Getting There

Where is "There"?

The name Niseko applies to both a region of Hokkaido and a town. It is the region that you are heading to and not the town. The towns that you want are Hirafu (by bus) or Kutchan (by train).

By air

The Northern Japanese island of Hokkaido is serviced by the major city of Sapporo. Sapporo's new Chitose International Airport receives flights from many international destinations within Asia and beyond.

You can fly to Sapporo via any of: Tokyo, Osaka, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), Seoul (Korea), Cairns and many other places.

From Sapporo (Chitose Airport), the two most convenient modes of transport to hirafu are: by bus and train.

By bus

There are 4 main companies from the airport to Niseko (Hirafu): Chuo, Donan, Skybus and Whiteliner. Donan Bus Company and Chuo Bus Company have regular services to Hirafu between 8:45 am and 4.30 pm daily. They alternate with each other with one leaving every 45 minutes or thereabouts. Seating is rarely a problem - but you cannot be sure.

All buses, except Donan, can be pre-booked. However, Chuo has no English language booking service or staff. Both Whiteliner and Skybus have English language online booking services and staff. Skyliner is run by an Australian.

All the buses except Skybus drop you off at the Hirafu (Niseko) Welcome Center. Skybus will drop you at our door.

A bus ticket to Hirafu can be purchased from the Bus Counter at the airport which is located opposite JAL domestic arrival gate 4 on the ground floor. Clearly numbered bus departure points are located immediately outside the terminal. If you have time before the bus departs, give us a call from the airport and we can meet your bus on its arrival.

The trip takes 2.5 to 3 hours depending on weather and traffic. The bus usually stops at the main Hirafu bus stop before continuing on to Higashiyama and An'Nupuri Resorts. Occasionally it will visit An'Nupuri and Hagishiyama first.

If you weren't able to ring us from the airport then on your arrival at the Hirafu Welcome Center, please telephone the pension or our mobile (there is a public coin phone located inside the Welcome center and the foyer of Alpen Hotel) and we will collect you there within a few minutes.

By train

Trains leave from Chitose airport (basement level) for Kutchan (the closest train station to the resort) daily from 7.52 am to 8.48 pm . The train is slower than the bus, except for the daily express service at 12.52 which takes just over 2 hours. The normal train service requires a change at Otaru and takes just over 3 hours. Kutchan train station is 12 minutes drive from the resort village and we will collect you from the Kutchan station. Note: do not travel on to the township of Niseko - it is over 20 km from the ski resort Niseko.

For those wishing to see more of Japan there is a much more adventurous alternative. You can catch a bullet train from Tokyo or Osaka to the northern tip of Honshu (Japan's main island) and then a regional train to Hokkaido. The train does not swim across the sea but travels instead in the worlds longest tunnel. It emerges from the tunnel at Hakkodate, Hokkaido's southernmost and second largest city. It is well worth a stop there. The old city is quite historic and has some beautiful architecture with many influences.

From Hakkodate, catch a regional train to Kutchan and we will pick you up there.

Links and further information

There are a number of useful links to bus and other web sites on our Contact us page.