“It’s a cute and central but rather cold place to stay in winter.”

The host is really kind and it’s a cute place to stay with a restaurant next by. There was a lot of space for luggage in our room. It’s a good place to stay for skiing in Niseko and as well Kiroro, Iwanai and Rusutsu if you have a car.

“A no frills, rustic, affordable stay”

For this price in the Niseko area you can not be beat. The breakfast was a traditional Japanese style and was very delicious, I’d recommend to at least have it once during your stay. Kitchen had the needed amenities to cook things if necessary. Staff were friendly, and the guests were quite wonderful. There are some other excursions/activities which might be fun.

“It feels like staying in a hut. Don't expect to much comfort but the nights will be warm enough.”

The kitchen was nice to have a breakfast. The space for equipment was sufficient.

Girl who checked us in was very friendly and knowledgeable

Unique spot (old school), nice owners

“Lovely rustic surrounding and very nice staff.”

Very helpful staff, lovely dinner meals (I didn’t have breakfast), shuttle bus to Hirafu was great. Hot water in showers were great as the bathrooms are cold.

“Welcoming”

Ana and his family were very accommodating and kind. I also liked the layout of the place.

“Traditional, Wholesome. Friendly.”

I thought this Boken Kazoku was a charming and wonderful place to stay. It is quite an old building and I really liked the traditional aspects of staying here. I liked the timber construction and the way the windows from my room framed views of Mt Yōtei. I enjoyed making my bed and found the Tatami mat to be pretty comfortable, once I'd figured it out. I liked taking your shoes off at the front door and using the slippers provided while inside. I liked the restaurant and the food they served at both breakfast and dinner, to me it felt very traditionally Japanese and was very tasty. They offer drinks and snacks to buy as well, which was more than helpful when I and some of the other guests needed some late at night and we didn't want to go out. A potential downside is its location, however the staff offer transfers to and from the mountain everyday and they even picked me up from the train station when I arrived. There is also a bus stop that can take you to Kutchan, but it only runs at certain times. Some have said it can be a little cold and while that is true, the heater in my room was more than enough and I did find myself getting a bit too hot at times. From everything, Boken Kazoku offers a quaint and relaxed experience that felt traditionally Japanese and accessible enough for me as someone who doesn't speak Japanese. I stayed in a couple of places while in Japan and of all of them, I wish I had stayed longer here.

“Unique, very happy!!”

Such a unique stay in a converted school. Everyone was so friendly and helpful :) Much cheaper than in Hirafu and just down the road.

“Friendly staff and quiet environment after 10pm”

Good location with plenty of parkings

“Unjustified value for money”

Hostel is about 10 minutes drive from Hirafu resort and 25 minutes from Niseko. There are 7:30 and 8:15 shuttles provided by the hostel to Hirafu and 16:30 return shuttle which does not make much sense for people staying for evening skiing. Host was kind enough to pick us up from Hirafu on the arrival day, but it seems to be a norm in the area.

“Affordable, clean, and friendly staff.”

The staff was amazing, they were always available to help you with anything you needed. The free Shuttle in the morning that dropped us off to ski / snowboard and then pick us up in the afternoon amazing ✨2 min walk to bus stop. thank you so much for everything.

Absolutely wonderful hosts, extremely welcoming and friendly! We had a problem with our car battery and Anan helped us jump-start the car at 6:30 AM. Can't recommend this place enough, lovely people!! Will definitely come back here when I visit again.

We loved our stay at Boken. The converted schoolhouse is such a charming building and Mr Anan's warm hospitality made us feel right at home. We especially enjoyed the comforting, home cooked dinners and the onsen bus that the hostel runs every evening. The location is a little ways from the ski resorts and the public bus isn't great, but we just made sure to catch the daily transfer to and from Boken. Overall, we couldn't have asked for a better base for our little ski holiday.

“Beautiful stay near Niseko”

The hostel has a lovely, homely atmosphere. The staff are kind and accommodating. It's a great place for meeting people. The food is great and reasonably priced. The shuttle buses to and from the mountain are perfect, as well as the Onsen trips.

“Beautiful more traditional style accomodation in a converted elementary school.”

Beautiful more traditional style accomodation in a converted elementary school. Okasan, Anan San and Marco were absolutely lovely and their friendly faces were always such a delight to see. You can tell they really care about you and making your stay the best it can be. There is a small kitchen which has everything you need and was always very clean. People mention the common areas being slightly cold, which they can be. But, most importantly the rooms are nice and toasty and the showers are piping hot. Anan San offers 2 shuttle services in the morning and pick up from the Welcome Centre at 4:30pm. Boken is also conveniently located right beside a bus stop, so it's easy to get to Hirafu or Kutchan outside of the shuttle. I thoroughly enjoyed my stay at Boken. It's nice to stay in something a little more traditional amongst the boujee hotels and air bnbs that surround Hirafu.

Beds were very hard but nice warm duvets. Good heating in the rooms.

“Cost-effectiveness stay”

Location is good, near bus stop.

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!

We slept on the futon, it was a nice experience! The place is in a really good location