Niseko
ニセコ · Powder-snow ski village under Mt. Yotei, year-round mountain onsen and dairy country
Niseko sits 100 km southwest of Sapporo on the eastern flank of the Niseko mountain range, where four ski resorts (Hirafu, Hanazono, Niseko Village, and Annupuri) connect across a single summit ridge to form Niseko United. Winter is the international draw, with consistent dry powder from December through April and an après-ski village concentrated at Hirafu. Summer reopens the gondolas for ridge hiking and the Niseko Recreation Forest boardwalks across Shinsen-numa marsh. The foothills below the mountain hold the Goshiki, Konbu, and Yukichichibu onsen, the Takahashi Farm dairy works, and the long view across to Mt. Yotei, the 1,898-meter volcano known locally as Ezo Fuji.
What Niseko is known for
Top-rated in Niseko
Niseko Mt. Resort Grand Hirafu
4.5entertainment
The largest of Niseko United's four ski resorts, on the east face of Mt. Annupuri, with 887 meters of vertical and the area's deepest in-bounds powder.
Mount Yōtei
4.6nature
Local landmark for its resemblance to Mt. Fuji, this symmetrical stratovolcano rises 6,227 feet.
Niseko Konbu Hot Spring
4.5onsen
Onsen village at the southwest base of Mt. Annupuri with a National Health Spa designation and three water types across more than ten ryokan.
Mt. Niseko Annupuri
4.6nature
Niseko's main peak at 1,308 meters, accessed by gondola in winter for skiing and on foot from June to October for the 1.5 to 2 hour ridge climb.
Fukidashi Park
4.2park
Drink fresh, pure water springing directly from Mount Yotei.
Niseko Takahashi Dairy Farm Milk Kobo
4.2cafe
Working dairy farm with a fresh-milk cafe, a custard cream-puff specialty, and a hay-bale photo spot facing Mt. Yotei.
Niseko Goshiki Hot Spring
4.2onsen
Sulfur onsen at 750 meters above sea level on the saddle road between Mt. Annupuri and Mt. Iwaonupuri, where the milky water shifts from clear to emerald in changing light.
Niseko Hanazono Resort
4.3entertainment
The smallest and most family-leaning of the four Niseko United resorts, with a kids' park, summer ziplines, and the area's only sunrise hot-air balloon.