- Free shuttle to and from the slopes for guests, also near a local bus stop - very comfy beds - very warm cosy bedrooms - warm showers - great kitchen area - restaurant - lovely family run place, staff are very kind and friendly - nature focused, with an appreciation for local wildlife which was interesting - authentic Japanese experience - ski & boot room

- Quite far from the town, though in Niseko you will have to pay a lot of money to be central; with the bus & free shuttle this wasn’t an issue, I was also able to get a taxi back some nights and they gave ski racks. - A bit cold in the common areas, though I appreciate this is to save energy as they are eco focused. The rooms were very cosy and warm which is what matters most.

The premises is a hostel that caters for skiers during Winter. We had the tatami beds in a private room and if we can cope aged 57 and 60 anybody can! It was the cheapest we could find but we enjoyed, aside from the cold showers, but it was cheap in comparison 😀

Cold communal areas, but it served a purpose!

Beautiful more traditional style accomodation in a converted elementary school. Okasan, Anan San and Marco were absolutely lovely and their friendly faces were always such a delight to see. You can tell they really care about you and making your stay the best it can be. There is a small kitchen which has everything you need and was always very clean. People mention the common areas being slightly cold, which they can be. But, most importantly the rooms are nice and toasty and the showers are piping hot. Anan San offers 2 shuttle services in the morning and pick up from the Welcome Centre at 4:30pm. Boken is also conveniently located right beside a bus stop, so it's easy to get to Hirafu or Kutchan outside of the shuttle. I thoroughly enjoyed my stay at Boken. It's nice to stay in something a little more traditional amongst the boujee hotels and air bnbs that surround Hirafu.

I thought this Boken Kazoku was a charming and wonderful place to stay. It is quite an old building and I really liked the traditional aspects of staying here. I liked the timber construction and the way the windows from my room framed views of Mt Yōtei. I enjoyed making my bed and found the Tatami mat to be pretty comfortable, once I'd figured it out. I liked taking your shoes off at the front door and using the slippers provided while inside. I liked the restaurant and the food they served at both breakfast and dinner, to me it felt very traditionally Japanese and was very tasty. They offer drinks and snacks to buy as well, which was more than helpful when I and some of the other guests needed some late at night and we didn't want to go out. A potential downside is its location, however the staff offer transfers to and from the mountain everyday and they even picked me up from the train station when I arrived. There is also a bus stop that can take you to Kutchan, but it only runs at certain times. Some have said it can be a little cold and while that is true, the heater in my room was more than enough and I did find myself getting a bit too hot at times. From everything, Boken Kazoku offers a quaint and relaxed experience that felt traditionally Japanese and accessible enough for me as someone who doesn't speak Japanese. I stayed in a couple of places while in Japan and of all of them, I wish I had stayed longer here.

The location is a potential downside. While I did use the transfer service they offer, sometimes it wasn't available. One occasion, I had stayed out late for Night skiing, then took my time in Hirafu before trying to get back. As it was late, the staff can't offer to pick you up at that time and the local busses didn't stop at the stop after a certain time either. I am very able bodied and was happy to walk back, but it did take about an hour from Nisekohirafu. Just something to be mindful of, if you plan your day better than I did, this would not be a problem.

We loved our stay at Boken. The converted schoolhouse is such a charming building and Mr Anan's warm hospitality made us feel right at home. We especially enjoyed the comforting, home cooked dinners and the onsen bus that the hostel runs every evening. The location is a little ways from the ski resorts and the public bus isn't great, but we just made sure to catch the daily transfer to and from Boken. Overall, we couldn't have asked for a better base for our little ski holiday.

I guess I didn’t read the description but it’s a really cool property, it’s an old school turned into a hostel. The owners were extremely nice and communicated everything well. There a bus stop for both directions at the entrance making it very accessible to either town. When I got hurt and had to go to the hospital the grandma at the property who used to be a nurse helped re bandage my ankle after the hospital didn’t do a good job and everyone checked on me every day. It was really sweet.

Nothing to complain about, for the price compared to everything else around you can’t go wrong

Staff was great and very helpful. Overall a very charming stay. The shuttles to the ski resort in the morning and pickup after were incredible. The driver was so nice!

This is not indicative of the lodge itself but as it's not in central Hirafu, without a car, getting back was from Hirafu was somewhat tricky after the nightbus stops running at 9pm. Taxis are available but you can wait around 30mins if you don't reserve ahead of time. Hallways were a bit cold but warmth of the rooms made up for it.

Very welcoming, kind, and helpful family running the guesthouse. The building has history of being an elementary school and host students in the summer to learning about the surrounding wildlife. A much better option for a business to support rather than the resort lodges in Niseko.

There was only one burner in the kitchen. It worked well but a bit difficult to cook full meals.

Such a unique stay in a converted school. Everyone was so friendly and helpful :) Much cheaper than in Hirafu and just down the road.

If getting the night bus, it can be full. Take it from the welcome centre (the first stop) if you want a seat! They don’t always stop at the hostel and have driven all the way to Kutchan in the past, so make sure they’ll stop there before boarding as the walk back from Kutchan is LONG

The hostel has a lovely, homely atmosphere. The staff are kind and accommodating. It's a great place for meeting people. The food is great and reasonably priced. The shuttle buses to and from the mountain are perfect, as well as the Onsen trips.

It's far from the main town so don't stay here if you want to be in the hustle and bustle. It's also quite cold as it's a large, old building.