Heading up to Niseko for some snow activities. It was a fairly easy 2 hour train ride from Sapporo to the mountains with some beautiful scenery on the way up including a stretch along the sea and some snowy landscapes.
After settling in, we decided to grab a casual dinner at one of the many local izakayas, Koharuya. It was oddly located in the middle of a residential part of the city surrounded by what seemed to be AirBNBs with many foreigners milling about. The building itself looked like a converted ski house with a small downstairs bar area and a loft upstairs with a few tables. The place itself was packed and energetic with a constant stream of diners coming in.
Great drink menu. I got a great imo sochu (Akakirishima) and an awamori (Tama no tsuyu). The wife got a couple of Hokkaido sakes.
Plus a wide variety of food. We got a bunch of Hokkaido specials including venison, oysters, huge scallops cooked table side, and of course huge cuts of sashimi. There was even this weird Frankenstein sausage with a rib bone stuck in it and grilled. Not sure the rib added any flavor but it was definitely a nice visual.
