Things to do in Niigata

The tour leader was great and emphasized the importance of being on time, mentioning that the bus would leave otherwise. This reminder was very helpful, and everyone was on time today, February 2nd. Lunch was delicious. The snow tubing and sledding in the morning were a lot of fun. The weather was great, with light, fine snow falling. We had a lot of fun. The strawberries were delicious, and we ate so many we were stuffed. The tofu skin making experience in the afternoon was fantastic. It was my first time making tofu skin myself, and it was a lot of fun. Today's itinerary was wonderful. We were constantly eating and on our way to eat, haha. It was an excellent trip. The tour leader and guide were Taiwanese, very helpful, and helped me take photos. They were very nice. This trip was great, and I recommend it to anyone who wants to play in the snow.

Many thanks to Mr. Gao Hongmiao for his meticulous and patient care. He made every part of our itinerary today incredibly smooth! ♥️ Although we didn't go to the waterfall, we saw the cherry blossoms in full bloom and caught the tail end of winter. In one day, we experienced the spring of blooming cherry blossoms, enjoyed all-you-can-eat freshly picked strawberries, and saw the pure white snow that only appears in winter. Plus, we were back in Tokyo by 6 PM, with time to shop at the mall. We did so much in one day; it was truly great value for money, and I highly recommend it.

We arrived 1.5 hours earlier to rent and put on the snow wear. The staff from rental shop would prepare the equipment for you. The quality is good. The instructions were not very clear but there would be a staff from the YUZAWA INTERNATIONAL PRO SNOW SCHOOL to pick you up eventually from the shop so waiting inside the shop is fine. The staff drove us to the Iwappara Ski Resort and met the coach. He introduced the coach from Taiwan to us. The staff and the coach are nice and friendly. We did some warm up and learned how to use the snowboard and the basic skills. We enjoyed the lesson and it was a good experience for beginners.

We had an enjoyable day trip exploring the key highlights of the Echigo-Tsumari Art Field. As the various art installations are scattered across the area and not easily accessible, this tour is recommended for those who would like to visit the art field but do not drive. Our guide, Shima-san, was knowledgeable and personable. She not only shared her knowledge about the art installations, she also shared interesting anecdotes about Niigata.