STAY > Yukinohana, Yuzawa Niigata (17/20)

Yukemuri no Yado Yukinohana in Yuzawa is a polished modern ryokan that blends classic snow-country warmth with contemporary comfort, just a few minutes’ walk from Echigo-Yuzawa Station and some of Niigata’s easiest ski access. It feels purpose-built for weekend ski escapes and onsen-heavy winter breaks, with thoughtful touches—free private baths, night ramen, tatami-lined corridors—that make…

ByCrispyJanuary 9, 20260Comments

EAT > JAPAN EAT > TOKYO WHERE TO EAT >

EAT > Abysse, Ebisu Tokyo (19/20)

Abysse in Ebisu is that rare fine-dining room where Tokyo’s elegance, French technique, and Japan’s coastal abundance converge in a single, quietly dramatic arc. Anchored by seafood and the seasons, chef Kotaro Meguro’s cooking feels both deeply considered and instinctive, like a tide that knows exactly when to rise and fall. AMBIENCE > Slip…

ByCrispyJanuary 9, 20260Comments

EAT > JAPAN EAT > TOKYO WHERE TO EAT >

EAT > Sushi Mizukami, Chiyoda, Tokyo (18/20)

Sushi Mizukami in Ichibancho is a study in quiet precision: an intimate, nine-seat counter where Edomae tradition, long-honed technique and a distinctly Kyoto-like sense of calm converge in one of Tokyo’s most focused sushi experiences. Helmed by Chef Michinobu Mizukami, a 16-year apprentice of Sukiyabashi Jiro (Two Michelin Stars) and Executive Chef Masami Nesaki, it…

ByCrispyJanuary 9, 20260Comments

EAT > JAPAN EAT > TOKYO WHERE TO EAT >

EAT > Akasaka Sushi Ito, Minato Tokyo (16/20)

Akasaka Sushi Ito in Minato’s back streets delivers a quietly confident, classically framed sushi experience — refined without being showy, and deeply rooted in Tokyo’s old-school Edomae traditions. This is the sort of place where counter craft, calm service and well-judged value make it as compelling for a languid lunch as for a more celebratory…

ByCrispyJanuary 8, 20260Comments

SKI > JAPAN

SKI > Ishiuchi Maruyama, Yuzawa Japan

Ishiuchi Maruyama is one of Niigata’s classic big-hill resorts: long, rolling fall-line runs, serious night skiing and a slick new lift and terrace scene that make it feel more polished than its old-school roots suggest. It is also one of the easiest major mountains to reach from Tokyo, which means you share those views and…

ByCrispyJanuary 5, 20260Comments

EAT > JAPAN EAT > YUZAWA NIIGATA WHERE TO EAT >

EAT > Beaux Séjour, Naeba Niigata (15/20)

Beaux Séjour at Naeba Prince Hotel delivers a surprisingly polished, gently old‑world French dining experience at the base of one of Japan’s classic ski mountains, with a New Year’s menu that leans into nostalgia, craft and alpine comfort in equal measure. AMBIENCE > Tucked inside the sprawling Naeba Prince Hotel complex, Beaux Séjour feels like…

ByCrispyJanuary 4, 20260Comments

EAT > JAPAN EAT > YUZAWA NIIGATA

EAT > Sobadokoro Shinbashi, Yuzawa (16/20)

Sobadokoro Shinbashi in Yuzawa delivers the kind of quietly confident, deeply local experience that turns a simple bowl of soba into a small ritual—rooted in snow country traditions, polished enough to feel special, but never overworked. A few minutes’ walk from Echigo-Yuzawa Station, it is the sort of place you start recommending to friends long…

ByCrispyJanuary 4, 20260Comments

STAY > JAPAN STAY > YUZAWA & NIIGATA WHERE TO STAY >

STAY > Naeba Prince Hotel, Naeba Yuzawa (14/20)

Naeba Prince Hotel is a sprawling, slightly surreal ski-in/ski-out classic: aging concrete, endless corridors and a surprisingly polished Club Floor experience that finally gives Naeba a more premium edge and a way to escape the hordes. GETTING THERE > Naeba sits in the mountains of Niigata, about 40 minutes by shuttle from Echigo-Yuzawa Station…

ByCrispyJanuary 4, 20260Comments

SKI > JAPAN

SKI > Naeba Ski Resort, Niigata Japan

Naeba Ski Resort is a big, buzzy Japanese snow playground that wraps a classic 1970s ski hotel, serious race heritage and family-friendly terrain into one easy weekend escape from Tokyo. ARRIVAL > Reaching Naeba is wonderfully straightforward from the capital, with a 75–80 minute Joetsu Shinkansen from Tokyo to Echigo-Yuzawa Station, then a dedicated resort…

ByCrispyJanuary 3, 20260Comments

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