Maybe there is no real paradise on earth, but if there was it might just be Niseko. Find out more of this beautiful place that we call home.
Niseko In Winter
A cute Japanese farming village that has become world famous because of the large amounts of snow that fall every winter. It is often referred to as the 'Aspen of Asia' and although it might sound like it's become too expensive for powder hounds to visit, there are still plenty of options for all budgets.
The Niseko region sits at the base of Mt Yotei, and Mt Niseko Annupuri which is the ski mountain. There are plenty of activities in winter, including skiing and snowboarding, cat skiing, and backcountry skiing. But for those who don't want to ski is also snow tubing, snowmobiling, restaurants, art galleries, soaking in Japanese onsens and many more. Take a look at our post for a list of things to do in Niseko if you're not skiing.
Some of the best parts of winter in Niseko is playing in the snows, and enjoying the views. So no matter what you do, you'll have a great winter trip.
Summer in Niseko
Some people say that the best time to visit Niseko is in the summer season. We definitely agree,
you can often find local festivals happening in the area, some of the popular ones include the Kutchan Jaga Festival, Hirafu Matsuri, Niko Niko Niseko Village festival, and the Niseko Town fireworks festival. The perfect little combination of fun, food and fireworks at each one, so if you are planning a trip take a look at the festival dates.
Summer is also a great time to go hiking in the area, with endless routes to take including the beautiful Mt Yotei volcano which you can choose from 4 routes up and even walk around the crater. If you prefer cycling, visit for the Niseko Classic gran fondo event and watch or participate (and catch the Kutchan jaga festival at the same time). Or visit throughout summer to enjoy the long quiet roads of Hokkaido for a cycling trip of your own.
Fruit picking, flower gardens and BBQ's are also very popular in summer, and you can make the most of any trip you make to Niseko with some fun activities.
Keep an eye on our facebook page for updates on what is happening in Niseko!
Autumn in Niseko
Autumn is a beautiful season in Niseko with cool mornings and warm days in September which is perfect to get your last bit of hiking and white water rafting in. We usually enjoy a lunchtime or evening BBQ during autumn while the sun is out and the weather is still clear.
Visit the autumn food festival that is held in Hirafu every September, and enjoy four days of delicious food, music, drinks and relaxation. Then continue on to the afterparty at a local bar if you are not ready to go to bed.
In October the fall foliage is the real attraction, as the trees start changing colour from the tops of the hills all the way down to the base by the end of the month. You'll see beautiful yellows, oranges and reds covering the entire town as we wait for the first snow on Mt Yotei.
By November we are starting to see some snow at the top of the peaks, and most of the leaves have fallen, it's a relaxing time in Niseko where you can sip hot chocolate by the fire.
Spring in Niseko
Visit Niseko in spring to enjoy spring skiing and snowboarding in March, the village and mountain are quieter and there are better deals to be found. March is also perfect for backcountry skiing in Hokkaido, with many of our guests enjoying a backcountry tour up Mt Yotei. The ski resorts all slowly close in April or May, with Hirafu and Annupuri usually being the last to close on the 5th of May.
In May you can enjoy the flowers blooming and our local cherry blossom season which is usually in peak bloom around mid May. There are other towns to explore the blossoms in Hokkaido so you can spend a week or two chasing the blossoms up from Hakodate and enjoying the relaxing spring feeling.
The Village
Niseko is made up of 4 base village areas, with Hirafu being the busiest of the four. Niseko is located on the island on Hokkaido the famous northern island of Japan. It is the least populated of the 4 main islands (with only 2% of the countries entire population), but it offers beautiful wilderness, mountains and agriculture. Hokkaido is famous for seafood, dairy products and of course the fluffiest snow in the world (so they say).
The Mountain
Niseko's main ski mountain is Niseko Annupuri 1308m - on this mountain are the 4 resort areas Annupuri resort, Niseko Village resort, Grand Hirafu resort and Hanazono resort.
You can also access Niseko Moiwa nearby but it is on a different lift pass which can be purchased at the resort.
Mt Yotei
Mt Yotei is a volcano that dominates the skyline in all the villages surrounding it. You can climb it by foot in both winter and summer for beautiful views over the area. If you'd like a guide to take you up to the top we can suggest one for a winter experience (including skiing into the crater if you'd like).
Volcanoes draw in the clouds so it is not always possible to see this beautiful view. But when you can, there are many places to enjoy it all around the village. Don't worry too much about an eruption, Yotei last erupted in 1050BCE.
Visit Niseko
Niseko is a beautiful place to visit no matter what time of year you decide to come over... go skiing in winter, white water rafting in spring, strawberry picking in summer and follow the falling leaves in autumn.
See you in Niseko
