Summer In Niseko – Time Will Surely Run Out But Not The Fun Things To Do
Winter in Niseko is a thrilling experience as the ski resort town promises unending supply of immaculate japow that stretches for months and the chance to engage in snow sports that the season affords. The fun, however, never stops even when the cold Siberian winds retreat and summer sets in. Niseko remains busy during the warmer weather that time for would-be visitors could easily dry up.
This according to Tyler Rothmar, sharing his brief but exciting adventure on Niseko in the summer of 2017 via The Japan Times. In this part of Hokkaido, located north of Japan, there is “so much to do (but) so little time,” Rothmar wrote.
For him, the original plan was to escape the unbearable heat that is trapped in the concrete jungle of Tokyo but the writer ended up discovering that Niseko, which in recent years has become a popular ski holiday destination, no longer has an off season. Summer in the ski town is equally eventful or even busier than when the cold season is at its peak.
Indeed Rothmar was able to beat the summer heat last year but largely due to the unlimited fun possibilities that Niseko has to offer.
A Near Perfect Weather
When most of southern Japan suffers through a punishing heat wave, the condition up north is a stark contrast. In Hokkaido, when the snow disappears it becomes warmer but the mercury hardly reaches 30 degrees. The highest recorded temperature during Rothmar’s Niseko stop last August 2017 was at mid-20s, which for many is a comfortable level.
Summer in Niseko, in fact, is perfect for outdoor activities and there are tonnes of things to do like mountain biking while admiring the majestic Mount Yotei in the background. The thick forest covering the mountains also tempt one to go on hiking, which actually is perfect and safer in this time of the year.
Another option is to explore Hokkaido’s rugged coastline or check out the Shinsen-numa Marsh that locals said is frequented by bird watchers. And since the snow already melted, the naturally generated rushing rivers make for an adrenaline-pumping canyoning and rafting.
Also, one can go for kayaking or horse riding that can break sweats but not as excruciating. And not to be skipped is a swing by to Niseko Village just to try out the zip-line course in Pure that spans at 1.4 kilometres, the longest in Japan to date.
Savouring Downtime Moments
Even the time for relaxing in Niseko is interesting. The onsen that can be found almost everywhere around town has to be on the to-do list of guests and visitors. Or they can choose visit the fairways and know first-hand why the resort town is regarded as “a mecca for the sport.”
According to Rothmar, Niseko’s numerous world-class golf courses serve as testament to Hokkaido’s foremost natural asset – the abundance of the prefecture’s open space.
In many instances, summer in Niseko is as simple as enjoying the vastness of the open road and breathing in the clean air, both of which are constant elements at any given season.
