Who are you guiding with?
I thought Japan Niseko guides were definitely the weakest I have ever hired - compared to heli/cat in Alaska, British Columbia - and most of the Alps (La Grave/Verbier/Chamonix/Engelberg/Andermatt/St.Anton)
I found there are a lot of Kiwis with some knowledge, but not a lot. But they will cater to an Anglo tourist base. We destroyed our guide within the first 24-hours, but still had to work with him - so we did.
Be very very careful of who you are hiring. Pay for someone with top-tier IFMGA certification. Otherwise, it's just going with a friend who knows how to navigate the mountain a bit. Show you an Onsen. A good sushi restaurant.
......Not really a guide.
I would screen a guide by the following: I want to ski off the backside of Niseko (north-side) to the Goshiki Onsen, and get back to Niseko proper. If they can give you a decent repsonse (it's basic) - that should weed out Kiwis & Aussies that "hang out" in Niseko for just 60 days (Jan-Feb).
