Season guide · Niseko · Japan
Niseko in autumn
September–November: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Oga from ja , the copyright holder of this work, hereby publishes it under the following l, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Harvest season and autumn colours in October, turning cold, grey and very quiet in November before the lifts open. Expect highs up to 21°C (70°F) and lows around -1°C (30°F), with about 48 rainy days across September–November.
Key facts
- Months
- September–November
- Temperatures
- -1°C (30°F) to 21°C (70°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 48
- Crowds
- Quiet
- Hotel prices
- Low
Weather in autumn
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September | 21°C (70°F) | 11°C (52°F) | 12 | 12.4 h | 2/5 |
| October | 14°C (57°F) | 4°C (39°F) | 15 | 11 h | 2/5 |
| November | 6°C (43°F) | -1°C (30°F) | 21 | 9.7 h | 1/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 14°C (57°F) against a yearly 11°C (52°F), and 48 of the year's roughly 199 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 2/5 and hotel prices 2/5 on average.
What's on in autumn
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- October: Autumn foliage on the Panorama Line (usually early to mid-October)
- November: Lifts usually start opening in late November or early December, depending on snow
Good choices for autumn
Experience · Niseko town
Yukichichibu onsen
Yukichichibu is a rustic hot-spring lodge on the Niseko Panorama Line, known for its natural mud bath (dorokko), where bathers coat their skin in grey volcanic mud before soaking in outdoor pools.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Couples
- Nature
- Rainy day
Museum · Niseko town
Arishima Takeo Memorial Museum
Combine it with Niseko View Plaza and a coffee in Niseko town for a quiet half-day off the slopes.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Rainy day
- Art
Experience · Annupuri
Goshiki Onsen
High on the road above Annupuri, this simple mountain inn has outdoor sulphur baths surrounded by deep snow in winter and volcanic hillsides in summer.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Couples
- Nature
- Rainy day
Day trips in autumn
- Shakotan Peninsula (About 1.5–2 hours by car) — A rugged peninsula on the Sea of Japan known for the cliff walk to Cape Kamui with its blue 'Shakotan blue' water, and for fresh sea-urchin rice bowls in summer, when the urchin season runs.
- Yoichi (About 1–1.5 hours by train or car) — A small coastal town home to Nikka's Yoichi whisky distillery, with stone buildings, a museum and a tasting room, and fruit orchards and wineries around the town.
What to pack
- Light layers for the day and a light jacket for the evening
- Shoes with good grip for icy pavements
- A compact umbrella and waterproof shoes — rain is frequent
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is autumn a good time to visit Niseko?
It is a trade-off: Harvest season and autumn colours in October, turning cold, grey and very quiet in November before the lifts open. The best months overall are January–February and July–August.
+What is the weather like in Niseko in autumn?
Highs of up to 21°C (70°F) and lows around -1°C (30°F), with about 48 rainy days over the season.