Ski Resorts You Can Reach from Otaru

Otaru has three ski resorts: Asarigawa Onsen Ski Resort, Otaru Tenguyama Ropeway/Ski Resort and Snow Cruise ONZE. Kiroro Resort is in Akaigawa Village, and Kutchan Town and Niseko Town are home to the four ski resorts that make up Niseko United. This page brings together the planned operating dates officially announced for the 2026–27 season and transport information for getting there from Otaru.

Ski Resorts at a Glance (2026–27 Season)

Ski Resort	Location (Municipality)	2026–27 Operating Period	Main Ways to Get There from Otaru	Official
Asarigawa Onsen Ski Resort	Otaru City	Scheduled to open in early December 2026. The end date has not been announced.	Local bus. Check the official site for transport details.	Official website
Otaru Tenguyama Ropeway/Ski Resort	Otaru City	December 19, 2026–March 22, 2027.	Local bus from JR Otaru Station.	Official website
Snow Cruise ONZE	Otaru City	2026–27 not yet announced (2025–26: December 19, 2025–March 29, 2026).	Free shuttle bus from in front of JR Zenibako Station.	Official website
Kiroro Resort	Akaigawa Village	Scheduled for November 28, 2026–May 5, 2027.	2026–27 shuttle bus from within Otaru, or taxi.	Official website
Niseko Tokyu Grand HIRAFU	Kutchan Town	Scheduled for November 28, 2026–May 5, 2027.	JR to Kutchan Station, then bus or taxi.	Official website
Niseko HANAZONO Resort	Kutchan Town	November 28, 2026–April 11, 2027.	JR to Kutchan Station, then take a taxi or other transport.	Official website
Niseko Village	Niseko Town	November 28, 2026–April 4, 2027.	JR toward Kutchan or Niseko Station, then take a taxi or other transport.	Official website
Niseko Annupuri International Ski Area	Niseko Town	November 28, 2026–May 5, 2027.	Local bus or taxi from JR Niseko Station. Check the winter timetable for the Niseko Express.	Official website

Operating periods may change depending on snow cover, weather and other conditions. Please check each resort’s official information before you leave.

Ski Resorts in Otaru

Asarigawa Onsen Ski Resort

Asarigawa Onsen Ski Resort is at 394 Asarigawa Onsen 1-chome, Otaru. The official trail map lists 9 runs in total and 4 lifts: Purple, Green, Red and Yellow. Parking is free, with space for 800 vehicles.

For the 2026–27 season, the resort has announced that it plans to open in early December 2026. The end date has not been announced yet. The resort is in the Asarigawa Onsen area, so you can also see the Asarigawa Onsen article for the surrounding area.

Lift ticket prices are not listed in this article. Please check the official Asarigawa Onsen Ski Resort website before you go.

Otaru Tenguyama Ropeway/Ski Resort

Mt. Tengu is at 2-16-15 Mogami, Otaru. The official rates and hours page has information for the 2026–27 season. Skiing runs from December 19, 2026 to March 22, 2027, and in March only on weekends and public holidays. The resort has announced there will be no night skiing (evening operation under lights). By local bus from JR Otaru Station it takes about 17 minutes. For details, see also the Mt. Tengu article.

Check rates on the Mt. Tengu official rates and hours page.

Snow Cruise ONZE

Snow Cruise ONZE is at 357 Haruka-cho, Otaru. The operating period for the 2026–27 season has not been officially announced. The 2025–26 season ran from December 19, 2025 to March 29, 2026.

The free shuttle bus runs round trip between the front of JR Zenibako Station and ONZE (it does not stop at JR Otaru Station). Check the official shuttle bus information for service in the 2026–27 season.

Check rates on the ONZE official ticket page.

Kiroro Resort (Akaigawa Village)

Kiroro Resort is at 128-1 Tokiwa, Akaigawa Village, Yoichi District. The official trail map lists 23 runs in total, and the Kiroro Gondola (a cable car that climbs the mountain in enclosed cabins) is 3,300 m long.

Based on the lift ticket periods, the 2026–27 season is planned to run from November 28, 2026 to May 5, 2027. The official operating and rates page lists November 28 to December 11 and April 12 to May 5 as tentative dates. The operating period is tentative. Please check the operating and rates page before you leave.

A shuttle bus between Otaru and Kiroro is scheduled for the 2026–27 season. It runs from November 28, 2026 to April 25, 2027. From November 28 to 30 it is free and no reservation is needed. The scheduled services from December 1 to April 25 are paid: one way is 2,200 yen for adults and 1,600 yen for children.

The free services from November 28 to 30 leave only from the JR Otaru-Chikko Station (North Plaza) stop. From December on, the bus also stops in front of Hokuriku Bank on Chuo-dori near JR Otaru Station and in front of hotels in the city. The December 19 to March 14 timetable shows 6 outbound and 7 return trips (some run only on certain days of the week). Check the timetable for the day you plan to ride in the official PDF.

Kiroro’s winter access guide says a taxi from within Otaru takes about 40 minutes. For the return from Kiroro toward Otaru, there are no taxis waiting at Kiroro, so you need to reserve in advance. Taxi fares are not listed in this article.

Niseko

The official Niseko All Mountain guide describes Niseko United as four ski resorts spread across the foot of Niseko Annupuri. For the 2026–27 season, the “Niseko All-Mountain Lift Pass” is offered on the official Niseko United site. Check the official site for where it can be used. Check rates on the official Niseko United All-Mountain Lift Pass page.

Niseko Tokyu Grand HIRAFU

Niseko Tokyu Grand HIRAFU is at Niseko Hirafu 1-jo 4-chome 5-18, Kutchan Town. The 2026–27 season is scheduled for November 28, 2026 to May 5, 2027. Night skiing is scheduled for December 12, 2026 to March 22, 2027.

The official resort guide lists 22 runs: 9 beginner, 6 intermediate and 7 advanced. There are 2 gondolas and 7 lifts. If you travel by JR, go to Kutchan Station and connect by bus or taxi, as described on the official website.

Check rates on the Grand HIRAFU official lift ticket page.

Niseko HANAZONO Resort

Niseko HANAZONO Resort is at 328-36 Iwaobetsu, Kutchan Town. The 2026–27 season runs from November 28, 2026 to April 11, 2027. Night skiing is scheduled for December 12, 2026 to March 22, 2027.

The official trail map lists 12 runs. If you travel by JR, use Kutchan Station and take a taxi or other transport from there. The free HANAZONO shuttle links areas such as Hirafu; it does not run to or from Otaru Station.

Check rates on the HANAZONO official lift ticket page.

Niseko Village

Niseko Village is in Higashiyama Onsen, Niseko Town. The 2026–27 season runs from November 28, 2026 to April 4, 2027. The official 2026–27 lift pass information says 7 lifts can be used.

The official access page describes JR trains connecting Otaru, Kutchan and the Niseko area. It says there is a free regular shuttle from Kutchan Station. Taxis can be used from Kutchan Station or Niseko Station.

Check rates in the Niseko Village 2026–27 official lift pass information.

Niseko Annupuri International Ski Area

Niseko Annupuri International Ski Area is at 485 Niseko, Niseko Town. The official facility guide lists 13 runs and 6 lifts, including the gondola. The 2026–27 season runs from November 28, 2026 to May 5, 2027. Night skiing is offered from December 12, 2026 to March 22, 2027.

The official access page says it is about 10 minutes from JR Niseko Station by local bus or taxi. It also describes a route from Otaru on the Hokkaido Chuo Bus Niseko Express. For the Niseko Express times in winter 2026–27, check the Hokkaido Chuo Bus official page before you travel.

Check rates on the Annupuri official lift rates page.

Staying in Otaru and Commuting to the Slopes

In the 2026–27 season as well, the operating periods at Niseko, Grand HIRAFU and Annupuri may change depending on snow cover, weather and other conditions. Bus services also vary by period and day of the week. For Kiroro, use the 2026–27 shuttle bus timetable; for Niseko, use Hokkaido Chuo Bus or similar. Check both your departure date and your return date.

If you return from Kiroro toward Otaru by taxi, you need to reserve in advance. If you use the shuttle bus during its paid period, check the latest information in Kiroro’s winter access guide.

If you drive toward Niseko, HANAZONO’s official access guide advises caution when driving on snowy roads in winter. If you drive, also check that day’s road and weather information.

FAQ

Where can I ski in Otaru?

You can ski at Asarigawa Onsen Ski Resort, Otaru Tenguyama Ropeway/Ski Resort and Snow Cruise ONZE. Planned operating dates for the 2026–27 season differ by resort, so check the list above and each official site.

Can I take a bus from Otaru to Kiroro?

Yes. A shuttle bus connects Otaru and Kiroro. There are free and paid periods, and the number of trips and days of operation vary by time of year.

How do I get from Otaru to Niseko?

Take JR from Otaru toward Kutchan and Niseko, then connect by bus or taxi from the station. The official access guides for each resort are as follows (Grand HIRAFU, HANAZONO, Niseko Village, Annupuri). The Annupuri official site also describes a route from Otaru on the Niseko Express. For the winter 2026–27 times, check the Hokkaido Chuo Bus official site before you travel.