26 and 27 May 2026
In late May, after the ski season is over, the Niseko resort area is very quiet and many of the luxurious ski resort hotels are offering their rooms at bargain prices. We were spoilt for choices and we chose Ki Niseko.
Ki Niseko is a boutique ski-in, ski-out hotel located at the foot of Grand Hirafu Resort. During the off-peak season in late May it offered value for money accommodation.
We arrived at the hotel after visiting Mishima-san’s Shibazakura Garden in Kutchan and the Niseko Takahashi Farm.
Our Double Room
We stayed in a standard Double room facing Mount Yotei with breakfast included. The room size is 25 square meters which is quite adequate in terms of space and nicely furnished.
The only negative was that the central air-conditioning was not operating in spring. It was quite warm in the afternoon when we checked in. We had to open the window to let in the cool spring air. Unfortunately, there was some construction in front of the hotel, so it was quite noisy till the workers stopped work later in the evening.
Our Double Room with view of Mount Yotei on a clear day. The mountain was shrouded in clouds the next morning.
On hindsight, we could have saved some money by choosing a room facing the greenery on the other side.
Private onsen in Ki Niseko
Like most luxurious ski resorts or hotels in Niseko, there are nice hot springs facilities available for guests.
Ki Niseko has separate male and female hot spring baths (onsen), both with inside baths and outdoor stone rotenburo baths. The mineral rich onsen water comes from Ki Niseko’s own exclusive spring-water source which has a high mineral content to soothe and refresh the tired body.
In addition to the male and female public baths, Ki Niseko offers two private onsen rooms (Hinoki and Momiji). Reservations for the private onsen are only accepted after check-in and are limited to one per stay. Since we arrived quite early, we managed to use the private onsen before dinner.
Being able to soak our body and tired muscles in an onsen with temperatures over 40°C after a long day of driving and sightseeing was one of the most exquisite pleasures.
Private onsen at Ki Niseko.
Dinner at Afuri
We did not include dinner in our room booking since we planned to have dinner at Afuri, a well-known ramen restaurant that originates in Tokyo. Afuri now had a branch located in Niseko.
We took a slow 700 metres walk to Afuri which is actually located inside a neighbouring hotel (Setsu Niseko). Since we did not make a reservation, I was worried that it would be packed. My worries were unfounded. Being the off-peak season, we were the only customers when we arrived!
We were served by a friendly waiter named Taka who spoke good English. Besides ramen, the menu includes other options like appetisers, small plates like tofu, gyoza, tori karaage, tonkatsu, donburi, and soba.
We ordered their signature Yuzu Shio Ramen that cost 1650 JPY (tax included) and 6 pieces of gyoza that cost 990 JPY (tax included).
Yuzu Shio (salt) Ramen with chicken broth, shio tare, bamboo shoot, muzuna greens, pork chashu, egg, yuzu and thin noodles. 
The gyozas filled with pork, chicken, garlic, shitake. lotus root cabbage, green onions.
I loved the taste of the broth in the ramen. The acidity provided by the yuzu helps to balance the otherwise salty and savory taste.
Their gyozas were the best that we had eaten on this trip. They had nice soft skin wrapping the delicious fillings. The yuzu ponzu dipping sauce provided a nice balance.
We had the whole restaurant to ourselves until another group came in when we were about to finish. This place would surely be packed during the winter ski season where a nice hot bowl of ramen would surely warm the bodies after a day of skiing.
Across from Afuri is a Lawson convenient store with view of Mount Yotei behind. This Lawson Niseko Hirafu with Mount Yotei view could be a place to compete with the insta-worthy Lawson located in Fujikawaguchiko, with Mount Fuji view.
It was dark by the time we finished dinner so we went to the Lawson to grab some beer and snacks. No photos.
Breakfast at Ki Niseko
The buffet breakfast at Ki Niseko had delicious selection of both Japanese and Western options.
We knew that the hotel would serve the famous Niseko Yogurt Drink comes from Niseko Takahashi Dairy Farm (also known as Milk Kobo). I am normally not a fan of yogurt but this is a must try when in Hokkaido. The yogurt is thick, creamy, and does not have the “milky smell” that I do not like.
We took our time to enjoy the excellent breakfast before continuing our road trip to Hakodate.
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