MOUNTAIN INFORMATION
The Niseko Allure
It is little wonder Niseko has become Japan's most sought after snow sport holiday escape. The blend of accommodation, restaurants, culture and activities to suit all tastes, surrounded by breathtaking scenery, champagne powder snow, and high tech facilities attracts skiers and snowboarders from around the world.
Comprising of four main areas - Hanazono, Hirafu, Higashiyama and Annupuri - Niseko experiences more than 16 metres of powder snow from November until April as Siberian desert storm systems sweep across the Sea of Japan with amazing regularity.
Ideal for skiing and riding at any level, the area offers wide open runs for cruising, as well as challenging diverse terrain and enormous gladed areas to test the most accomplished powder skier.
With a Niseko United lift pass, visitors can explore over 48 km of runs serviced by 38 lifts - the longest run a spectacular 5.6 km. The area offers 1,000 vertical metres of consistent deep powder and immaculately groomed runs for Beginners (30%), Intermediate (40%) and Advanced (30%).
click here for how to get to Niseko and transport options
The Niseko Sensory Experience
The greater Hokkaido region is not only famous for its ski areas, but also its sensory delights. Indulge your tastebuds in fresh seafood, local beers, chocolate, and ramen noodles, relax in the famous Onsen natural hot springs, and during February, experience the visual spectacular of The Sapporo Ice Festival - check PTV for excellent video coverage of last years event.
The Niseko Powder Experience
With a mere 8% water quantity, Niseko snow is always drier, providing some of the most exhilarating powder skiing and snowboarding experiences anywhere in the world. It is not unusual for guests to find themselves enveloped in snow, or as we say, "experiencing the White Room", as they bounce their way down the slopes.
As several wide-open bowls descend from the peak of Mt Annupuri into Hanazono and Annupuri lift base, it is truly a skier and riders dream.
The Hanazono area is renowned for its incredible tree skiing and access to some of the best off piste-skiing in the world, as the Peak offers a 1,000m run of perfect powder.
On a clear day, the Peak climb is rewarded with the ultimate ski or ride experience, where views from the Peak are truly awe-inspiring, spanning from the slopes of nearby Mt Yotei (the North Island's answer to Mt Fuji) all the way to the ocean's edge.
Mountain Statistics |
|
|---|---|
Number of chair lifts |
35 |
Number of Gondolas |
3 |
Lift Base Altitude |
300 metres |
Peak Altitude |
1309 metres |
Vertical Drop |
1009 metres |
Highest lifted point |
1200 metres |
Lifts Open |
8:30 am |
Lifts Close |
9:00 pm |
Mountain restaurants |
17 |
