7 Best Things to Do in Niseko Besides Skiing

Bell | 17 February 25

Niseko is one of Japan’s most well-known ski resorts and for good reason – lots of powder, a big resort and accessible backcountry make it a popular choice for ski holidays. However, there are plenty of things to do outside of skiing too such as snowshoeing, day trips and foodie adventures.

I am currently doing a ski season in Niseko Japan as a snowboard instructor, which has been a dream come true and about three years in the works. I didn’t know what to expect, but had heard of dreamy powder and ramen by the slopes and if you know me, it doesn’t take much more than that to get me on a plane.

Over the past eight weeks here in Niseko, I have learned so much about the ski resort, the beautiful town of Niseko and its surroundings and I want to share it with anyone thinking of coming here.

While Niseko is mostly known for its skiing and snowboarding, there are actually plenty of other things to do in this small town. As I am spending the entire season here, I have had plenty of time to explore and can share the best things to do besides skiing with you. So whether you have had enough of the slopes or need inspiration for your next day off, this is the blog for you.

Here is everything you can do in Niseko besides skiing/snowboarding:

Table of Contents

Best Accommodation Options in Niseko:

From budget to luxury, Niseko has something for every type of ski trip. Here are some of my favourites ranked by price, all of which have excellent reviews and are within walking distance (or public transport for Pensione Uno) from the ski lifts.

$ – Pension Locomotion, Pensione Uno, Ramat and Snowgum Ski Lodge Niseko

$$ – Always Niseko, Midtown Niseko, MUSE Niseko

$$$ (ski-in, ski-out) – Yumoto Niseko Prince Hotel Hirafutei, Park Hyatt Niseko Hanazono, Ki Niseko

How to get to Niseko:

The closest airport to Niseko is New Chitose Airport (CTS) in Sapporo. I would highly recommend flying into this airport as from there it is only about 2-3 hours to the resort.

There are three options to get to the resort – private shuttle, bus or train:

Train is the cheapest option and does not need to be pre-booked, but you will need to change trains 2-3- times so not ideal if you have a lot of luggage. You can search for your journey here.

Bus is the happy medium and how I got to Niseko. It is a little more expensive (around $35) and you need to pre-book in advance, especially in peak season, but it will take care of all your luggage and get you to Niseko in 3 hours with no further effort from you. I would recommend the Hokkaido Resort Liner which you can book here, but there are also the Hokkaido Chūō Bus and the White Liner.

There are also a bunch of direct shuttle buses which are more expensive but will often even drop you right by your hotel. Some hotels even have their own private ones so ask for that when booking. Options are NDS, Sky Express and NGS.

What to do in Niseko when you’re not skiing or snowboarding

Whether the lifts are closed because it is too windy, you are spending the season and have a day off or just need a break from skiing, here is everything to do in Niseko that doesn’t involve being on the slopes!

1. Relax your sore muscles in an Onsen

You may say this first option is “cliché”, but going to an Onsen is truly something you need to do while in Japan and the perfect thing to do when not skiing, especially if you have sore muscles from being on the slopes.

Onsen are hot springs full of minerals and a deeply rooted part of Japanese culture. To be considered an Onsen, the water needs to be 25 degree Celsius or more and contain certain substances (often minerals). Onsen are said to have healing properties. Niseko’s mountains are volcanically active (such as Mt. Yotei) creating the geothermal heat for these hot springs.

A great locals guide to all Onsen in Niseko can be found here.

2. Explore Hokkaido on a day trip

One of my favourite parts of working in Niseko is how easy it is to explore more of Hokkaido, the northernmost main island of Japan. There are great train and bus connections and many things to explore within a few hours of Niseko. Bonus points if you have a car as it will open up even more options.

Some of my favourite day trips are:

Sapporo – Hokkaido’s main city can be reached by train from Kutchan, the town closest to Niseko and accessed by bus/shuttle. You need to switch trains in Otaru and the journey takes about 2-2.5 hours, timetables can be found here. Sapporo is especially great for a day trip when the yearly Sapporo Snow Festival is on (usually in early February), where local artists display stunning creations out of ice and snow.
Otaru – There is a direct train from Kutchan to Otaru that takes around 1-1.5 hours. It is a beautiful port town that is known for its romantic canals and rich history.
Lake Toya – Only a 50 minute drive from Niseko or around 2 hours by bus, Lake Toya is a volcanic caldera lake which makes it unique in itself. It features beautiful landscapes and lots of Onsen, making for a great day adventure.
Shikotsu Lake – In February you can visit the stunning Ice Festival held by Shikotsu Lake. It is best to get there via car (about 1.5 hours) but there are also direct buses from Sapporo should you combine the two.

3. Have a Foodie Adventure

Niseko has some incredible options for foodies, ranging from fancy restaurants to local family-run ones to food trucks.

Food Trucks: If you walk around Niseko you will find three or four areas full of food trucks, all of which offer excellent dishes at decent prices (for Niseko – it is more expensive here than some other places in Japan). Two of the main food truck areas are the one by Hirafu Intersection, right next to Seicomart and one by Apres Bar.

Affordable eats: For great food that doesn’t break the bank I would recommend either Green Farm Deli Cafe for more of a cafe vibe, Side Piece for delicious fried chicken, Teuchi-Soba Ichimura for great Soba (lunch) or Tozanken Ramen for incredible Ramen (come early and be prepared to queue though).

Fancy restaurants: Niseko also has plenty of more upscale restaurants that are more than worth a try, such as MAME niseko, Shabu Shabu Mori, Steak Rosso Rosso and Yakiniku Jinhisukan Yoteizan.

If you want more affordable and “local” food, it may be worth taking the free shuttle to Kutchan in the evening and checking out the restaurants there. Prices are much lower than in Niseko and the quality is great. Personally I love Kimura and Yukitei Cold Udon.

4. Go on a snow-shoeing or snow-mobile excursion

Niseko has great pistes accessible by lifts, however it also has incomparable backcountry. Backcountry are all areas considered outside a ski resorts boundary, and Niseko and its surroundings has plenty.

You could explore the backcountry via a ski tour, but there are other ways too – such as a snowshoe or snowmobile excursion. Snowmobile is definitely the more adrenaline-filled option with high-speeds and often great views. Snowshoeing is family-friendly and a whole different way to explore the unique Japanese winter landscape. There are plenty of great companies offering these tours and often your hotel is able to assist you in booking one.

5. Make the most of Niseko’s vibrant nightlife

Niseko has a very vibrant nightlife and bars are packed every day, especially during peak season. The main area for this is Niseko Hirafu, where you can find pubs and bars just meters away from each other.

Some of the most well-known in the instructor community are Wild Bill’s, Freddies, Half Note and Apres Bar. Tamashii is also a popular hang-out spot, especially for after work drinks and food. There are even two clubs, Powder room and Hertz which often get packed.

If you are looking for a more high-end experience and local, crafted drinks, head to Bar Gyu with the famous fridge entrance.

6. Enjoy local events and even weekly fireworks

Niseko is a great community who loves to put on a show and have fun events. Some of my favourites are the weekly Saturday fireworks in Hanazono at 7pm, the Taiko Live Drum Performance (check the schedule here) and ski/snowboard competitions like Rail Jams (the next one is March 1st). The competitions aren’t just great for those taking part but also for anyone watching. There is usually food stalls, a DJ and just generally great atmosphere.

Find more local events here.

7. Try your hand at ice fishing

Try something completely different and take a dive (pun intended) into the world of ice-fishing. Learn from locals and catch your own fish in the icy waters. I would recommend asking your hotel for recommendations on who to book for this tour as they will know the best one in the area and for the season.

FAQ about Niseko

How do you get around Niseko without a car?

There are four areas to Niseko Ski Resort that can either be reached by skiing or by car/bus. The main one is Niseko Hirafu where you will find the most restaurants, bars and general nightlife, but the other three areas also offer great slopes and sometimes fewer lift lines.

There are free shuttle buses that go between the four areas of Niseko and even one that goes to Kutchan. The Niseko United Bus is included in your lift ticket and timetable can be found here. It goes between the four ski resort areas. The Hirafu free shuttle bus and Kutchan Night bus have several lines that service different areas of the resort, you can find the exact routes and timetables here.

Overall, I would recommend a hotel within walking distance to the lifts if you don’t have a car as the buses aren’t always reliable and can fill up very quickly in peak season.

How many days do you need in Niseko?

I would say an absolute minimum of 4 days is required to be able to ski/snowboard all 4 of Niseko’s resort and also make the most of the amazing restaurants, Onsen and nightlife here. You can easily spend a week or even two at this resort without getting bored, as there are so many different runs and lots of backcountry options.

What are the best months to visit Niseko for skiing/snowboarding?

The best snow conditions are late December to February. Keep in mind that around Christmas and Chinese New Year the resort is extremely busy and expensive, so if you can travel outside of those dates, I would highly recommend it.

Mid-January and February after Chinese New Year are less busy times to visit with still amazing powder snow.