Rusutsu Shopping
The Rusutsu shops are primarily housed within the two resort hotel complexes, with 9 shops in the Rusutsu Resort Hotel and 5 shops in the Westin Rusutsu Resort. Unless you’re wanting a kitsch Japanese souvenir or a cute Rusutsu T-shirt for the kids, keep your expectations for Rusutsu shopping on the down low.
Rusutsu Ski Shops
Considering the size of the resort, the Rusutsu ski shops and snowboard store are somewhat of a disappointment. Probably don’t rely on the shops to fit out your ski or après wardrobe, however it might be handy for a new pair of gloves, a new beanie, or other accessories. Options for hardwear (ie skis, poles, snowboards, boots) are incredibly limited and you won’t find any backcountry equipment or touring gear.
The Rusutsu Resort Hotel has a Salomon shop that sells a very small amount of skis, an assortment of helmets, goggles and other accessories, and lots of footwear that’s not really appropriate to wear in Hokkaido in winter. The Goldwin Store sells mostly clothing from Goldwin, plus a few other brands.
The Rusutsu Resort Hotel also has a Burton shop which has a limited amount of hardwear and mostly apparel, including a kids’ line. The shop also has a surprising range of snowboard luggage, as though people are going to head to Rusutsu and think to buy a new snowboard bag? It might make sense if they had lots of snowboards for sale, but they don’t.
The Westin has a couple of sports stores that sell a small range of outdoor clothing and ski/snowboard accessories.
General Shopping
The Rusutsu shops sell a range of souvenirs, food gifts, kids’ toys and novelties. Like many other Japanese souvenir shops, the products are kitsch and colourful.
The White Christmas shop is the most fascinating and has been there for years. Selling a wide range of Xmas decorations, I wonder if they actually sell anything the other 50 weeks of the year?
A gift shop at the Rusutsu Resort Hotel called Colorful has mostly food gifts (for that Japanese tradition where you have to buy your work colleagues a gift when you go away on holidays) and some T-shirts. It also has some basic snacks and beverages.
Premier Neige used to be a fancy ladies boutique, but now it’s a kids shop with a smorgasbord of colourful stuffed toys and trinkets. Tiny Bear is another gift shop with lots of ridiculous trinkets that will delight the kids.
Grocery Shopping Rusutsu
A couple of the gift shops in the Rusutsu Resort Hotel sell simple fare and sundries, as does the Welcome shop at the Westin. There is also an upmarket wine and bottle shop at the Rusutsu Resort Hotel.
You’d be better placed walking across the highway to the Seicomart or Seven Eleven convenience stores. They have a great range of awesome Japanese snacks and alcoholic beverages which are remarkably cheap, as well as meals and basic groceries.
If you’re staying at a house or one of the condos at The Vale Rusutsu and want to cook up a storm, more substantial grocery purchases can be made in the town of Rusutsu which is a few kilometres away and has the Rusutsu Farmer’s Market and a butcher.