A must stop when you come to Niseko! Roadside Station Niseko View Plaza

Roadside Station Niseko View Plaza is located along Route 5, a 5-minute drive from Niseko Station, and is also a stop for intercity buses. It is also only a 15-minute drive from Niseko Annupuri International Ski Resort and Niseko Moiwa Ski Resort, providing easy access to ski resorts. Many people stop by the plaza as a spot to take a break during a drive in the summer, and in the winter, while skiing.

Niseko View Plaza's main attractions are the year-round tastes of Niseko Town's delicious food and its scenery! On a clear day, you can see the towering Mt.

This roadside station was selected as one of the "Top 10 Roadside Stations in Japan 2018! The roadside station is very popular, having been ranked second in Japan in the "Top Roadside Stations for Japanese Visitors 2018".

Image courtesy of Niseko View Plaza Direct Sales Association

We were guided through the "Agricultural Products Direct Sales Area," which sells agricultural products from the Niseko area, and the "Information Plaza," which offers a wide selection of Niseko Town's prized souvenirs.

Ms. Namie Matsubara, a staff member of the direct sales shop and a certified vegetable sommelier, guided us around Niseko View Plaza. She was very attentive to tell us about the vegetables and their producers, so we recommend that you ask her many questions when you visit the direct sales area!

Seasonal vegetables and handmade goods are very popular! Direct Sales of Agricultural Products

First, let's take a look at the direct sales of agricultural products!

In addition to fresh seasonal vegetables brought in every morning by the growers, the direct sales area sells processed goods made by the growers themselves, who know their vegetables inside out. About 60 producers sell their products, which are arranged on separate shelves.

Direct sales area in summer. Image courtesy of Niseko View Plaza Direct Sales Association.

One of the main attractions of the Niseko View Plaza direct sales market is that if you are lucky, you can meet the producers. This is because the producers themselves bring in their products not only before the store opens, but also during the opening hours.

Farmer Ohno Farm bringing in products just after the store opens. Being able to see the farmer's face is one of the secrets of Niseko View Plaza's popularity.

Midori Omichi and her family produce garlic, potatoes, beans, and more.

If you talk to the growers who are displaying their products, they may be able to tell you about their vegetables and products.

Another nice feature of the Niseko View Plaza's produce stand is that it is staffed by a "vegetable sommelier! Ask them about recommended vegetables that are in season now and how to enjoy them!

Namie Matsubara, one of the vegetable sommeliers, told us that cabbage is the recommended vegetable for this season! It's very sweet and delicious.

This is a direct sales place where you can see, feel, and taste agriculture, which is Niseko's core industry.

Moreover, vegetables are not the only thing sold here. There are also handmade sweets made by farmers and other products that may become Niseko's new specialty!

Ms. Junko Araki, a farmer. Rare cheesecakes and handmade yokans (sweet dumplings) were on display. They are all reasonably priced and look very tasty!

Yurine butter made from Niseko's liliy root

In winter, when there are almost no vegetables to harvest, the shelves are lined with handmade goods made by the farmers and Niseko View Plaza staff.

Knit hats and other items made by the growers. They are very popular!

Handmade key chains made by staff members.

Room sprays using lavender, Niseko's town flower, developed by Niseko High School students are also available for purchase.

In addition to the vegetables you are looking for, you may also want to buy a variety of other items from this well-stocked direct sales stand. The store is a part of the local community, so it is a great way to get to know the town while you shop.

Agricultural products direct sales shop, the secret of its popularity

The "Niseko View Plaza" was ranked 2nd in Japan (1st in Hokkaido) in the "Traveler's Choice! Niseko View Plaza was ranked No. 2 in Japan (No. 1 in Hokkaido) in the "Roadside Stations Popular among Japanese 2018" ranking. What is the secret of its popularity, which attracts about 700,000 visitors a year?

There is another reason besides the availability of fresh local vegetables, processed foods, and delicious souvenirs.

It is the friendly atmosphere of the store!

On winter mornings, the entire staff works together to clear away the snow from around the store...

The staff members clean the snow off the ground around the store on winter mornings....

Original recipe cards, which change with the seasons, are also available!

Each producer is introduced in text and photographs at the top of the shelves, and the cute pop-ups that introduce the products are the producer's original! It is fun to look at the pop-ups as you browse the store.

Also, the store offers a delivery service for vegetables purchased at the store. This is very helpful when traveling from far away or when you want to send fresh vegetables to your family.

You can also send vegetables in original cute boxes!

Another attraction of Michi no Eki Niseko View Plaza is that the Niseko Town Community Development Cooperation Corps and its alumni are very active in the area. Some of the cooperative's alumni have become farmers, and some of them sell their produce directly at the farmers' market.

Mr. Junwon Jang, a staff member of the Regional Development Cooperation Volunteers, selling his wife's handmade works.

Mr. Daisuke Nakamura, an alumnus of the Regional Development Cooperation Volunteers who became a farmer. These hoshi-imo (hoshi-imo) potatoes are moist with just the right amount of sweetness and are excellent!

The secret to the popularity of this "direct sales place for agricultural products" is that you can feel the unity and connection of the entire town, and the wonderful staff welcomes you. Please come and visit us!

Niseko View Plaza Direct Sales Manager Toshihiro Okushiba (bottom left), Niseko View Plaza Direct Sales Cooperative Association President Shinichi Tsuzuki (bottom right), and the wonderful staff working at Niseko View Plaza. The friendly atmosphere is popular with many repeat customers, not only from within the town but also from tourists.

For tourist information and souvenirs, the "Information Plaza Building" is the place to go!

Next, let's go to the impressive "Information Plaza Building"!

Image courtesy of Niseko Resort Tourism Association

This facility is operated by the Niseko Resort Tourist Association, and you can ask the staff for information on recommended spots, gourmet foods, and other sightseeing information. You can stop by when you visit Niseko, or you can ask for an abundance of pamphlets to be sent to you in advance. It is a very reassuring spot for sightseeing in Niseko.

Mr. Koichi Shijo, who is in charge of the Information Plaza building, will show you around!

The Information Plaza Building is lined with a wide variety of products made in Niseko and the surrounding area, such as sweets, juices, and alcohol, that you will want to buy as souvenirs to take home.

Image courtesy of Niseko Resort Tourism Association

We asked Mr. Shijo, who knows everything there is to know about Niseko Town tourism, for his current recommendations.

I recommend Niseko Koffmage's "Crispy Cheese" and Niseko Winery's "Niseko Organic Sparkling Wine.

First, let us introduce Nisekofarmage's "Crispy Cheese.

Image courtesy of Niseko Resort Tourism Association.

Niseko Resort Tourist Association, "Niseko Krispy Cheese is made by Niseko Kromage, which has won numerous awards at the ALL JAPAN Natural Cheese Contest, and is a snackable crispy cheese! It is popular as a souvenir because it is light and can be carried around at room temperature, and it is the best-selling product in our online store.

Nisekofromage has been making high quality cheese that has won many awards, but due to downsizing, they are now only making this product. It is a rare and precious product that you should not miss out on.


Another recommendation is Niseko Winery's "Niseko Organic Sparkling Wine," made from 100% Vitis vinifera, a premium European wine grape grown in Niseko Town's own certified organic fields.

Image courtesy of Niseko Resort Tourism Association

This wine is made through a careful production process that strictly follows the traditional Champagne method, including 13 months of low-temperature primary fermentation and aging, followed by three months of secondary fermentation in the bottle, to produce a wine with concentrated fruitiness, gentle acidity, a clear golden color, and long-lasting fine bubbles.

In addition, there are many other products such as sake and sweets that you may want to buy as souvenirs! Be sure to stop by and get many of Niseko's delicious products.

Present from Niseko View Plaza, Roadside Station: LaLaLa Farm Fruit Tomato Juice 3-bottle set!

The product of this present campaign is a set of three 180ml bottles of fruit tomato juice from LaLaLa Farm, an organic farm in Niseko Town, Hokkaido, which is also sold at Niseko View Plaza!

This very sweet tomato juice is made from tomatoes grown with great care at LaLaLaFarm, which grows more than 50 kinds of vegetables, mainly tomatoes, herbs and wine grapes through natural cycle cultivation.

Ms. Hattori, LaLaLaFarm