Melo Villareal
Bucket List: 15 Best Tourist Attractions in Niseko, Japan
Located along the southwestern coast of Hokkaido, Niseko is one of Japan’s premier ski resorts, noted for its fine powder snow, pristine landscape, and diverse outdoor activities. People flock to the town during winter to enjoy the dry powder by skiing and snowboarding, but once the winter snow melts, the mountains are painted in luscious green. Nowadays, Niseko is frequented by visitors looking to experience an adventurous and cultural journey.
Winter Activities
Niseko is renowned as the country’s “Powder Snow Capital” because of the dry powder snow it gathers every winter. Teeming with winter recreation activities, visitors can discover some of Niseko’s secluded spots by taking part in snowmobiling, snowshoeing, snow rafting, snow tubing, skiing, and snowboarding. An experienced guide can lead through the snow-covered forests, ice-covered lakes, and pristine plains to ensure that all parties are safe.
Niseko Tokyu Grand Hirafu
Niseko Tokyu Grand Hirafu is the most extensive of the three ski resorts in Niseko. The ski resort has several ski lifts that can accommodate families and pairs and bring them to key ski areas, bars, and restaurants. At the ski resort’s base are snow tubing areas for little children and a snow park where guests can build an igloo or a snowman. Gondola rides up the mountain are operational in the summer, where guests can hike or mountain bike through various trails and courses.
Visitors can also buy a special combination ticket called the Niseko All Mountain Pass to access Niseko Tokyo Grand Hirafu, Niseko Village, and Niseko Annupuri International Ski Area.
Location: Hirafu, Niseko, Abuta District, Hokkaido, Japan
Tickets (Full-day): 6,600 yen per person
Tickets (Half-day): 5,500 yen per person
Tickets (Nighter): 3,000 yen per person
Website: grand-hirafu.jp
Niseko Village
Tucked between Niseko Tokyo Grand Hirafu and Niseko Annupuri International Ski Area and located at the base of Mount Niseko-Annupuri, Niseko Village features convenient ski-in ski-out accommodation to ski lifts, onsens, and restaurants. The resort offers various activities throughout the summer, like an adventure park, and in winter, like sledding and snowshoeing tours. Skiing, heli-skiing, backcountry skiing, and snowboarding lessons are also offered.
Visitors can also buy a special combination ticket called the Niseko All Mountain Pass to access Niseko Tokyo Grand Hirafu, Niseko Village, and Niseko Annupuri International Ski Area.
Location: Higashiyama, Niseko, Abuta District, Hokkaido, Japan
Tickets (Full-day): 6,800 yen per person
Tickets (Half-day): 5,900 yen per person
Tickets (Nighter): 2,300 yen per person
Website: niseko-village.com
Niseko Annupuri International Ski Area
Niseko Annupuri International Ski Area, or simply Annupuri, has a vast skiing area appropriate for novice skiers, with easy-to-navigate ski trails and centrally located ski lifts. The snow-covered landscape of the resort is a stark difference when summer comes, and paragliding fanatics fly above the mountains. Visitors can also buy a special combination ticket called the Niseko All Mountain Pass to access Niseko Tokyo Grand Hirafu, Niseko Village, and Niseko Annupuri International Ski Area.
Location: Niseko, Abuta District, Hokkaido, Japan
Tickets (Full-day): 5,900 yen per person
Tickets (Half-day): 4,900 yen per person
Tickets (Nighter): 2,600 yen per person
Website: annupuri.info
Niseko Onsens
Visiting and taking a relaxing dip in a Japanese onsen is a therapeutic experience for every visitor to Japan. The Japanese custom of relaxing in onsens dates back to ancient times and is deeply rooted in their culture. Niseko has plentiful options to choose from, but some of the notable onsens are Goshiki Onsen which uses natural water sourced from Mount Iwaonupuri; Niseko Grand Hotel with an indoor and outdoor onsen while being surrounded by winter diamond dust; Kira No Yu, which is a local favorite where several community gatherings are held; and the historic Niseko Konbu Onsen in a Japanese-style inn.
Goshiki Onsen
Location: 510 Niseko, Abuta District, Hokkaido, Japan
Visiting Hours: 10AM to 8PM, Daily (Last entry until 7PM)
Entrance Rates: 500 yen, Children; 800 yen, Adults
Other Fees: 300 yen, face towel; 600 yen, bath towel
Niseko Grand Hotel
Location: 412 Niseko, Abuta District, Hokkaido, Japan
Visiting Hours: 11:30AM to 10PM, Daily (Last entry until 9PM)
Entrance Rates: 450 yen, Children; 900 yen, Adults
Other Fees: 100 yen, face towel; 150 yen, bath towel
Kira No Yu
Location: 33 Chuo Dori, Niseko, Abuta District, Hokkaido, Japan
Visiting Hours: 10AM to 9:30PM, Daily (Last entry until 9PM)
Entrance Rates: 250 yen, Children; 500 yen, Adults; 1,000 yen, Private onsens
Other Fees: 300 yen, face towel; 300 yen, bath towel
Niseko Konbu Onsen
Location: 393 Niseko, Abuta District, Hokkaido, Japan
Visiting Hours: 3PM to 10PM, Daily; 3PM to 11PM, Private onsens
Entrance Rates: 500 yen, Children; 800 yen, Adults; 2,000 yen, Private onsens
Summer Gondola
Gondola rides over the slopes of Mount Niseko-Annupuri are best experienced during the summer. Visitors can enjoy uninterrupted panoramic views of the mountains and forests. There are three summer gondolas up and running each summer, the Annupuri Resort gondola, the Grand Hirafu gondola, and the Hanazono Niseko gondola.
The Annupuri Resort summer gondola can carry up to six passengers 1,000 meters above. The 10-minute ride gives passengers terrific views of Lake Toya, Uchiura Bay, and Mount Usu. The Grand Hirafu summer gondola offers its passengers a sightseeing opportunity with its large floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Mount Yotei and the Niseko area. The Hanazono Niseko summer gondola has a seating capacity of ten. The ride takes 6 minutes and goes to an altitude of 658 meters.
Annupuri Resort and Hanazono Niseko summer gondola are dog-friendly, although owners must always keep dogs on a leash.
Annupuri Resort Summer Gondola
Gondola Ride Rates: 650 yen, Children; 1,300 yen, Adults
Grand Hirafu Summer Gondola
Gondola Ride Rates: 650 yen, Children; 1,300 yen, Adults
Hanazono Niseko Summer Gondola
Gondola Ride Rates: 500 yen per pet; 900 yen, Children; 1,800 yen, Adults
Rafting and Kayaking
White water rafting conditions are ideal when the snow from Mount Yotei melts into the Shiribetsu River. The ensuing downpour makes the river excellent for rafting and kayaking. Rafting and kayaking tours soar in popularity in the summer, and expeditions offer the thrill of a lifetime. At the end of the rafting and kayaking tours, visitors can get a chance to go canyoning, an extreme activity through ravines that involve hiking and scrambling.
Camping
Around Niseko’s impressive landscape are peaceful campsites equipped with basic facilities that will aid campers in enjoying the great outdoors. These facilities include a cooking space, toilet, and running water. Niseko Campsite has striking views of Mount Annupuri and Mount Iwaonupuri and is closely located to Mount Annupuri hiking trails and the Goshiki Onsen. At the same time, Kaze no Tani Camp Site has tree houses and a fishing pond surrounded by beautiful trees backed by Mount Yotei.
Kaze no Tani Camp Site
Location: 357 Soga, Niseko, Abuta District, Hokkaido, Japan
Camping Rates: 800 yen per person per night
Niseko Campsite
Location: 510 Niseko, Abuta District, Hokkaido, Japan
Camping Rates: 300 yen per person per night
Hiking
Location within Shikotsu-Toya National Park, Mount Yotei is one of Japan’s most famous mountains and has an elevation of 1,898 meters. Its stunning profile invites climbers to scale its challenging trails and enjoy the panoramic views from the top. Climbers can follow one of the four trails of Mount Yotei – the Kimobetsu Trail, the Kyogoku Trail, the Hirafu Trail, or the Makkari Trail – which can take around 4 to 6 hours. Because of the arduous journey up top, climbers must pack plenty of water, climbing gloves, and hiking poles. The Makkari Trail is the recommended trail for beginners because of the well-maintained gentle slopes.
Horseback Riding
Visitors can experience horseback riding at the foot of Mount Yotei throughout the year. Take a ride and see the rolling fields of verdant green in summer and the trails of powder snow left behind in winter. Summer and winter horseback riding tours can range from 5,500 yen to 10,000 yen per person and last for 40-45 minutes.
Niseko No.2 Arishima Ostrich Farm
At Niseko No.2 Arishima Ostrich Farm, visitors can admire Mount Yotei in the background while feeding a flock of ostriches. While walk-ins are not allowed to keep the ostriches safe from diseases, visitors can book guided tours of the farm and some of its facilities. In addition to feeding the ostriches, visitors can trek around the farm while riding a pony. The farm also has an Ostrich Shop where visitors can buy various farm products, such as ostrich meat, ostrich eggs, and sweets made with ostrich eggs.
Location: 239-2 Toyosato, Niseko, Abuta District, Hokkaido, Japan
Ostrich Feeds: 100 yen per person
Website: ostrichfarm.mystrikingly.com
Niseko Cheese Factory
Niseko Cheese Factory is a local cheese manufacturer and retailer in Niseko that has received international praise for its original cheese. The factory, which produces 20 different types of cheese, was founded by a local resident man who left his corporate job, and his son continued his legacy. There are plenty of cheese and cheese-related products to try like the Camembert soft serve ice cream and cheese pudding, but some of their must-try cheese varieties are “Niseko Yukihana” and “Niseko Momiji.” Visitors can also try Niseko Sekka-Brillat-Savarin & Niseko Brewery Red Junmai and the Niseko Mimolette & Niseko Brewery Blue Special Junmai, their Sake and Cheese combinations.
Location: 425-6 Kondo, Niseko, Abuta District, Hokkaido, Japan
PURE Adventure Park
Diverse outdoor activities are a great way to experience Niseko during the summer. PURE at Niseko Village offers a wide range of exhilarating activities, including mountain biking on unpaved trails, a rail slider, horseback riding, hot air balloon rides, tree trekking, and a 1.4-kilometer zip line.
Location: Higashiyama, Niseko, Abuta District, Hokkaido, Japan
Visiting Hours: 9AM to 5PM, April to September; 9AM to 4PM, October
Entrance Rates: 3,500 yen, Children; 4,500 yen, Adults
Cherry Blossom Viewing
Cherry blossom viewing is a staple activity every visitor to Japan must experience. The cherry trees typically bloom from the end of April through the first week of May. Some of the best cherry blossom viewing sites in Niseko include the Twin Cherry Trees, Miyama Park, Arishima Memorial Museum, Lan Lan Park, Makkari Shrine, and Mishima-san’s Shiba Zakura Garden.
Arishima Takeo Memorial Museum
Arishima Takeo Memorial Museum pays homage to Arishima Takeo, a distinguished Taisho-era writer. Several of his original writings, letters, and paintings are displayed, including Descendant of Cain (1917), The Agony of Being Born (1918), and A Certain Woman (1919). A portion of the museum also tells the history of the farm Arishima Takeo owned and eventually liberated the farmers before dying in 1923.
Location: 57 Arishima, Niseko, Abuta District, Hokkaido, Japan
Visiting Hours: 9AM to 5PM, Tuesdays to Sundays (Last entry until 4:30PM); Closed on Mondays.
Entrance Rates: FREE, Junior high school students and younger, Senior citizens; 400 yen, High school students; 500 yen, General Admission
How to get there
The most common way to get to Niseko is by plane, train and bus. The nearest airport is the New Chitose Airport, the central transport hub in Hokkaido. Once in the airport, visitors have three options to get to their destination: first is to take the train from the airport to JR Kutchan Station, with most connecting rail services and bus and taxi services; second is to ride a bus, either from White Liner Ski Bus or Hokkaido Resort Liner; or rent a private car.
Our Top Hotel Picks for Niseko, Japan
Niseko Travel and Tour Packages
Check out our list of affordable Niseko hotels and resorts via Agoda, Booking, or you may also see available Airbnb properties in the city.
Also read:
- 15 Best Places To Visit In Japan During Winter
- Japan Budget Travel Guide: Exploring Japan On A Shoestring
