The A - Z's of Winter in Niseko

Heading to Niseko this winter and feeling a bit overwhelmed trying to place where and what everything is while booking your accommodation and lift passes?

Don’t worry, we have got you covered. Read on and find out the essentials of Niseko during the winter time. From activities to resorts, this is everything you need to know to start feeling like a true Niseko local.

A- Annupuri

One of the four Niseko United resorts known for its mellow runs, family-friendly terrain and quieter crowds. It’s also surrounded by many of the region’s best onsen facilities, making it the perfect place to drop in for a few laps before some much needed rest and relaxation.

B- Backcountry Touring

If you know anything about Niseko, you’ll know how big the backcountry scene is here. Literally every which way you look, Niseko is surrounded by mountains, all of which are rideable - if you have the correct safety gear, touring equipment and knowledge of how to read backcountry terrain and weather patterns. If you don’t, please head out with a certified guide who knows the region well. 

C- Curry

It’s not something that’s widely promoted, but Hokkaido is known for its specialty foods, with one of the favourites being the revered Hokkaido Soup Curry. A hearty must-try dish if you’re visiting the region!

D- Demo Sales

Don’t bother buying all the newest models before coming over. Save the budget and pick up an ex-demo for a fraction of the cost once you get to town. Around the beginning of winter, most ski rental and retail stores (including us) in the area have massive ex-rental sales. 

E- Events

The Rhythm Rail Jam, movie nights, the Niseko Shootout - over winter, the events don’t stop. Making Niseko an awesome spot to enjoy off-snow activities.

F- Food

From Minchelin-star fine dining to food trucks and tiny, hole-in-the-wall izakaya and ramen spots, Niseko offers up some incredible food options. If you’re looking to find out where we think the best spots are, check out our handy guide here. 

G- Gates

Name something better than backcountry without endless hiking for hours? The gate system!

Yep, with Niseko’s gate system, you can gain immediate access to ungroomed back and sidecountry terrain, all accessible via the resorts lift lines (and sometimes a tiny walk). 

H- Hanozono and Hirafu

Two of Niseko United’s most prominent resorts, connected by in-resort trails, Hirafu and Hanazono are the perfect option for riders or any skillset, offering everything from beginner friendly runs to epic back and sidecountry terrain, and some of the best terrain parks in the region. 

I- In-resort guiding

Let’s say you look at a trail map for a few minutes ahead of every run. Before you know it, you’ve taken up almost a whole hour of your day on-snow just looking at maps. Screw that! Spend that time getting to know the resort and all of its best trails by grabbing an in-resort guiding experience at the start of your trip. Not only will the guide be able to show you all the best pow pockets, it’ll help your understanding of the resort and how to connect between resorts exponentially. 

J- Jagata-Kun

You may not know this, but essentially every town and prefecture in Japan has its own town mascot. In Hakuba, it’s Victoire Cheval Blanc MURAO III, also known as ‘The White Horse.’ In Furano, it’s Hesomaru-kun, a super stoked belly-button (in support of the famous Furano belly button festival). In Niseko, we’ve got the coolest damn skiing potato in the world, Jagata-Kun (Kutchan prides themselves on their potatoes). 

If you’re coming to town, you’ll undoubtedly see Jagata’s face everywhere around the village, and every time, you’ll be equally excited. Like seriously, who doesn’t love a skiing potato?

K- Karaoke

Everyone acts like heading into the backcountry or hiking Mt Yotei is a rite of passage if you’re in Niseko, but really, it’s karaoke! The perfect icebreaker, whether you're with your fam, out on a romantic date or heading out for after work drinks!

L- Lawson Fried Chicken

We’ve all heard it… ‘Dude, the food in Japan is so next level good. Like, the Lawson chicken!’ 

It might seem weird for someone to hype how good a country’s food is and then proceed directly into hyping konbini favourites, but trust us, once you finally get here and try it you will understand what all the hype’s about. There’s almost nothing better than some konbini fried chicken, unless you’re pairing it with one of their famous egg salad sandwiches.

M- Metres of snow

There’s a reason that Niseko is referred to as the pow capital of the world. On average, Niseko receives between 12 - 15 metres of snow per winter season. That’s over 7 full-sized Shaquille O’Neal’s stacked on top of each other. As you can imagine, it’s a lot of pow.

N- Niseko Village

Another of Niseko’s four inter-connected resorts, Niseko Village sits between Hirafu and Annupuri and features some of the longest family-friendly runs in the region. It’s also an epic spot to stop for a lunch bite, with the gorgeous Niseko-Yo village serving up some awesome dining options.

O- Onsen

We will debate this to anyone: there is nothing better than finishing your day on the hill with an onsen, followed by a bowl of ramen. Nothing! Soaking in traditional Japanese hot spring onsen is the best possible way to rest and rejuvenate after a day of riding. And the best part? There are heaps in the Niseko region! 

P- Pizza Chair

If you’re scared of heights, this one may not be for you. But if you’re feeling extra sendy, try out one of Niseko’s famous ‘pizza box’ lifts. Before you ask, yes, these one-seaters are roughly the same size as a pizza box – and no, we’re not referring to the massive New York style 40" inch pizzas...

Q- Quiver

If you’ve been riding for a while, we know that you got a sweet quiver at home, but that doesn’t mean you should bring it all with you and risk copping super exorbitant baggage fees. Rent instead! Trust us, no matter what’s in your quiver, ours is much more extensive – we’ll have what you’re looking for.

R- Ramen

Ramen is a favourite all across Japan, but little known fact: miso ramen was actually invented in Sapporo! So if you’re visiting Hokkaido, a warm bowl of Miso Ramen is an essential dish to try!

S- Strawberry Fields/ Strong Zeros/Sapporo Classics/ Sushi/ Seicomart

S was hard to boil down to just one, so let’s try and combine them all together. 

You wake up, you still have a leftover Seicomart onigiri in the fridge, you smash it on the way to the gondola. Once at the top you head over to Hanozono and pump out some hot laps through the Strawberry Fields tree-lines (with a chairlift Strong Zero for the way back up, naturally). Afterwards, you wrap up riding and sip on a crisp Sapporo Classic at the bus stop before heading to sushi for dinner.

Sounds like a pretty sweet day, right?

T- Tree lines

Sometimes you get to a resort, head into the trees and think, ‘woah, this is not safe for riding.’ In Japan, it’s the complete opposite, at times feeling like the trees grew in a certain way because they just knew that in 100 years time someone would be ripping it through them. The perfect entry-level tree-lines for beginners to try out.

U- Unpredictable

When an area is getting SO much snow, the weather can at times be pretty unpredictable. One second, it’s a blue-bird day. The next, you’re struggling to see a metre in front of you while a force force snowstorm hits. It’s best to be prepared for everything. Pack the essentials and then head to your nearest Rhythm Summit store and pick up the extras that’ll make you fully Japow ready.

V- Ventilation

When you’re out shredding, ventilation and layering are essential. We recommend a thin merino thermal with a jacket that has heaps of air vents. As we said, weather can be unpredictable so having access to different ventilation is essential when you’re getting all hot and sweaty out on the slopes. 

W- Wakarimasen

Don’t know what ‘Wakarimasen’ means? Check out our ‘Handy Japanese Phrases’ blog here!

X - X-rays Aren’t Cheap

Get travel insurance.

Y- Yotei

Your compass back home – no matter where you are in Niseko, Yotei will always help ground you and point you in the right direction.

Z- Pow

It’s what it’s all about.