How Many Days in Niseko This Winter?
Ultimate Guide

June 7, 2025
No Comments

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. Here is exactly how many days you need in Niseko to make the most of your ski holiday!

I spent 4 months living and working in Niseko this winter as a snowboard instructor, so I know the town, ski resort and surrounding area inside out. It is one of my favourite mountains I have ever skied/snowboarded – the snow here is incomparable to anything I’ve experienced before.

If you are currently planning your ski trip, you may be wondering how many day to book, where to stay (which part of the resort especially as there are four) and more. We will also discuss trips to other mountains in Hokkaido, which is the area in Northern Japan that Niseko is located in. I’m going to try and answer all these questions in this post, but leave me a comment at the bottom if you have any additional questions.

Also if you are interested in learning to snowboard or improve your skills this winter, you can get in touch with me here. I have taught people ages 2 – 75 and have been an instructor for 4 years now 🙂 The school I work with in Niseko is very reputable and I can organise the booking process for you.

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.

How many days do you need in Niseko this winter?

How many days to spend in Niseko really depends on what your are looking to do as well as your level of ski/snowboard. I would highly recommend a minimum of 4-5 days for anyone looking to hit the slopes (even beginners as it takes around 3 days to start to feel comfortable outside of the beginner hill), more for those with snow sports experience and looking to explore the full four resorts in Niseko as well as other ski hills in Hokkaido. In that case, you will want at least a week, even two if you have the time.

The four resort in Niseko are Grand Hirafu, Hanazono, Niseko Village and An’nupuri – the biggest town is in Grand Hirafu so I’d recommend basing yourself here if you want to be in the middle of the action. The other resorts are great quieter options. You can reach all four from each town through lifts, though the top ones often close when winds are high so check the lift map for this before booking.

I’d also recommend at least four days to maximise your chance of one of the incredible powder days that Niseko is known for. We did have snow dumps pretty regularly last winter, but the more time you have, the more likely you are to experience that record-breaking snow. Ideally, anyone with ski or snowboard experience will want 5-7+ days on the snow.

If you are coming to Niseko to explore the town and don’t want to ski/snowboard, I’d say 2-3 days are enough to explore the area and try some of the other activities offered here such as a snow-mobile excursion around Mt. Yotei. I’ve written a full guide on the 7 Best Things to Do in Niseko Besides Skiing.

When should you come to Niseko for the best snow?

It’s impossible to predict the exact time that you will experience the best snow. It changes slightly every year. In general, mid-December to late February is when Niseko gets consistent snow and lots of powder days.

Usually January is known for some of the best snow, though this season it didn’t snow for almost three weeks in January but instead dumped snow in December and February. The snow was good even till Mid-March.

The year before, January was the best month and December and February a bit slow. So there is a little luck involved. I’d say end of December is a good bet as well as beginning of February, but be wary of how busy it gets during holiday periods such as Christmas and Chinese New Year.

Other resorts near Niseko to explore:

If you are coming to chase powder, you could also try other resorts in the area if it isn’t snowing as much during your visit. Weather can vary quite a lot from resort to resort. This also applies if you are looking for new terrain or simply want to see a little more of Hokkaido.

Some of the best resorts near Niseko are:

Moiwa – really close to Niseko and reachable by bus, this is one of my favourite resorts. The snow here is unbeatable and it is usually a little quieter than Niseko. It’s a small resort but powder guaranteed.
Rusutsu – This resort is a great day trip from Niseko. The resort is pretty big and varied with great off-piste options. We went here several times for the powder snow during the last season.
Kiroro – another smaller resort with fantastic snow, this is worth keeping an eye on for those powder days.

Moiwa and Rusutsu are reachable by public transport from Niseko, though it’s even easier if you have a car. Kiroro is best reachable by car. Check rental options here.

Sample Itinerary for your typical day in Niseko

8-9am: Breakfast and head to the ski lifts

Get ready for a day on the slopes with a good breakfast – many hotels have this included. Japanese breakfast usually includes hot dishes and rice, though normally hotels here have Western options too. I’d recommend to dress with lots of layers as Niseko gets pretty cold. During peak times, if you want to get fresh pow, you may want to get to the lifts before they open (8.30 am for most lifts) as queues form quickly.

9am - 12pm: Time to ski and snowboard some pow

It’s time to enjoy the amazing powder snow. For beginners, I recommend taking lessons! Get in touch with me for snowboard lessons 🙂 There are also backcountry guides available in Niseko to take you off the beaten path to the deepest powder.

12 - 1pm: Grab some ramen or Japanese curry on the mountain

There are plenty of amazing restaurants on the slopes with delicious food, one of my favourites is Bo-yo-so, slightly hidden under Hirafu Gondola.

1 - 4pm: Either explore a different part of the resort or take part in a tour

In the afternoon, you could check out a different area of the four, the top lifts allow you to easily switch between resorts – just be careful as most lifts close around 3.30pm that you get back in time. Alternatively, you could do one of Niseko’s tours, e.g. snow-mobile around Mt. Yotei.

4 - 6pm: Relax and recover in an Onsen

While there is night skiing and I would recommend to try it at least one day, going to an Onsen is truly something you need to do while in Japan and the perfect thing to do when you have sore muscles from being on the slopes. The hot, mineral water truly holds healing properties.

6 - 8pm: Time for an amazing dinner

You are spoiled for amazing dinner options in Niseko. Some of my personal favourites are Tozanken Ramen, MAME niseko, the food trucks near the Seicomart and Sushi ISONO.

8 - night: Rest for another day of skiing or make the most of the amazing nightlife in Niseko

It’s time to rest or explore the epic nightlife that Niseko has to offer. From classics like Half Note and Freddies, to more sophisticated bars like Bar Gyu+, there is something for everyone.

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.

Tours and activities around Niseko:

Niseko has lots of other things to offer outside of skiing/snowboarding. Check out my full guide on the 7 best ones here , including snow shoeing, the incredible Japanese Onsen (hot mineral baths) and nightlife.

Is Sapporo worth visiting?

Yes, if you have the time I recommend planning in one day to see Sapporo. The city has lots to offer. I’d especially recommend visiting during the yearly Sapporo Snow Festival (usually in the beginning of February) – the ice sculptures are incredible.