Niseko

Niseko Review

For the best skiing in Hokkaido, head for Niseko. This has been boomsville for Australian leisure developers, with foreign-owned holiday homes and apartments shooting up everywhere, particularly in Hirafu village. Direct flights between Chitose and Cairns, Australia, from November to April have revitalized Niseko, which had its heyday with Japanese skiers in the 1970s. Chinese tourism and speculative buying has also recently been making an impact.

Between the skiing and boarding on Mt. Annupuri and the conical Mt. Yotei is a gentle landscape of hot springs, dairy and vegetable farms, artists' workshops, and hiking trails. The Japanese love the outdoor farm and nature attractions, but for most Western visitors the adventure-sport opportunities are the real reason to come. Outdoor-adventure companies run by Australian and Canadian expats offer year-round thrills, including rafting (best from April to May), backcountry skiing, mountain biking, and bungee jumping.

Niseko is developing into a major self-catering vacation destination, meaning visitors provide their own food in exchange for access to a full kitchen. With most companies staffed by English-speaking expats, this offers an unusual-in-Japan stay opportunity. The Niseko area is hands-down the best place to discover the Hokkaido countryside, and it's easy to find an English-speaking guide.