Boken Kazoku Hostel

The staff were really helpful, beds comfortable and warm, free shuttle to and from the slopes and the kitchen so we could cook our own food.

the hostel was great with a free shuttle to the slopes every day

The location was too far out of town, and the latest bus leavesHirafuu at 9 p,m so you can't go out unless you want to stay for a $30 taxi home

So much charm and character in the building, and the hosts are super sweet. You can order breakfast and dinner at the property, super convenient, and the hosts provide a ski shuttle every morning and afternoon

It was very clean and comfortable. Great space and the location was amazing for our ski trip to Niseko

Funky property with affordable prices closes to hirafu

Extremely helpful and friendly owners, free shuttle to Niseko and back, and a bus stop right outside

The restaurant was amazing. we ate breakfast everyday and dinner a few times during our stay, and the food was always amazing. It was a little quiet, but the hosts were incredibly welcoming, and anan-san even gave us some tips on where to get find powder stashes!

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.

The staff and the cheap prices of the accommodation. The location from central Hirafu is fairly convenient as well.

Security- in the mixed dorms there are no lockers to place suitcases and valuables in. Also the doors to the entrance to the place are always unlocked 24/7, so what's stopping a robber from entering the place in the middle of the night?The heating in the place is quite poor- it is often quite cold. The bathrooms have limited hot water- 7- 9am and 3-6pm (I think).

I enjoyed the remote feel away from the town. Loved the communal area and meeting all the other skiers and travelers. If you’re solo and looking for ski buddies, this is a great place to meet them.

A little run down and creaky in some places. I thought it brought a lot of humble character to the place. It was simple and while skiing at nearby resorts/backcountry, it is all that is needed. Great place.

Lovely JP stylish accommodation. The basic kitchenwares and induction cooker are provided. No heater in the communal areas so it's a bit cold but there is one in the living room to warm up. 5mins bus to the supermarker. The owners are very helpful guys who kindly picked me up and sent me back to the welcome centre when leaving. They do clean their house every morning as I can see. Highly recommended and value for money!

The very friendly hosts and traditional setting.

Some in my party thought that common areas were a bit cold.

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.

Good for meeting people, social.

Cold in hallways/shared areas. Showers only are hot 2 hrs in morning and 5 hours in evening.. Also, if ya sleep in there are no buses until 1pm..

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!

The place is beautiful and interesting as it is a former school building. Very unique. The hosts are friendly and very accomodating. They will always help with your needs

Everything is awesome

Boken Kazoku was very cozy and comfortable. The staff was by far the best part. They were kind, helpful, and very knowledgeable of the area. We loved the dinner we had there as well and the deer in the curry was shot by Ana-san, one of the owners! Very rustic indeed :) The rooms were great though with traditional futons. We had a heater in the room, a lovely view outside, and a nice communal kitchen as well.

The location was the hardest part. Niseko hasn't quite figured out its transportation yet with the increase in tourists, and we were a good 15 drive or hour+ walk from Hirafu. The center would take us to and from skiing, but if you wanted to go to town at different times, you would have to take the bus or taxi. The buses are cash only and don't come frequently. They also stop between 21 and 22, so if you want to go out (which you should), you'll have to taxi back. This can take a while. It was also unclear to me when I booked this accomodation that we would share a bathroom and showers with everyone else staying there. We didn't mind, but I didn't think I was told this beforehand. We did have to wait for the shower (there were 3 in one room) both nights, but it wasn't bad.

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

The staff were amazing, so helpful with everything.

Light came through the window of the upstairs cottage area from the hallway. Made it a little hard to sleep, but just needed something to cover that like a curtain.

Hostel with quiet and respectful guests. Incredibly kind hosts, beautifully served breakfast, and convenient ski shuttle to Hirafu. A welcome escape from the Hirafu ski town vibe.

Not much in the immediate area, but I enjoyed walking in to Hirafu, and Kutchan is close by.