So you've booked your accommodation and plane tickets and are looking forward to your upcoming Niseko experience and perhaps your first experience of Japan! With tickets booked to Chitose Airport all that remains is getting to Hirafu, where most likely your accommodation will be. From Chitose there are 3 main methods of transportation. A coach bus service, a private transfer or the train. All of these options have their merits and of course their pit falls too, more on these below.

Autumn is a welcome season here in Niseko, a rest from the heat of the summer and step further toward the incredible snow the area recieves in winter. Everywhere you look there are beautiful autumnal scenes to enjoy, even right here in Hurafu vlllage. This makes the autum a great time to visit the area enjoy the coulurs, the restaurants and the onsens.

If you are looking for a home away from home in Niseko look no further than Ishi Couloir. This set of three 2,3 and 4 bedroom apartments are modern, cozy and very spacious. Built by West Canada Homes they are as you'd expect the kind of property you'd expect to enjoy in Whistler rather than a resort town in Japan, big rooms an attractive wooden finish and carpeted floors.

 
The Niseko Autumn Food Festival has fast become an event marked on every locals calender. The event showcases the cluinary delights of restaurants from acrosss the village and this year features Niseko Pizza, Bistro Re Arbor, Jam Bar / Mass Bar JAM, Klass Kitchen, Kikoz x Pura / Kikoz x Pura, Niseko Bang Bang, Niseko Gourmet, El Asador, Taj Mahal, Hakko Ginger, Green Farm Cafe, Toshiro's Bar, Niseko Tap Room / Niseko Tap Room, Cedar Coffee Cedar Coffee and more.

If you have been to Niseko and stayed in Hirafu chances are pretty good you've been to the Burton Store. It is located on the ground floor of the Odin Place building located at the Hirafu Intersection. The store has been open for the last 5 years and it's patronage growing in leaps and bounds from season to season. For those who don't know The Burton Store is a snowboard shop selling Burton hard and soft goods with everything you need to outfit yourself for your time in Niseko.

If you are looking for a large comfortable home away from home in the Hirafu Village within walking distance of the lifts and close to some fantastic restaurants look no further than Ise. This large 3 story, 4 bedroom concrete villa has all the comforts you could wish for split over 3 spacious levels with the open plan living, dining and kitchen set on the second floor.


 

Part 4 of our look at trips to the coast from Niseko looks at Bikuni, a small town on the eastern side of the Shakotan Peninsular. Via Nikki Bikuni is a 1.5 hour drive from Hirafu and is a great stop over on the way to popular destinations such as Kamui Misaki and the Shimamui Coast which we looked at in Part 3. It is also a slightly closer alternative summer destination if you don't feel like driving all the way to tip of the peninsular.

One of the most popular day trips from Niseko is Otaru, a seaside city famous for fresh seafood, its architecture, a charming canal and sea views. Otaru lies just a one hour drive east of Niseko and draws visitors winter through summer. From Niseko there are a couple of different routes, one which takes the newly formed Yoichi IC expressway or the other over Keinashi Toge passing very popular Kiroro Ski Resort.

Holiday Niseko have properties in Hirafu and surrounds to suit every taste and every budget wether you are looking for a cozy studio for two or a spacious villa for the whole family. One great option that comes somewhere between is Ikigai, a beautiful 3 bedroom stand alone home in St Moritz just a couple of minutes drive from the base of the Ace Family Chair. Ikigai stands out from the crowd with modern spacious interiors and views of Mount Yotei.

Getting to Niseko is easy and there are a number of convenient ways to do so to suit every budget and itinerary. Once you have made it to Japan you need to get your self to Hokkaido, the easiest and usually most cost effective way to do so is to fly to Chitose Airport. The majority of Japanese airports have direct flights to Chitose and there are many direct international routes too, the finer details below.