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 2022/23 season.
Niseko is located in Hokkaidō, about two hours from Sapporo (and 2–3 hours from Hokkaido’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.
Not yet committed to Niseko? Check out our guide to slopes around Tokyo.
See our article on traveling between Tokyo and Niseko for detailed transport info.
The 2022/23 season at a glance
The Niseko 2022/23 season officially kicks off on December 3 and ends, depending on the resort, in early April or early May. There will be night skiing from Dec. 17 to Mar. 19 at Grand Hirafu, Niseko Village, Annupuri, and Hanazono.
| Resort | Season start date | End date |
|---|---|---|
| Grand Hirafu | December 3, 2022 | May 7, 2023 |
| Niseko Village | December 3, 2022 | April 2, 2023 |
| Annupuri | December 3, 2022 | May 7, 2023 |
| Hanazono | December 3, 2022 | April 9, 2023 |
| Moiwa | December 3, 2022 | April 2, 2023 |
What’s new for the 2022/23 season?
Niseko Hanazono is debuting a new 10-seat gondola (Hanazono Symphony Gondola) and a new 6-seat heated lift (Hanazono Hooded Lift #1). Not to be outdone, Grand Hirafu announced it will have a new 10-seat gondola for winter 2024.
It seems like every year a new luxury property opens in Niseko, and 2022 is no different. New for this season is Setsu Niseko, near Grand Hirafu (with a shuttle to the gondola). It’s getting buzz for its food offerings, which include a new venture from chef Hironori Sato of the Michelin-starred French restaurant Meli Melo in Sapporo; a branch of two Michelin-starred Sapporo tempura restaurant, Tempura Araki; and an outpost of popular Tokyo-based ramen shop Afuri.
Pro tip: Flying into New Chitose Airport? Ship your bags on ahead to your hotel (or going the other way, to the airport) with this new service.
Lift prices for the 2022/23 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 skiiers and snowboarders coming to Niseko. The price varies depending on the time of year, with “regular” season being the most expensive at ¥8,500 for a one-day adult pass.
| Season | Dates | 1-day Pass Price |
|---|---|---|
| Early | December 3rd 2022 to December 16th 2022 | ¥6,000 |
| Regular | December 3rd 2022 to April 2nd, 2023 | ¥8,500 |
| Spring | March 20th 2023 to April 2nd 2023 | ¥6,000 |
| End | April 3rd 2023 to May 7th 2023 | ¥4,300 |
Prices are discounted for children (ages 7–12), teens (ages 13–15), and seniors (aged 60 & above). Preschoolers can ride for free.
In addition to day passes, there are mulit-day passes — a two week pass for an adult in regular season costs ¥86,600 — and 12-point passes available during regular and spring season.
Individual resort passes
Grand Hirafu and Hanazono use a joint lift pass.
| Resort | Full-Day | Half-Day | Night |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Hirafu | ¥6,600 | ¥5,500 (5 hrs) | ¥3,000 (4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.) |
| Niseko Village | ¥6,800 | ¥5,900 (until 1 p.m. or from noon) | ¥2,300 (4 p.m. to 7 p.m.) |
| Annupuri | ¥5,900 | ¥4,900 (5 hrs) | ¥2,600 (4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.) |
| Hanazono | ¥6,600 | ¥5,500 (5 hrs) | ¥3,000 (4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.) |
| Moiwa | ¥5,500 | ¥5,000 (4 hrs) | N/A |
2022/23 Niseko events
- Hanazono will have fireworks every Saturday evening at 7 p.m. Dec. 17 through Feb. 25 (from 6 p.m. on Jan. 14) and also at midnight on Dec. 31.
- Annupuri is hosting an extended night skiing session on December 31 until 11 p.m. that will end with torch bearing skiers making a final descent, then fireworks at midnight. The resort is also offering special early first gondola rides on January 1–3 & 7–9 from 7:20 a.m.
- The Niseko Shootout Short Film Festival will be held Mar 31.
Nearby 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 Jan 28 to Feb 23 on Lake Shikotsu in Shikotsu-Toya National Park.
- Sapporo Snow Festival — among Hokkaido’s biggest annual events — will take place this year from Feb 4 to Feb 11. We’ve got a whole guide to it here.
- Otaru Light Snow Path, which sees handmade snow lanterns line streets and canals in Otaru, will be held Feb 11 to Feb 18.
While we do our best to ensure everything is correct, information is subject to change. Research by Maria Danuco.
