Finally, after a hectic wait of many months !
It' s D Day!
So, we had to cancel our ClubMed trip and switch to Rusutsu due to the norovirus outbreak.
The entire planning process was compressed into just two days of frantic research and bookings.
We shifted our schedule one day earlier and ended one day earlier too—primarily because this wasn't the all-inclusive ClubMed experience we had originally planned.
Sorting Out Kids' Ski Lessons
The biggest challenge was arranging kids' ski lessons.
At ClubMed, if my youngest didn't want to ski, she would automatically be placed in the kids club.
At Rusutsu, we need to manually move her to a nursery if she refused lessons, and there's no cancellation for pre-booked lessons with short notice.
Despite these complications, we were grateful that Rusutsu offered full-day lessons where the ski school would bring the kids for lunch, priced at 21,000 JPY—still quite reasonable.
Food and Ski Pass Planning
Food planning became another unexpected task. With ClubMed's full board eliminated, we had to research dinner options.
Thankfully, Rusutsu offered several restaurants within a 5-10 minute walk of the resort.
For ski passes, we discovered two options: the expensive daily pass at 10,500 JPY or the more economical 25-hour block pass at 31,500 JPY that could be used in one-hour increments.
With these essentials sorted, we prepared for our journey.
Day 1: The Journey Begins
Home to Airport
Because of the ski bag, we cannot take normal taxi. So fortunately, we explored teh Grab Coach 9. $60+ for the 4 of us to Airport.
Abit overkill but get the job done and no stress.
And it is advance booking too!
Korean Air Transit Experience
Korean Air offered international transit to Chitose, meaning our luggage would fly straight through without requiring collection during transit—a huge improvement over previous trips through Tokyo where we had to collect and recheck everything.
The only downside was the 23kg luggage restriction, which forced us to reduce and squeeze our load accordingly.
Arrival in Hokkaido
Our four-hour layover in Korea passed quickly with excellent airport dining.
When we finally landed in Hokkaido, we faced long queues from flight traffic delays.
The TA-Q-BIN counter for shipping luggage was inconveniently located in the domestic terminal while we arrived at the international one, though thankfully we could walk between buildings without going outside.
Car Rental and First Night
We collected our rental car from Times Rental—a Honda Freed priced at S$1,000 for eleven days with 7,700 JPY for four days of additional insurance.
Our first night's accommodation at Minn Chitose impressed us with its innovative cloud check-in system—no staff present, completely automated.
After settling in, we satisfied our hunger at Ramen Yamaokaya, where both children happily slurped noodles and rice bowls after the long travel day.
Day 2: Exploring Hokkaido's Natural Wonders
Noboribetsu Hell Valley
Our day began with a quick supermarket stop followed by a brief visit to Le Tao cafe to meet a friend before embarking on our road trip at 11:30am.
One hour later, we arrived at Noboribetsu's Hell Valley—a sulfurous landscape reminiscent of Iceland, though smaller in scale.
Entry is free but gotta find a place to park at 500JPY.
Steam rose from vents while the distinctive rotten egg smell filled the air, but viewing it from a distance meant there wasn't much to experience.
We were supposed to visit the pond as well, but was told it was closed.
So good lah. More time for the Cable Car experience.
Mount Usu Cable Car
Another hour's drive brought us to Mount Usu, where we raced to catch the cable car before its 4pm closure.
For 1,800 JPY per adult and 900 JPY per child, we ascended to views overlooking Lake Toya.
While the vistas were pleasant, I couldn't help thinking ski resort peaks offered better panoramas.
We took the cable car up at 3.15PM, 6 mins ride, and had to return at 3.55PM to take the cable car down.
Quite expensive experience if you ask me.
The children, however, thoroughly enjoyed playing in the pristine snow at the summit.
Yakiniku King Dinner Adventure
At 4:15pm, we made the ambitious decision to drive 2.5 hours to Yakiniku King in Hakodate. Because the timing not 3 not 4.
If I had early dinner, at 4PM+, I will have early food coma also.
So we decided to have some snacks and drive to our next destination to have dinner.
Upon arrival at 6:30pm, we discovered a two-hour wait for seating!
Finally seated at 8:30pm, we ordered the premium buffet featuring high-grade beef.
The kids loved the familiar format of grilling meat with sauce and rice. At 10,250 JPY with children eating free, the value was excellent despite the wait.
Stay Fav Hotel Hakodate
By the time we finished at 10:30pm, we had missed our hotel's check-in deadline, but thankfully a virtual receptionist system allowed us seamless late-night access.
The virtual receptionist process our check in as per how a real person will do it.
Then there is a machine to collect our E-Check in QR code.
So the door access uses a pin and QR code.
Wow! Super convenient!
For this stay, we book the bigger room to have 2 bunk beds, and 2 x Queen Bed. So this room can sleep 6 people. But we only had 4.
Good and spacious!
Day 3: Hakodate Sightseeing and Shopping
Goryōkaku Tower Visit
We visited Goryōkaku Tower, Hakodate's tallest structure offering panoramic city views.
While architecturally impressive, winter wasn't the most spectacular season for this attraction—lacking both spring's cherry blossoms and autumn's vibrant colors.
Sushi Lunch Experience
After queuing for lunch at a sushi restaurant reminiscent of Singapore's Sushiro but with more human touch, we dedicated our afternoon to shopping for ski gear.
Parking Drama Worth Mentioning
So, for this trip we did not change any cash. We had some 20,000 JPY leftover and some small change.
The carpark requires cash only. And when I present the ticket, it is 700jpy. I only had 400jpy in coins. and 10,000 notes which the machine don't accept,
So I had to park the car and dig the extra coins for 700jpy.
Finally I got the coins, I present the ticket. It was 800 JPY!!!
FaAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaak!
So I had to approach strangers to break the 10,000JPY to 1,000 JPY.
And remember that I went the 2nd time to present the ticket. I could not find the ticket the 3rd time!
So very panic, I searched the carpark and the car.
Don't have!
Then I saw a jam at the ticket counter. Oh, I left the ticket in the machine!
So that is also why the person (I assume a tourist too); Cannot get out of the carpark.
Lesson Learnt: Always prepare enough coins and small change for carpark.
Ski Gear Shopping Marathon
The rental shops couldn't accommodate our youngest daughter's size (she needed 15-16 when rentals started at 18-19), so we visited two major sports outlets: Alpen Sports Depot and Super Sports Xebio.
We purchased ski and boot sets for both children to avoid daily rental hassles while ensuring properly fitted equipment.
The shopping took over three hours—far longer than expected—forcing us to skip Mount Hakodate's night view that our friend said was "just mediocre" anyway.
Day 4: Ice Fishing and Arrival at Rusutsu
Ice Fishing Adventure
After checking out, we made our way toward Rusutsu with a stop for ice fishing—an interesting activity suggested by a friend and booked through Kkday.
Arriving for the 10am session, we initially had the place to ourselves but watched it fill with 20-30 people by noon.
Between the 4 of us with 3 fishing rod, we caught over ten smelt fish and enjoyed them prepared tempura-style afterward.
The kids had great fun with the easy catches, though we quickly learned to share rods as adults spent most of their time helping little ones.
Journey to Rusutsu
The drive to Rusutsu took about 2.5 hours.
Before checking in at The Vales at 4pm, we located the rental gear shop for adjusting the kids' ski equipment.
We were lucky the staff are nice enough to adjust the ski gears for the kids. But of course, Mama bought them chocolates afterwards and thank them gratefully.
First Impressions of The Vales
I was initially concerned about our accommodations being high up and seemingly far from the main chairlifts, it was a 10 mins (20 mins with kids) walk to the main area.
We were also pleased to discover our snowboards had already been delivered to our room!
The room was spacious 48sqm! A living room area, kitchen with full equipments.
The only not perfect thing is - No Bathtub.
That evening, we tried some warm-up ski practice with the children. My youngest was very scared, as this was her first time on skis.
Ski-in/Ski-out Reality Check
We quickly discovered that while The Vales advertised as "ski-in/ski-out," this mainly meant skiing down to the chairlift.
Getting back up with tired kids and gear proved challenging, so I decided we should drive down to the kids' lesson meeting place in the mornings; a much more practical solution given the long walk that would otherwise be required.
Day 5-8: Rusutsu Ski Resort Days
First Full Day of Skiing
Our first full day at Rusutsu began with an early morning drive down to the ski school meeting point.
The kids' full-day lessons started at 10am, with the instructors promising to take care of lunch.
This gave us adults the freedom to explore Rusutsu's renowned powder snow. I was impressed by the variety of terrain—from gentle green slopes perfect for beginners to challenging black runs that tested even experienced riders.
East Mountain vs. West Mountain
Rusutsu is divided into East and West mountains, each with its distinct character.
The West Mountain has two main chairlifts—one for the green beginner slopes and another accessing higher red and black runs.
The East Mountain required taking a gondola that runs frequently followed by another chairlift.
While this transfer between mountains consumed valuable skiing time, the East Mountain's long, winding runs made the journey worthwhile. I managed to clock about 20km of riding in one day—my longest distance this season!
Kids' Ski Progress
By the third day, we noticed significant improvement in both children's skiing abilities. Loti conquered her fear of speed and was confidently making turns down the beginner slopes.
Meimei, however, decided skiing wasn't for her after the first day's lesson. But she did really well and she is so proud of it.
Maybe 2nd day we did not give enough Pet Talk.
Nursery Disappointment and Babysitting Rotation
A major setback occurred when we discovered the nursery was closed on Tuesday.
When it finally opened on Wednesday, we were told it was fully booked for the entire week!
This forced us to implement a babysitting rotation for Meimei.
I took the second day, while Mama handled the third and fourth days—a significant opportunity loss for our ride time.
Had we been at ClubMed with their reliable childcare, this wouldn't have been an issue.
Home-Cooked Meals and Onsen Time
We ended up cooking in our accommodation for 4 out of 5 nights, which proved to be a blessing in disguise.
This approach saved us valuable time compared to eating out and created a comfortable routine for the children.
While one parent cooked, the other could take the kids to enjoy the onsen. These evening onsen sessions became a highlight for the children, especially after long days in the cold.
Having the flexibility to prepare simple meals in our unit also meant we could eat exactly when hungry rather than waiting for restaurant service.
TA-Q-BIN Luggage Shipping Adventure
On our final night at Rusutsu (March 20th), we visited the reception to arrange shipping our ski equipment to the airport.
We learned that standard delivery would take 3-4 days, but we only had 3 days before departure, with the items needing to arrive by March 22nd (one day before our flight).
This left us with just 2 days—cutting it extremely close.
Since we had our rental car, I explored an alternative: delivering our gear directly to the TA-Q-BIN sales office in Hirafu, Kutchan, about 30 minutes away from Rusutsu.
It was already 6pm, but I was determined to make this work.
We rushed to disassemble all bindings and packed everything into our ski bag. By 6:30pm, we were on the road to Kutchan.
We arrived at 7:05pm, only to discover we'd just missed the day's shipment, which had left precisely at 7pm (Japanese punctuality at its finest).
However, the staff explained that items dropped off this evening would still be shipped out the following day (March 21st) and would arrive at the airport on March 22nd—still meeting our timeline!
The shipping cost came to 3,600+ JPY, which seemed reasonable given the peace of mind it provided.
Yamaokaya Ramen Revisited
After our TA-Q-BIN mission, we found ourselves hungry and looking for a quick, reliable dinner option.
We decided to return to Yamaokaya Ramen, which we'd enjoyed on our first night. The children had been happy with their food there, and we appreciated the consistent quality and reasonable prices.
Sometimes familiarity is exactly what you need after a day of logistics challenges, and the warm bowls of ramen were particularly satisfying after our evening's rush to ship our gear.
Day 9: Check-out and Snow Activities
Breakfast at Oktoberfest Restaurant
For our final morning at Rusutsu, we tried breakfast at the Oktoberfest restaurantsomething we skipped on previous days due to our early starts.
While the spread was adequate, it wasn't particularly exciting—standard buffet fare with both Western and Japanese options.
Journey to Takino Snow World
After checking out, we drove 1.5 hours to Takino Snow World, a repeat destination from last year's trip.
Unfortunately, we arrived at 1pm to find it raining, with temperatures hovering between 3-5°C.
The warmer weather made us grateful we planned our ski days earlier in the trip when conditions were better.
Sledding Despite the Rain
With the weather forecast showing a break in the rain around 1:30pm, we had lunch while waiting for better conditions. Mei Mei, who had been afraid of sledding last year due to the speed, surprised us by confidently riding solo this time.
Even with the suboptimal weather, the kids had a blast on the sledding hills, staying until their pants were thoroughly soaked.
Yakiniku King Round Two
For dinner, we returned to Yakiniku King buffet.
The premium meat selection was noticeably better, and we all agreed the upgrade was worth it.
The kids devoured plate after plate of thinly sliced beef, declaring it their favorite meal of the trip.
Shopping at Super Sports Xebio Dome
The evening concluded with shopping at Super Sports Xebio Dome; an enormous sports apparel and equipment store even bigger than Singapore's Decathlon at Kallang.
With two full levels of inventory and a 9pm closing time, we shopped until they practically pushed us out the door, finding excellent deals on winter wear and accessories.
We saw ski jackets as cheap as 1250 JPY and saw some guy grabbing the entire stash. 4-5 Jackets left anyways.
Day 10: Sapporo Shopping Day
Airbnb Accommodations
Due to our last-minute bookings, many accommodations in central Sapporo were unavailable.
We secured an Airbnb about 15 minutes from Mitsui Outlet, Sapporo's premier shopping destination.
Parking proved challenging—overnight rates in the city center were approximately $30 for the 8pm-8am period.
After some Google-assisted hunting, I located a lot charging just 700 yen and was lucky to snag the last available space.
Daiso and 2nd Street Discovery
We had planned a straightforward shopping excursion to Mitsui Outlet, but along the way, we spotted a Daiso.
Inside this shopping area, we discovered 2nd Street—a secondhand store with incredible bargains on ski gear.
Skis were priced as low as 2,900 JPY, and my wife found designer ski jackets for only 2,000 JPY in excellent condition.
This unexpected find became one of the trip's highlights.
Trial Discount Supermarket
Adjacent to 2nd Street was Trial Discount Supermarket, a massive establishment with an impressive variety of products.
We stocked up on snacks, local specialties, and souvenirs at prices far below what we'd seen elsewhere.
We realized this entire shopping area was actually just behind Super Sports Xebio Dome—mental note made for future trips!
Lunch at Sushiro
Our children's affection for Sushiro brought us there for lunch. My youngest particularly loves their corn sushi, while the others appreciate the udon options.
The meal totaled just over 5,000 JPY—slightly less expensive than comparable meals in Singapore, with noticeably fresher ingredients.
Mitsui Outlet Shopping
Finally reaching our intended destination in the afternoon, we found Saturday traffic at Mitsui Outlet quite heavy but still managed to secure parking.
While my youngest napped in the car, I seized the opportunity for my own rest in the pleasantly cool conditions.
The outlet mall offered good deals on winter clothing and snowboarding equipment, though having already purchased most of our gear, we were more selective than in past years.
Day 11: Departure Day
Early Check-out and Final Shopping
Our 10am check-out time (which seems to get earlier with each passing year!) left us with plenty of time before our delayed 6pm flight.
We returned to Super Sports Xebio Dome for last-minute purchases and enjoyed lunch at the Mos Burger located inside.
Car Return and Airport Logistics
The 45-minute drive to return our rental car went smoothly, with an efficient shuttle bus transferring us and our luggage to the airport.
The moment of truth came when collecting our ski bag, which we had shipped from Rusutsu.
The tracking indicated it had arrived on the 22nd as promised—Japanese punctuality at its finest. We were amused to see another ski bag of similar color to ours—apparently great minds think alike!
Check-in Challenges
Korean Air's 23kg luggage restriction had us carefully redistributing weight among our bags:
- Orange suitcase: 22kg
- Blue suitcase: 23kg
- Pink suitcase: 24kg (they generously allowed this slight overage)
- Ski Bag: 23kg
Battery Incident at Transit
During our layover at Chitose airport, I was called out by staff for having a battery in my checked luggage—the spare battery for my Insta 360 camera hidden among the ski gear.
I was impressed by their thorough security screening and apologized for my carelessness, thankful they didn't issue a fine.
Arrival in Singapore
Landing in Singapore at 4:30am (30 minutes early), we took our time disembarking since our youngest was still sleeping.
While claiming our baggage, we discovered one suitcase handle had broken. I filed a report with airport staff, who advised claiming either through insurance or the airline.
Opting for insurance, I submitted documentation that evening and received a $50 reimbursement—apparently the maximum compensation for a damaged handle.
Airport Transfer Home
I always thought we can get a Limo Cab at the taxi stand. Little did I realise, the airport staff will refer us to Changi Recommends - to get a Alphard for $70
So heng heng, all the luggage can fit in the Alphard.
Final Thoughts
Opportunity Cost Analysis
While disappointing to miss the ClubMed experience, particularly their excellent kids' program, we avoided the norovirus outbreak that continued to affect guests at ClubMed Kiroro and Tomamu.
The nursery situation at Rusutsu created significant opportunity loss—with 2.5 days of skiing sacrificed to our babysitting rotation. Club Med would have been a seamless transition into the Kids Club without affected us.
Fortunately, we offset some of this loss by cutting our ski trip short by one day, giving us an extra day for shopping—a welcome consolation prize.
Resort Comparison
Rusutsu impressed us with its wide, uncrowded runs and excellent powder snow.
The East and West mountain setup provided variety, though transfers between them consumed time.
The Vales accommodation was comfortable and having a kitchen proved invaluable for our impromptu home-cooked meals. The onsen access was a tremendous bonus, becoming a nightly ritual the children eagerly anticipated.
Lessons for Future Trips
For future winter holidays, I'll consider:
- Booking nursery spots well in advance, perhaps even before ski lessons
- Staying closer to ski school meeting points if traveling with children
- Choosing accommodations with kitchen facilities for flexible meal options
- Allocating more time for unexpected shopping discoveries
- Planning TA-Q-BIN shipments earlier to avoid last-minute logistics
- Let's hope Club Med beef up their hygiene
Despite the last-minute changes and challenges with childcare, our Hokkaido winter adventure delivered unforgettable family memories, impressive riding improvements, and the discovery of new favorite spots for future visits.
Stay tuned for more reviews of Rusutsu Resort!
If you could follow us on our FB page that will be nice too!