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When you think of ski destinations, your mind may go to the Rockies or the French Alps. But way over on the other side of the world is the paradisaical snow globe of Niseko—home to the best skiing in Japan and some of the best snow conditions in the world. Tucked away on Hokkaido, the northernmost island of Japan, this area offers some of the deepest champagne powder on the planet, world-class tree runs, and some of the most flavorful après-ski eats anywhere.
Let’s start with the main attraction: The snow. Over the last ten years, Niseko has averaged over 35 feet of fresh snow per season. Owing to the area’s unique topography, this tends to be light, fluffy powder, and it’s not uncommon for it to be chest-deep. If you have fat skis or a wide-nosed, swallow-tailed snowboard, this is what they’re made for. The region is famous for its impeccably-spaced trees, giving you the type of off-trail experience you’d typically have to hike, helicopter, or snowmobile to in the U.S. In Niseko, much of the best stuff is lift-serviced—and this alone makes it a powder hound’s dream trip.
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Niseko’s resorts and ski pass
Mt. Niseko Annupuri has a surprising number of things in common with Aspen. In Colorado, there are four individual resorts operated by the Aspen Ski Company. In Niseko, there are also four resorts—Hanazono, Grand Hirafu, Niseko Village, and Annupuri—all operated by the Niseko United Ski Resort. And as with Aspen, you can access all of the mountains on one pass (though here you can actually ski from one to another), and Niseko United is also a part of the Ikon Pass. In other words, if you already have an Ikon Pass, you already have five (or seven) days of lift tickets at Niseko United, just waiting for you to cash them in.
Each of the four resorts has its own unique personality. Grand Hirafu is easily the largest, occupying 60 percent of Niseko United’s total area. It has a wide variety of terrain, with everything from beginner slopes to the best access to the Peak of Mt. Annupuri. The base at Hirafu is by far the most developed, with more restaurants, bars, and nightlife than anywhere else nearby. When you think “ski town,” Hirafu fits the bill. Hanazono Resort is probably the most rugged of the three, but in a good way: It has everybody’s favorite tree zones, there’s a lot of amazing backcountry—through some well-marked gates—and also an excellent terrain park.
Toward the other side of the mountain, the Niseko Village resort is a bit smaller and quieter, but still packs a lot of thrills. This resort is probably best for more advanced skiers and riders, as it features more red (intermediate) and black (advanced) runs. It’s also the only resort that offers skiing in an avalanche-controlled backcountry location, called Mizuno Sawa at Gate 11 (albeit somewhat weather dependent). Annupuri is known as “the most Japanese” of the resorts—which owes mostly to the less touristy base-area with more traditional style lodging. Annupuri is a great place for beginners because the slopes tend to be wide and crowds are usually much thinner, but there’s still a lot of good side-country if you’re chasing powder. If you’re coming on a
weekend or more crowded holiday period, I’d spend most of my time at Niseko
Village and Annupuri, as lift lines will be a lot shorter.
Niseko United gets a ton of snow all winter, but January there is a thing of legends. The cold temps and strong storms around then are what give the month there the nickname “Japow,” though you’re also likely to score similar conditions in December and February. Make sure you bring layers aplenty and backpacks so you can stuff them away as needed. All four of the resorts have ski schools and equipment rental shops available, and as a bonus, all four resorts have some lit-up areas for night skiing, too.
It's worth noting that other nearby resorts outside of Niseko United are also excellent and worth a visit if you have the time: Rusutsu and Kiroro. These large resorts have terrain for all levels, and some of the most incredible tree skiing on the planet. They aren’t as developed as the resorts that are a part of Niseko United, which means far fewer options for food and nightlife, but that typically translates to much lighter crowds and more fresh tracks for you. There's something for everybody in this hotbed of some of the best skiing in Japan.
Where to stay
There is a massive array of accommodations available in Niseko, from high-end luxury hotels all the way down to backpacker hostels. My overall favorite place to stay has been Niseko Village’s Green Leaf Hotel . It’s ski-in, ski-out and features, warm, plush rooms, an absolutely stunning onsen (Japanese hot spring) and spa right in the hotel, and a well-regarded bar and restaurant. It has it’s own small gondola that takes you to the main NV gondola, too. The Hilton Niseko Village is the absolute closest to the Niseko Village gondola for easiesty access. If you want luxury, the Higashiyama Ritz-Carlton Reserve, high-end townhouses at Kasara, or apartment-style accommodations at Hinode Hills are worth the splurge.
If you want to be in the heart of the action, stay near Hirafu, as it’s the most developed and has real resort-town vibes with more restaurants and more nightlife. The Niseko Landmark View, features spacious and nicely appointed two- and three-bedroom apartment-style living with stunning viewsthe best views of Mt. Yotei (a mini Mt. Fuji) just out the window. It’s just a three-minute walk to the Grand Hirafu gondola which really opens up the whole mountain to you, and it’s also close to all the restaurants and bars you could want.
On the luxury side, in Hirafu there’s ski-in, ski-out AYA Niseko’s range of rooms to suit different sized groups, all beautifully furnished. If you’d like something a bit more classically Japanese still in the heart of the action (and just steps from the lifts), the Hotel Niseko Alpen fits the bill. It has both western style and Japanese style rooms, the latter of which are minimalistic and feature traditional tatami mats instead of beds.
For a magical meditation retreat, there is Zaborin, offering luxurious Ryokan style stays. Each of its 15 villas has two private hot springs, indoor and outdoor. It’s about a 10-minute drive to the resort, but the solitude may be worth it. Niseko is also full of what the Japanese call “pensions,” which are generally family run guesthouses, like B&Bs. There are also ultra-cheap youth hostels like Tabi Tsumugi Backpackers with private rooms for less than $50 USD. Basically, whatever your budget and desired style, you’ll find something in Niseko. Just book early, especially if you’re traveling in the high season.
Where to eat and drink
On the mountain, there are tons of mouthwatering ways to fill your belly. Most prominent is the large Hanazono EDGE Restaurant & Bar at the base of the Hanazono Resort which features a wide variety of Japanese and Western cuisine, including a mouth-watering snow crab ramen (at a very reasonable price). At Niseko Village, Yang Shu Ten features local Hokkaido seafood, produce, and desserts in a casual setting. In Annupuri, the Nook is a well-regarded spot to grab a quick bite and warm up. Over at Hirafu, the locals tend to gravitate toward Bo-Yo-So, which is right on the slopes, and the King Bell Hut is a cafeteria-style mid-mountain spot with warming noodles and soup curries (a must-try local dish).
Off the mountain, Kamimura is arguably the best-known restaurant in all of Niseko: Michelin star-winning chef Yuichi Kamimura’s Japanese-French fusion is the stuff of legend, and the omakase style “Chef's Degustation” tasting menu is an experience that shouldn’t be missed. Also on the high-end is The Barn by Odin in Kutchan Town, which features savory bistro delights with a Japanese twist.
Niseko is world-famous for its noodles, especially its soba. One of the most highly-regarded soba houses in all of Japan is a tiny 12-seat restaurant called Rakuichi Soba (once featured by Anthony Bourdain on No Reservations), where the buckwheat noodles are hand-made the traditional way by Soba Master Tatsuru Rai. Reservations are extremely hard to come by, but you may be able to get a walk-in seat at lunch. In Kutchan town (not far from Hirafu) Usagiya Soba mixes black sesame in with the buckwheat flour for a uniquely savory soba experience. In Hirafu, Soba Kaiseki Ichimura has solid ramen as well. Ramen Nakama is a local favorite for a ume-shio ramen with plum and salt paste that you aren’t likely to find back home. The Hokkaido region is also known for its unique soup curries, and the best local spot for it is Tsubara Tsubara in Kutchan. If you’re looking for authentic local spots, eat in Kutchan.
One of the best lunches in Niseko is at Ichi Ichi, in the heart of Niseko. You may need a car or taxi to get there, but the Hokkaido Waygu Burger will haunt your dreams. And, of course, a trip to Japan would not be complete with visiting at least one izakaya (a Japanese bar that serves food) and if you want the real deal it doesn’t get any more authentic than Sakaba Manmosu. If you want to try some incredible tempura or the region's famed raw free-range chicken, this is the spot.
Make a stop at one of the two Hirafu Food Truck areas near the Seico Mart convenience store in the middle of Hirafu which features more than a dozen delicious trucks. The standouts are Manten Gyoza, which featured small, crispy gyoza absolutely bursting with flavor, and Hasam, which makes rice sandwiches wrapped in nori and filled with creative ingredients (try the one filled with spicy fried chicken called shrietoko zangi). Hirafu has no shortage of bars, either, but if you’re looking for an excellent cocktail experience try Bar Gyu+.
For something special to do
If it’s your first time visiting Niseko United and you came for the powder, treat yourself to a day with Hanazono Powder Guides. These resort-affiliated guides know all the best zones like the back of their hands, and you’ll be able to use that knowledge for the rest of your trip. You’ll also get several laps before the resort opens up to the general public, which means you can score first tracks in legendary zones like Strawberry Fields, and you’ll get to skip the lift line all day.
If you really want the feel of something exclusive, book something with Weiss Powder Cat Skiing. Geared toward intermediate skiers and with a maximum of twelve guests per day, you will score fresh tracks every single run, and the odds are good that you’ll get into the deep stuff, though the terrain itself is pretty mellow. It also includes a specially prepared (and absolutely delicious) lunch at Somoza, which may well be the most beautiful restaurant in all of Niseko. The guides are top-notch, and whole experience is a delight from start to finish.
And, of course, no trip to Japan would be complete without visiting some of the legendary onsens. Luckily, the Niseko area has incredible examples of these natural hot springs. If you want the most authentic experience possible, then Goshiki Onsen or Yukichichibu Onsen is the best way to go. Both feature incredible views, water with high mineral content, and separate areas for men and women. For something a little more co-ed friendly, the onsen at the Niseko Grand Hotel is a large, outdoor, mixed-gender pool, with some great views.
Getting there
The closest airport to somewhat-remote Niseko is the New Chitose Airport in Sapporo. From there it’s roughly a 3-hour drive to the resort. You can rent a car at the airport, take a train to Kutchan, or hop on a ski bus that will take you right to the resorts. If you are staying at one of the nicer hotels or condo groups, they may have a concierge service which can help arrange a private transport or a shuttle for you (so you may want to start by booking accommodations and then go from there).
Once in town, taxis are hard to come by, and there is no Lyft or Uber service. There is, however, a shuttle bus that covers pretty much all of Niseko United’s bases, with last stops between 8:00 and 10:00 pm, so if you’re a night owl you may want to plan ahead by booking cabs—or simply opt to stay where the action is instead.
