Niseko Adventure Centre
There are many ways to escape from everyday life and immerse yourself in something extraordinary. NAC’s river kayaking tours using sit-on-top kayaks offer a calm and majestic river experience just a few minutes’ ride from Niseko Grand Hirafu Ski Resort. It’s also wonderful to simply immerse yourself in the nature of Niseko in your own way.
The Ace Gondola at Niseko Tokyu Grand Hirafu Ski Resort opened today, and along with it, the restaurant facilities ALPEN NODE and NEST813, as well as the pickleball, mountain cart, and mountain bike courses, are also fully open. To commemorate this, the HIRAFU OPEN FESTA is being held today and tomorrow. There will be a free raft simulation experience in the pool, workshops to make keychains and bird calls, free access to a portion of the adventure park courses (reservations required on the day at NODE), and the mountain bike courses will also be free for these two days.
Today was a fantastic day, and we had so many people come to visit us, making it a very lively and enjoyable time! Thank you! We’ll be continuing the event tomorrow as well, so please come and relax with us!
Of course, our regular tours are also running. Starting today, registration is at ALPEN NODE, and the tour meeting and disbanding point is .BASE (Dot Base) across the street.
Last week, on June 20th and 21st, we exhibited at Outdoor Days Japan in front of the Sapporo Prefectural Government Building and had the opportunity to interact with many people. Thank you to everyone who spoke to us!
Here is what we handed out at the event ↓
On July 4th and 5th, Niseko Tokyu Grand Hirafu will be hosting an opening event to celebrate its green season. NAC will be offering free rafting and SUP water experiences in the pool, free access to some courses in the adventure park (reservations required at the counter on the day), and workshops where you can make bird calls and keychains. You can also ride the Ace Gondola for free and try the newly introduced Pickleball for free! ALPENNODE at the gondola station, NEST813 at the disembarking point, and the restaurants will all open on the same day. Come and have fun with us at the Ace Gondola base plaza!
With late June upon us, summer is in full swing. The most thrilling activity on the river during this time of year is the ducky, which I’ll introduce today. While the rafting at the front offers a sense of stability, the ducky following behind is lighter and smaller, giving you a real sense of speed. Plus, you get to control the boat yourself, so there’s a great sense of accomplishment when you successfully match the river’s current. If this is your first time enjoying river activities in Niseko, I recommend trying rafting first, and then definitely giving the ducky a try next time.
Our new drysuit arrived yesterday, and we started using it on today’s tour. Getting wet is part of the fun of rafting, but slower water entry means more time to play in the water, which expands the range of activities we can do. We won’t be using the drysuit until autumn, but it’s still very useful in June, so let’s have some fun together!
With June here, Niseko has been blessed with perfect trekking weather. Under a beautiful blue sky, I took a leisurely walk around the lakes and marshes that are representative of Niseko.
First up is Shinsennuma Pond. Located high up in the Niseko mountain range, it boasts a unique and distinctive landscape. Accessible via a boardwalk, it’s recommended for families with relatively young children and those who want to leisurely enjoy nature. You can choose to go left or right along the boardwalk on the way there, but I recommend the right-hand path, which offers excellent views. The pond is said to be formed solely from rainwater, but this season it seemed to have a slightly lower water level than usual.
This is Naganuma. Located next to Shinsennuma, it’s worth a visit if you have the energy. It’s also the entrance to a trailhead where you can start climbing the mountains right in front of you (left: Chisenupuri, right: Shakunage-dake).
This is Kagami-numa Pond, located at the foot of Mount Niseko Annupuri. Surprisingly, the trail to access it is the most challenging of the bunch, requiring several ascents and descents and crossings of small streams, but in return, you can feel a sense of tranquility when you reach the top.
This is Hangetsu Lake, located at the foot of Mount Yotei. There’s a trail that goes all the way around the lake, so you can return to your starting point without having to go back and forth. You can go clockwise or counterclockwise, but counterclockwise is recommended. The reason is that you start with a slight uphill climb, then you can gently descend around the lake, and if you have the energy at the end, you can also enjoy the trail that goes down to the lake.
At NAC, our guides will select the best course for you based on your fitness level. Let’s enjoy the refreshing mountain breeze together!
Today, we’ll introduce how to get to NAC Adventure Park!
Throughout June, registration for the adventure park will be done directly at the park. Take your time and enjoy a leisurely walk!
This is what Niseko looks like today, with the sparkling sun and vibrant new greenery. This year, the water level is dropping a little faster than usual, and the so-called “Spring Course,” which is only accessible during the snowmelt and flood season, is nearing the end of its run. There’s a long-standing tradition at NAC that you can enjoy the Spring Course as long as the “Spring Waterfall,” which only appears in spring at the ski resort, is flowing, but it’s definitely nearing the end of its run. Once the Spring Course is no longer accessible, the next course will be the “Summer Course” upstream.
Golden Week has officially begun! This year, the cherry blossoms around Niseko are in full bloom, earlier than usual. The Niseko mountain range road, “Panorama Highway,” has also reopened after snow removal. Although there is considerably less snow now, Niseko’s ski resorts will remain open throughout Golden Week. And the exciting snowmelt whitewater rafting, a signature activity of Niseko during Golden Week, is even more thrilling after last night’s rain! For families with small children, we recommend the “Adventure Park,” a tree trekking experience that incorporates a variety of activities such as ziplining and bungee jumping. Enjoy delicious food, Niseko’s spring foliage, remaining snow, and snowmelt whitewater rafting to the fullest! Walk-ins and same-day phone reservations are accepted, so please feel free to contact us.
The Magical Experience tickets for Kutchan town residents, which started on April 20th, can be used for all NAC activities. We hope you’ll enjoy eating, drinking, playing, and relaxing in Niseko Hirafu at a great price!