Day Trips from Niseko to Other Resorts: Chase More Powder

September 13, 2025
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Niseko is an incredible ski resort and one of Japan’s most famous, but did you know about the nearby resorts that offer fewer crowds and, at times, untouched powder snow? Here are my favourite ski resorts for a powder chasing day trip from Niseko.

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. And while I love it there, I also discovered all of the nearby ski resorts in that time, many of which offer the same, if not better, snow and fewer crowds.

But even the busier ones offer totally new terrain, lots of backcountry options and an amazing day skiing/snowboarding. In this article I’ll talk about all my favourites as well as how to get there.

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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:

$ – 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.

Best Ski Resorts Near Niseko for a Daytrip

Whether you are experiencing a lull in snow at Niseko or just wanting to try some new terrain, there are some incredible ski resorts within Hokkaido just a short way from Niseko.

Weather can vary quite a lot from resort to resort, meaning snow can be amazing at one resort and not as great as another. Hence, it’s good to know all your options and check the snow forecast for them.

Some of the best resorts near Niseko are:

Moiwa – really close to Niseko and reachable by bus (a shuttle from Kutchan), 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. You can get here with a public bus from Kutchan (1hr), a pricier shuttle from Niseko (check it out here) or by car in about 40 minutes.
Kiroro – another smaller resort with fantastic snow, this is worth keeping an eye on for those powder days. Best reached if you have a rental car.
Sapporo Kokusai Ski Resort – this resort is reachable by car from Niseko in about 1 hour 20 mins. It is another smaller resort but often receives a ton of snowfall so great to keep an eye on for powder days.

Honorable mention:
Furano Ski Resort – this resort is past Sapporo (3+ hr drive) and hence only worth visiting if you head for a few days, but it is known for incredible slopes and back country as well as great snow.

FAQ about Niseko

How many days do you need in Niseko?

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.

If you are wanting to explore more resorts outside Niseko on day trips, I’d recommend booking at least a week in the area.

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.

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.

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.