Niseko is back! A bustling and bright holiday season

January, 13th 2023

Fireworks at Niseko Hanazono Resort – Every Saturday at 19:00 through February 25th!

Welcome back! What a wonderful holiday season we just had in Niseko. We picked up right where we left off before the pandemic, but with new developments and improvements.

Christmas and new year’s in Niseko were full of holiday cheer, with most accommodations filling their rooms and creating a buzzing atmosphere all around. Santa made several appearances across the resorts, and dazzling fireworks lit the skies. The infamous Hirafu village was brimming with excited visitors playing in the snow, enjoying exquisite dining experiences, and celebrating the holidays at their favorite nightlight venues. New restaurants and old favorites were back in business. Even several new hotels across their resorts opened their doors to visitors for the first time in a few years. Niseko is back!

December provided ample snow to play in, with almost every day being blessed with fresh snow. The sun came out on a few occasions to reveal the sparkling landscape blanketed in white. Even the top of the elusive Mt. Yotei made a few appearances to give a chance to capture that perfect photo.

All of the in-bounds terrain and lifts started operating just before the end of the year, and soon after the backcountry gates across the mountain opened one after another. The first few days of January brought stormy conditions and deep snow, followed by calmer weather and a chance to explore more of the mountain with good visibility.

This is what we have been waiting for in Niseko. The chance to welcome all of our guests back! And it looks like that’s what our lovely guests have been waiting for too. Thank you so much for your patience over the last few years while Japan was closed. We are on track to continue developing into the world-class resort we are destined to become. Thank you to all our guests who visited and all who are yet to come. Happy new year!