Written by Rebecca Milner
Niseko needs little introduction. It’s Japan’s most famous winter destination — thanks to regular dumps of glorious powder snow. Here’s everything you need to know to get the most out of the Niseko 2026/27 season.
Niseko is located in Hokkaidō, about two hours from Sapporo (and 2–3 hours from Hokkaidō’s international airport, New Chitose). It has four interconnected resorts — Grand Hirafu, Niseko Village, Annupuri, and Hanazono — that form Niseko United, plus a fifth, smaller one called Moiwa.
Pro tip: You can book a shuttle from Sapporo or New Chitose Airport to Niseko. See our guide to traveling between Tokyo and Niseko for detailed transport info. Not yet committed to Niseko? Check out our guide to slopes around Tokyo.
The 2026/27 season at a glance
The Niseko 2026/27 season officially kicks off on November 28 and ends, depending on the resort, in early April or early May. There will be night skiing from Dec. 12 to Mar. 22 at Grand Hirafu, Niseko Village, Annupuri, and Hanazono.
| Resort | Season start date | End date |
|---|---|---|
| Grand Hirafu | November 28, 2026 | May 5, 2027 |
| Niseko Village | November 28, 2026 | April 4, 2027 |
| Annupuri | November 28, 2026 | May 5, 2027 |
| Hanazono | November 28, 2026 | April 11, 2027 |
| Moiwa | To be announced | (2025/26 ran November 29 to April 5) |
What’s new for the 2026/27 season
- A new gondola at Niseko Village: the eight-seat Mori-no Gondola replaces the old Mori-no double chair, with the first section (up to 670 m) opening this season and the upper section following in 2027.
- A faster Ace No. 3 at Grand Hirafu: the two-seater has been rebuilt as a four-seat hooded chair running at roughly twice the speed.
- New direct flights to New Chitose Airport: United from San Francisco from December 11, 2026, and Air Canada from Vancouver from December 17, 2026.
- Higher accommodation taxes: Hokkaidō added a prefectural lodging tax of ¥100 to ¥500 per person per night in April 2026, and Kutchan (the Hirafu and Hanazono side) raised its own accommodation tax to 3% of the room rate at the same time.
Lift prices for the 2026/27 season
The Niseko United All Mountain Pass covers four interconnected resorts: Hirafu, Niseko Village, Annupuri, and Hanazono. You can also buy individual lift passes for each resort.
Niseko United All Mountain Pass
This is the most popular option for skiers and snowboarders coming to Niseko. The price varies depending on the time of year, with the new “peak” period over the New Year and February holidays the most expensive at ¥13,500 for a one-day adult pass.
| Season | Dates | One-day Pass Price |
|---|---|---|
| Early | November 28, 2026 to December 11, 2026 | ¥8,800 |
| Regular | December 12 to 23, 2026, and March 1 to 22, 2027 | ¥12,600 |
| Peak | December 24, 2026 to February 28, 2027 | ¥13,500 |
| Spring | March 23 to April 4, 2027 | ¥8,800 |
| Final | April 5 to May 5, 2027 | ¥6,300 |
Prices are discounted for children (ages 4 to 12), teens (ages 13 to 15), and seniors (aged 65 and above) — a one-day child pass is ¥7,600 in regular season and ¥8,100 at peak, while teens and seniors pay ¥10,700 and ¥11,500. Children aged 3 and under ride for free.
In addition to day passes, there are multi-day passes — a two-day adult pass costs ¥24,700 in regular season and ¥26,500 at peak — plus a 12-point pass (¥7,500, valid in any period) and an online-only 50-hour pass (¥121,200) that doesn’t need to be used on consecutive days.
Individual resort passes
Grand Hirafu and Hanazono use a joint lift pass. The prices below are regular-season counter prices for adults; peak season (December 24 to February 28) runs a few hundred yen higher, and buying online saves around 5%.
| Resort | Full-Day | Half-Day | Night |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Hirafu | ¥11,600 | ¥8,300 (4 hrs from noon) | ¥6,400 (4 p.m. to 7 p.m.) |
| Niseko Village | ¥10,200 | ¥8,700 (afternoon) | ¥3,400 |
| Annupuri | ¥7,500 | ¥6,500 (5 hrs) | ¥3,700 (4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.) |
| Hanazono | ¥11,600 | ¥8,300 (4 hrs from noon) | ¥6,400 (4 p.m. to 7 p.m.) |
| Moiwa | To be announced (2025/26: ¥13,000) | To be announced (2025/26: ¥12,000 for 4 hrs) | N/A |
Pro tip: You can save some money on the tickets for Grand Hirafu and Hanazono, as well as Moiwa, if you book online in advance.
Nearby winter events
Check out these nearby events worth traveling for. Heading to Sapporo? See our guide to getting around the city.
- Chitose–Lake Shikotsu Ice Festival, featuring ice sculptures, an ice slide, and weekend evening fireworks, will be held January 30 to February 23, 2027, on Lake Shikotsu in Shikotsu-Toya National Park.
- Sapporo Snow Festival — among Hokkaidō’s biggest annual events — will take place February 4 to 11, 2027, at all three sites (Ōdōri, Susukino, and Tsudome). We’ve got a whole guide to it here.
- Otaru Light Snow Path, which sees handmade snow lanterns line streets and canals in Otaru. The 2027 edition is scheduled for February 6 to 13, 2027.
While we do our best to ensure everything is correct, information is subject to change. Research by Maria Danuco. First published in January 2023. Last updated September 2026.
