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Niseko's 20 best places to drive in and around Niseko, Japan! Hot Springs, Observatories, Amusement Parks and Museums!
Niseko is visited by many people from all over the world and is a great place for family sightseeing and day drives! Enjoy the delicious spring water and hot springs at the foot of Mt. Yotei, as well as a variety of art spots. Let us introduce you to some of the best places to drive in Niseko and its suburbs.
- Roadside Station Meisui no Sato Kyogoku Meisui Plaza (Kyogoku Town), where you will find the famous "Yotei no Fukidashi Spring".
- Shinsennuma Natural Recreation Forest (Kyowa Town), where you can take a walk in a mysterious atmosphere.
- Niseko View Plaza (Niseko Town), a roadside station with an eye-catching exterior that makes use of the bark of the trees
- Yotei Nature Park (Makari Village)" is recommended for those who want to enjoy Niseko's nature while camping.
- Kyogoku Onsen (Kyogoku Town), where you can relax in a magnificent location.
- Township Station Hot Tokomobetsu (Kimobetsu Town), where you can find a wide variety of local agricultural products.
- Rusutsu Resort (Rusutsu Village), an amusement park where you can enjoy authentic activities in the great outdoors
- Maruyama Observatory (Iwanai Town), where a panoramic view like a jewel box unfolds
- Roadside Station 230 Rusutsu (Rusutsu Village), where fresh vegetables are available
- Michi no Eki Mangyoshan (Kimobetsu Town), where you can enjoy the famous "Ageimo" (fried sweet potatoes)
- Makkari Onsen (Makari Village), with its trademark triangular roof that gives it the atmosphere of a mountain hut.
- Kagami-numa (Kutchan Town) is especially recommended on a sunny day.
- MAKARI FLOWER CENTER (MAKARI VILLAGE), a place where you can be healed by pretty flowers.
- Rusutsu Onsen (Rusutsu Village), a healing spot about a 5-minute drive from Rusutsu Resort toward Lake Toya
- Rangoshi Furusato no Oka (Rangoshi Town), a roadside station where you can enjoy camping and freshly picked vegetables and Rangoshi rice
- Arishima Memorial Museum (Niseko Town), where you can experience literature in Niseko
- Arai Memorial Art Museum (Iwanai Town), where 267 of Picasso's prints are stored.
- Makari River Park (Makari Village), where a statue commemorating Takashi Hosokawa was built
- The works of Osamu Ogawara, one of Hokkaido's most famous painters of the postwar period, are all on display! Osamu Ogawara Memorial Museum of Art (Kutchan Town)
- Shell Museum (Rangetsu Town), an eye-catching building with a distinctive appearance
1. "Roadside Station Meisui no Sato Kyogoku Meisui Plaza (Kyogoku Town)" with the famous "Yotei no Fukidashi Spring" water.
Fukidashi Park is located on the Kyogoku-Kutchan Route connecting Kyogoku Town and Kutchan Town. The park is home to the delicious "Fukidashi Spring of Yotei," which was selected as one of the 100 best springs by the Environment Agency, and attracts many tourists in search of this famous water. In addition to the Meisui Plaza, the park has a toilet building, a triangular stage, playground equipment, a lawn area, and other facilities. The park is also adjacent to the Kyogoku Hot Springs, a park golf course, and a campground, so you can stop by on your way to the park.
Business hours: 9:00-17:00 *Restaurant: 11:00-16:00 (LO 15:30)
Closed: Wednesdays, December 30-January 3
Location: 45-1, Kawanishi, Kyogoku-cho, Abuta-gun
Click here for details and map information of "Meisui no Sato Kyogoku Meisui Plaza" (Roadside Station)
2. Shinzen Marsh Natural Recreation Forest (Kyowa Town), where you can take a walk in a mysterious atmosphere
Shinsen-numa is a very beautiful and mysterious natural swamp in the Niseko mountain range, located on a plateau more than 750 m above sea level. With many lakes and marshes spread out, it is a very popular sightseeing spot for hiking courses. It is also crowded with visitors during the season of autumn leaves.
Location: Maeda, Kyowa Town, Iwanai-gun
Click here for details and map information of "Shinsennuma Natural Recreation Forest
3. "Roadside Station Niseko View Plaza (Niseko Town)" with its eye-catching wooden exterior
Michi no Eki Niseko View Plaza is located at the intersection of National Route 5 and the Iwanai-Toya Route. It consists of three buildings: the "Information Plaza Building," which sells local products and provides tourist information; the "Free Space Building," which houses a direct sales store for agricultural products and a take-out store; and the "Restroom Building." Dairy products such as raw milk sweets and cheese, fresh morning-picked pesticide-free vegetables, and rare vegetables are sold at reasonable prices, unique to Niseko. It is popular among tourists and locals alike.
■Opening hours
Information Plaza: 9:00-18:00
Agricultural products direct sales: Late April-October: 8:30-17:00 / November-Late April: 9:00-17:00
Location: 77-10 Motomachi, Niseko-cho, Abuta-gun
Click here for details and map information of "Roadside Station Niseko View Plaza
4. Yotei Nature Park (Makari Village) is recommended for those who want to enjoy Niseko's nature while camping.
Yotei Nature Park, located at the foot of Mt. Yotei, is a great place to experience and enjoy the great outdoors with campgrounds, field athletic facilities, and a forestry learning exhibition hall. The campground is fully equipped with a barrier-free administration building, cooking facilities using spring water from Mt.
Business days
Camping: Wednesday, May 1 - Sunday, October 20
Mountain Climbing-Yotei Makari Course: 3rd Sunday in June every year
Fees
Sanitation fee (per person): High school students and older: 800 yen / Elementary and junior high school students: 700 yen / Children under elementary school age: free
Site rental fee (per night): Free site: 800 yen per lot / Auto site: 2,800 yen per lot (with power and water) / Barrier-free site: 2,000 yen per lot (with power)
Location: Aza-Sya, Makari-mura, Abuta-gun
Click here for details and map information of Mt.
5. Relax and unwind in the magnificent location of Kyogoku Hot Springs (Kyogoku Town)
Located near Fukidashi Park, Kyogoku Onsen is a casual one-day hot spring facility. The view of Mt. Yotei while soaking in the open-air bath is exceptional and truly blissful. The adjoining hall and cafeteria are great places to enjoy a meal as well.
Business hours: 10:00 - 21:00 (last admission at 20:30)
Closed: *Please check the calendar of holidays on the official website.
Fees: Bathing: Junior high school students and older: 600 yen / Elementary school students: 300 yen *Free for children under elementary school age
Location: 68 Kawanishi, Kyogoku-cho, Abuta-gun
For details and map information of Kyogoku Onsen, click here.
6. "Township Station Hotchkomobetsu (Kimobetsu Town)" with local agricultural products and more
The "Township Station Hot Tokomobetsu" offers a wide variety of fresh vegetables produced by local farmers with great care. In addition to recommended products from Kimobetsu and other cities, towns, and villages in the Goshi region, you can also purchase souvenirs that are the talk of the town. Located on the Nakayama Pass when heading from Sapporo, it is a perfect rest stop for a road trip.
Business hours: 10:00 - 16:00 (varies according to the month)
Closed: Open all year round *Closed irregularly in winter
Location: 306-3 Aza Kimobetsu, Kimobetsu-cho
Click here for details and map information of "Township Station Hotchkomobetsu
7. Rusutsu Resort (Rusutsu Village), an amusement park where you can enjoy authentic activities in the great outdoors
Rusutsu Resort is an amusement park popular for its many attractions, with more than 60 different attractions centered around eight coasters, and in winter it transforms into a giant ski resort. It is an activity spot that couples, friends, and families can enjoy throughout the year.
Open: Summer at Rusutsu Resort April 27 (Sat.) - October 14 (Mon.) (scheduled)
Weekends, holidays, GW period, and weekdays from July 22 to August 16: 9:00-17:00
Other weekdays 9:00-16:30 / All days in October 9:00-16:00
■Fees: Rusutsu Resort in summer
May 7 - July 19, August 19 - October 11: 19-64 years old: 7,000 yen / 13 years old and older: 6,400 yen / 7-12 years old and 65 years old and older: 5,800 yen / 4-6 years old: 2,100 yen
Weekends and holidays, April 27-May 6, July 20-August 9: 19-64 years old: 8,000 yen / 13 years old and over: 7,300 yen / 7-12 years old, 65 years old and over: 6,700 yen / 4-6 years old: 2,700 yen
August 10-August 18: 19-64 years old: 9,100 yen / 13 years old and older: 8,300 yen / 7-12 years old and 65 years old and older: 7,500 yen / 4-6 years old: 3,000 yen
Location: 13 Izumikawa, Rusutsu-mura, Abuta-gun
Click here for details and map information of Rusutsu Resort.
8. "Enzan Observatory (Iwanai Town)" with a panoramic view like a jewel box
The jewel box-like panorama of the "Iwanai Night View" that can be seen from the Enzan Observatory at the foot of Mt. The observatory is popular among families as a new recreational spot where visitors can enjoy a view of the city of Iwanai and the Shakotan Peninsula. Nearby there is a plaza, a walking trail, and a free large telescope, allowing visitors to enjoy the mountains, sea, and other natural features whose atmosphere changes with the time of day and the seasons.
Location: Nosoku, Iwanai-cho, Iwanai-gun
Click here for details and map information of "Enzan Observation Deck
9. "Roadside Station 230 Rusutsu (Rusutsu Village)" where fresh vegetables are available
The direct sales corner selling fresh vegetables harvested in Rusutsu Village is popular. Local morning vegetables are available at reasonable prices. Various processed foods made from fresh ingredients by local stores are also available, making it a good place to stop by on a road trip.
Open: Late April-September 9:00-18:00 / October-Late April 9:00-17:00
Closed: December 31 - January 4
Location: 127-191, Aza-Rusutsu, Rusutsu-mura
Click here for details and map information of "Roadside Station 230 Rusutsu
10. Speaking of the famous "Agedimo" (fried sweet potato), "Roadside Station Moyo Nakayama (Kimobetsu Town)
The most popular gourmet food at Moyo-Nakayama is "Agedimo", a specialty of Kimobetsu, made by dipping Danshon imo (Baron's potatoes) in a special powder and deep frying them. Since its release in 1968, it has been overwhelmingly popular. In addition, the "Hokkaido Produce 230" souvenir store, which opened in 2023, sells carefully selected Hokkaido-related ingredients such as meat, seafood, drinks, and alcohol that meet the two criteria of "being derived from Hokkaido" and "being Hokkaido ingredients. The facility also has an eat-in corner, so you can satisfy your hunger during your drive.
Business hours: Roadside Station Mangyoshan 8:30-17:30
Closed: No holidays
Location：Kimobetsu-cho, Kawakami 345
Click here for details and map information of "Roadside Station: Mangyo-Nakayama
11. "Makkari Onsen (Makari Village)" has a trademark triangular roof with a mountain hut-like atmosphere.
Makkari Onsen is a hot spring where visitors can enjoy hot spring water that is free-flowing from the source. What attracts many onsen fans is the view of Mt. Yotei from the open-air bath.
Open April-September 10:00-21:00 / October-March 11:00-21:00 *Last admission at 20:30
Closed: Mondays (or the following day if Monday is a national holiday)
Fees: Junior high school students and older: 600 yen (11 times 6,000 yen) / 4 years old to elementary school students: 250 yen (11 times 2,500 yen) *3 years old and younger free
Location: 174-3, Aza-Midorioka, Makari-mura
Click here for details and map information of Makakari Onsen.
12. Kagami-numa (Kutchan Town) is especially recommended on a sunny day
There are two popular routes to Kagaminuma: the "HANAZONO GOLF Route" in the forest near the HANAZONO Golf Course, and the "Route 58 Route" along Highway 58, which includes a mountain road. Each of these routes offers different attractions. In the swamp, one of the pleasures is to look for the floating islands that constantly move with the wind.
Period when you can walk around: Usually from mid-May to early October.
Location: Iwaobetsu, Kutchan-cho, Abuta-gun
For details and map information on Kagaminuma, click here.
13. "Roadside Station Makari Flower Center (Makari Village)," a place where you can be healed by pretty flowers
The Michi no Eki Makari Flower Center offers a wide variety of flower and vegetable-themed goods. Visitors can spend a relaxing and healing time surrounded by the fragrance of beautiful flowers. There is a dog run and a sightseeing telescope in the facility, so your beloved pets, who are stressed by transportation, can run freely and refresh themselves.
Open: Regularly from late April to October: 9:00-17:30 / November to late April: 9:30-16:30
Closed: December 31 - January 3
Location: 8-3, Hikari, Makari-mura
Click here for details and map information of "Roadside Station: Makari Flower Center
14. Rusutsu Onsen (Rusutsu Village), a healing spot about a 5-minute drive from Rusutsu Resort toward Lake Toya
Rusutsu Onsen is Rusutsu's pride and joy, using 100% natural hot spring water from the source, and boasting both high quality spring water and a great view. Located just a few minutes from Rusutsu Resort in the direction of Lake Toya, it is the perfect place to relax after a long day of fun at Rusutsu Resort.
Business hours: 11:00 - 21:00 *Open until 17:00 on December 31
Closed: Wednesdays, January 1-3 *Machinery may be temporarily closed for maintenance/inspection or in case of stormy weather.
Fees: ¥500 for persons under 65 / ¥300 for persons 15 and over 65 / ¥200 for persons under 15 / free for infants and toddlers
Location: 156-2, Rusutsu, Rusutsu-mura, Abuta-gun
Click here for details and map information of Rusutsu Onsen.
15. "Michi-no-Eki Rankoshi-Furusato no Oka (Rankei-cho)" where you can enjoy camping and freshly picked vegetables and rice from Rankei-cho
In addition to selling rice and vegetables produced in Rankoshi, the ice cream made at the ice cream factory next door is very popular among tourists. Behind the roadside station is a campground with a tent area and bungalows, which is crowded with campers in summer.
Business hours: 9:00-17:00 (open until 16:00 from November to March)
Closed: Tuesdays from November to March (or the following day if a national holiday), December 31 to January 5
Location: 969 Aza-Aioi, Rangoshi-cho, Isoya-gun
Click here for details and map information of "Michi-no-Eki Rankoshi-Furusato no Oka" (Roadside Station: Rankoshi-Furusato no Oka)
16. Touch Literature in Niseko: Arishima Memorial Museum (Niseko Town)
The Arishima Memorial Museum was opened in 1979 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the birth of Takeo Arishima, a leading writer of the Shirakaba school. The museum introduces the history of the farm opened by Takeo Arishima through photographs and letters. Visitors can also learn about the trajectory of Arishima Takehiro through his publications, paintings, and books. Near the memorial, visitors can enjoy a stroll along Oyako no Saka, the slope where the novel was set.
Hours: 9:00-17:00 (last admission by 16:30)
Closed: Mondays (or the following day if Monday is a national holiday), year-end and New Year holidays
Admission: Adults: 500 yen / High school students: 100 yen / Junior high school students and younger, 65 years old and older: Free
Location: 57 Aza-Arishima, Niseko-cho, Abuta-gun
Click here for details and map information of Arishima Memorial Museum.
17. "Arai Memorial Museum of Art (Iwanai Town)" stores 267 prints by Picasso.
The Arai Memorial Art Museum stands on a hill overlooking the town of Iwanai. The museum's collection of 267 Picasso prints, works by the world-famous artist, is the center of attention. The museum also exhibits works by other painters with connections to Hokkaido. The museum also hosts concerts, making it a place where visitors can immerse themselves in art.
Open: April 19 (Fri.) - November 17 (Sun.), 9:00 - 17:00 (admission until 16:30)
Closed: Mondays (if Monday falls on a national holiday, the following Tuesday), closed during winter (mid-November to mid-April) *Other temporary closing days may apply.
Fees: Adults 1,000 yen / High school students 700 yen / Junior high school and elementary school students 400 yen
Location: 505, Nosoku, Iwanai-cho, Iwanai-gun
Click here for details and map information of the Arai Memorial Art Museum.
18. "Makari River River Park (Makari Village)" where the statue of Takashi Hosokawa was built
This is a beautiful park with greenery and the surface of the river, which was created by taking advantage of the nature of the Makari River with its crystal-clear water. A memorial statue of Takashi Hosokawa, a singer from Makari Village, was erected in the park in 1994 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the founding of Makari Village. When visitors hold their hands over the base of the statue, the singer sings his message and representative songs in a high voice. The park has received the "Handmade Local Award" from the Minister of Construction in the past for its uniquely shaped walking paths and simple design.
Location: Makari River River Park, Makari Village, Abuta County
Click here for details and map information of Makari River Park.
19. A collection of works by Osamu Ogawara, one of Hokkaido's most famous painters of the postwar era! Osamu Ogawara Memorial Museum of Art (Kutchan Town)
Osamu Ogawara, a native of Kutchan, began his career as an avant-garde painter after graduating from the Tokyo Fine Arts School (now Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music). After the war, he returned to Kutchan Town and continued his creative activities there for 60 years. In addition to the permanent exhibition of Osamu Ogawara's works, the museum holds special exhibitions throughout the year. The view of Mt. Yotei from the lobby is spectacular, allowing visitors to enjoy the art of nature.
Hours: 9:00 to 17:00 (admission until 16:30)
Closed: Tuesdays (or the following day if Tuesday is a national holiday), year-end and New Year holidays
*The museum may be temporarily closed for exhibition changes.
Admission: ¥500 for adults / ¥300 for high school students / ¥100 for elementary and junior high school students
Location: 7-1, Kita 6-jo Higashi, Kutchan-cho
Click here for details and map information of the Osamu Ogawara Memorial Museum of Art.
20. "Shell Museum (Rangetsu Town)," an eye-catching building with a distinctive appearance
The interesting shell-shaped exterior of the Shell Museum is eye-catching. A 5-meter-long reconstructed model of the nautilus ancestor "Chokkakgai," which is said to have lived about 500 million years ago, is on display in the center of the building. Other exhibits include ecological exhibits of clione ichneumon and Hokkaido's ammonite fossils.
Open: Saturday, April 6 - scheduled for October 9:00-16:00
Closed: Mondays and the day following a national holiday (If Monday is a national holiday, the museum will be closed on Tuesday and Wednesday.)
Open every day in July and August
Closed during the winter season from November to March.
*The museum may be temporarily closed for exhibition changes.
Admission: Adults 350 yen / Junior and senior high school students 250 yen / Elementary school students 150 yen *Children under elementary school age are free
Location: 1401 Minato-cho, Rangetsu-cho
Click here for details and map information of the Shell Museum.
All information is current as of April 2024.
All information is subject to change. Please check the official website for details.
