't look at prices for value etc, just noticed there was lots of nice stuff.

There are 2 souvenier type shops I'd HIGHLY recommend which might blow your budget a bit :D

One is in a little street opposite Seicomart and is the last building on the right, or next to last, set back a bit. I got some gorgeous stuff there, really different to the rest of the touristy stuff. I can point out on the Niseko map where it is if you need me to.

The other was on the right hand side as you head down the hill towards the traffice lights, and was er.... near the postoffice....? Same building I think and while it had the same t shirts etc as elsewhere, they had cotton or satin Yakura which is the undercoat for a kimono.

My sister went to another place called Sakura, which had loads of great stuff by the sounds of it, but I wasn't around at the right times during the day when it was open. It's on a side street 3/4 of the way down the road towards the traffic lights, on the left.

[Podlettte]

oh and as for daily expenses, I decided it was better if I didn't do those sums graemlins/big_laugh.gif

[Legolas]

shopppppiiiiiiing :rubshandsreachesformapwithgreenpen:

[Podlettte]

:D

[eckstar]

Hey Legs , sounds like you had better save some yen for excess luggage charges :D

[karen97]

My ski bag weighs 18kg already :( Me thinks I will have to save up too

[Legolas]

do Qantas charge excess?

[karen97]

Yeppo

[rover]

been there the last 2 years, first year we got away with about $50 per day to cover lunch, dinner, drinks and other expenses (read grog), last year with a bit more travelling around and a few lavish dinners we did about $70 per day per person.

Flew JAL both times and was over weight both times, but got away with it OK...we just kept the excess to an absolute minimum and carried on the heavier items

[tambo]

right now we are spending about 3500 yen for great lunch for 5 people and same for dinner including drinks, but not alcohol...although that is reasonably cheap.
Our Nokia Navigator phones are working fine, and we can use Visa card at seicomart and a few other places. Cash withdrawals from machine in Kutchan Post Office, easy to get to from Hirafu on either Kutchan bus or Doonan bus... runs about every hour.... You will have a blast !!!!

[Legolas]

thanks again all

[eckstar]

doing a prelim pack this weekend , while I can get away with 30kgs on qantas as a ff and club member , I'm not sure whether the JAL internals will be so kind. Mind you the last two years I have been 5 kg o/weight and the check in staff just smiled politley at me let me through.

[Legolas]

Mr legs is ff. So does that mean he can carry a little more?

So, is Qantas 20kg as well?

[Podlettte]

JAL domestic flights are a sight to behold when the locals get on! We were the only non locals on our oasaka sapporo flight and they all had 2 big (= 2 @ twice the size of the usual allowable JAL handluggage) bags and they were almost fighting to stuff them in the overheads. SO many had to be moved around the plane as the overheads wouldn't shut properly :eek:

All the while the hosties smiled away as if all was normal

[BlueHue]

The best story I've heard of are Brits flying to Europe for a ski holiday with the ski boots on so they don't count as part of luggage!

Legs, check out the QANTAS website, I'm sure somewhere on it they will have their policy on luggage weights.

[Podlettte]

I know a couple of SIers who joked about having to do that as they were over the baggage limits (packed stuff in the ski bags as well as their suitcase! graemlins/big_laugh.gif WAYYYYYYyyyyy too much luggage for me

[BlueHue]

Travel light IMO. You can always fill up space in your luggage with purchases along the way if you don't take enough.

If I saw someone travelling on a plane with ski boots on I think I'd struggle to keep my laughter to myself.

[Legolas]

ok. Got it. Here it is for anyone wondering qantas luggage info international (http://www.qantas.com.au/info/flying/beforeYouTravel/baggageAddCollection)

[rover]

Originally posted by Podlettte:
I know a couple of SIers who joked about having to do that as they were over the baggage limits (packed stuff in the ski bags as well as their suitcase! graemlins/big_laugh.gif WAYYYYYYyyyyy too much luggage for me I threatened JAL I would do this if I had to....JAl charge stupid high amounts for excess

[Podlettte]

My point being that if you have to wear your ski boots onto the plane, perhaps you've overpakced?

[skichic]

Originally posted by BlueHue:

If I saw someone travelling on a plane with ski boots on I think I'd struggle to keep my laughter to myself. methinks BH is in for a real eyeopener very soon ;) graemlins/cold.gif

[ 12.01.2008, 03:22 PM: Message edited by: skichic ]

[ssar]

Yes, Re: a Rough guage of Yen expenses per day in a place like Niseko..

I was hoping to get away with around AUD$90 a day.

But with the AUD-JPY exchange rates trends over the past 12 months that may have been realistic during Feb 2008 (when AUD$1 = JPY90), but now a year later when AUD$1 less than JPY60 this is looking difficult.

I'll probably have to snag around JPY70,000 in cash for our 12 days (equates to around JPY5800 per day), which costs around AUD$1250 to buy at the moment.

Even then I think I might be pushing it sometimes if we really hook into the booze a bit.

[Tobi]

Is that including lift tickets?

[ssar]

Originally posted by Tobi:
Is that including lift tickets? Naa, just food, drinks, post cards, stamps, possible international phone card/calls, taxi maybe.

All the big stuff is already paid for (at a much better exchange rate several months ago thankfully) - Niseko all Mountain Ski pass, Airfares, most transfers, accommodation.

[ssar]

I think that Japan has some of the lowest prices for quality local and imported spirits in the world. Especially in the convenience stores. You'd be spewing if you lugged pricier duty-free spirits all the way here.




Agree GR we bought Duty Free and were devoed when it was much cheaper at the local supermarket than our so called Duty Free.


That's great info, thanks.
This appear to be the go, from what I hear too - others agree as well?

For our upcoming trip to Niseko & back I might just look at duty free booze when coming back in from JPY to SYD.

[Bear]

You can't get Bundy over there though. ;)

[ssar]

Originally posted by Bear:
You can't get Bundy over there though. ;) Oooh, at a glance that sounds like a GOOD thing to me!
I'd prefer not to be tempted by rum ;)

Also, one of the guys in our crew is apparently a pretty hardcore ****head, I wouldn't be surprised if he loved the odd bottle of Rum.
And if Rum options are limited over there he may just remain a little more in control some days!

[Bear]

You can get rum just not Bundy.

[Charles]

Blah to rum..

O' Sake!