Skiing in Hokkaido is different from skiing in any other place in the world. The high snowfall, its unique coastline, mountains that go from a few hundred meters high to volcanoes and the central Hokkaido high alpine mountains. Not to mention the excellent fluffy powder snow that keeps falling for days. The terrain is primarily hilly and not easy to get around, so you must be wondering how you can reach remote ski towns like Niseko.
Niseko resort lies in the southern part of Hokkaido in the greater area called Shiribeshi. The central city of Hokkaido, Sapporo, is a 2 hours car drive away, and the New Chitose Airport is almost the same distance. In winter, travel can become a little challenging due to the strong winds and snowy conditions. However, you can rest assure that you can still travel in style and have the same quality service that Japan is known for.
How does one get to Niseko?
Flight
One can fly direct to Sapporo from most of the big city hubs in Asia (before the pandemic). Domestic flights from major cities in Japan connect to Hokkaido daily. From the Airport you have a few options to reach the resort town of Niseko. By far the most convenient and, of course, a little costly is private transfer but worth it for those who like to travel in style. Options like direct ski buses are also available (such services can be booked as part of our private private package tours can book such services). A more time consuming but cheaper option of travel is via Sapporo by local train. A scenic rail ride will take you through the central city of Hokkaido to Otaru and the coastal area before heading left into the mountains of Niseko.
Train + Car
What is the Shinkansen like?
Shinkansen compared to Flights
Price
Convenience
About the Hokkaido Shinkansen
The JR Hokkaido operates a 10-car JR Hokkaido H5 series aka Hayabusa (はやぶさ). There are three classes available: Gran, Green and Ordinary class. The comfortable seats, spacious legroom and oversized windows allow for enjoyable travel. WIFI works well, even in the tunnels, and one can buy a snack, bentos, and drinks. There are also many bento shops in the station so grab yourself a nice meal, a cheeky can of beer and enjoy the smooth ride while watching the countryside pass by.
And for the train enthusiasts
The H5 Shinkansen train series is the same as the E5 series trains operated by the Tohoku Shinkansen since 2011. It has an identical maximum operating speed of 320 km/h. However, this is limited to 260 km/h (160 mph) on the Hokkaido Shinkansen and 160 km/h on the dual gauge track, which extends through the undersea Seikan Tunnel connecting Hokkaido with mainland Honshu. Many cargo trains also use this track.
All train cars tilt by up to 1.5 degrees through curves and use smooth air suspension. The maximum speed of 320 km/h is maintained even on curves with a 4,000m radius.
Have any questions regarding the above? Feel free to send us your enquiry to [email protected].
