a uniquely Japanese lodging style that is close to Niseko yet with no crowds

Niseko Moiwa.jpg
Andrew Strain photo of blue sky pow at Moiwa

The Lodge Moiwa 834 at a glance:

  • Moiwa is on the Island of Hokkaido, Japan's north island.
  • Sapporo is the major city on Hokkaido & this is the easiest place to fly into if going to Moiwa.
  • The main Sapporo airport is south of the city in the town of Chitose. It is the New Chitose Airport (CTS).
  • Moiwa is a 2 hour drive from both downtown Sapporo and New Chitose Airport.
  • Moiwa is just next to the popular town and ski areas of Niseko. You can take a taxi or bus 5 minutes to feel the Niseko buzz. 
  • The Moiwa ski area is not part of the Niseko United ski pass, so despite its close proximity, you won't find the typical Niseko lift lines at Moiwa. 
  • The Lodge Moiwa 834 is a capsule style hotel built with skiers and snowboarders in mind. A capsule hotel is a Japanese invention where you sleep in a space-age (but surprisingly large and private) capsule in a room with other capsules in rows.
  • The Lodge Moiwa 834 is right at the base of the Moiwa ski area. With a dusting of fresh snow on the Lodge Moiwa's front steps you can literally "ski-in" and "ski-out" of this hotel. 

 

 

The Lodge Moiwa 834 is a one-of-a-kind capsule hotel experience that you wont find anywhere else. 

“Built as a place to meet other travelers, the Lodge Moiwa 834 has enough space for your ski gear, a comfortable common area, great food, and is within steps from the Moiwa lifts.”
 

Niseko is the most popular skiing and snowboarding destination in Japan. It is the Vail of the Japanese ski world, and as a result the village is bustling with tourists, the shops and restaurants cater to a western client, and the four connected ski areas are modern but can also get crowded.  

Just next to the lively Niseko scene is the Moiwa ski area. Moiwa boasts the same sprawling terrain as the Niseko United ski areas, complete with vast backcountry options, but it is not included on the Niseko United lift ticket. This reason alone has kept Moiwa quiet and relatively unknown while its close neighbor is often overrun by tourists. At Moiwa you can wake up late and still get fresh tracks, then you can take a short drive to Niseko that evening if you want to explore the shops and restaurants. Alternatively, you can relax after a hard day of riding pow and hang out in the lounge area of the Lodge Moiwa 834. There is a bar, a fireplace, and your dinner is included in your stay. More than just its proximity to Niseko, Moiwa is a perfect place to stay if skiing or snowboarding is the primary focus of your trip. 

The Lodge Moiwa 834 is a capsule style hotel that was built with a skiing/snowboarding customer in mind. Not only is the lodge steps from a ski area, but there are lockers for your gear in a drying room and large storage spaces under the beds for the oversized bags you must carry on a pow-chasing trip. This lodge has the communal atmosphere of a hostel and is ideal for solo travelers looking to meet some other skiers and snowboarders. Unlike many hostels though, the Lodge Moiwa 834 is incredibly clean, comfortable, and has gourmet food. The capsules themselves are arranged in rows and rooms are separated by gender. Inside of each capsule is a charging socket, laptop counter, clock, mirror, safe for valuables, and of course a bed. It might be hard to imagine what a capsule bed is like, but I assure you it is more comfortable, private, and spacious than you currently think. Give this unique lodging style a try... you will probably like it. 

You don't go to Japan to wait in a lift line or sleep in a familiar hotel. The Lodge Moiwa 834 is a capsule style hotel done right, and combined with its slopeside location, your Japan trip will be set up for success!