Season guide · Niseko · Japan
Niseko in spring
March–May: 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
Sunny spring skiing in March, resorts closing through April, then snowmelt, cherry blossom in May and the strongest rafting water. Expect highs up to 16°C (61°F) and lows around -7°C (19°F), with about 44 rainy days across March–May.
Key facts
- Months
- March–May
- Temperatures
- -7°C (19°F) to 16°C (61°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 44
- Crowds
- Quiet
- Hotel prices
- Low
Weather in spring
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March | 2°C (36°F) | -7°C (19°F) | 21 | 11.8 h | 3/5 |
| April | 9°C (48°F) | -1°C (30°F) | 13 | 13.3 h | 2/5 |
| May | 16°C (61°F) | 4°C (39°F) | 10 | 14.6 h | 1/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 9°C (48°F) against a yearly 11°C (52°F), and 44 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 spring
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- April: Lift season usually ends at the main resorts in early April to early May
- May: Cherry blossom in the valley (usually early to mid-May)
Good choices for spring
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
Experience · Niseko town
Yukichichibu onsen
Bring your own small towel and follow the usual onsen etiquette: wash thoroughly at the seated showers before entering the baths.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Couples
- Nature
- Rainy day
Museum · Niseko town
Arishima Takeo Memorial Museum
A small museum dedicated to the novelist Arishima Takeo, whose family owned farmland in Niseko and who gave it to his tenant farmers in the 1920s.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Rainy day
- Art
Day trips in spring
- Otaru (About 1.5–2 hours by train or car) — A historic port town with a canal lined with old stone warehouses, glassware and music-box shops on Sakaimachi street, and sushi restaurants serving local seafood.
- Lake Tōya (About 1 hour by car) — A round caldera lake with an island in the middle, onsen hotels along its shore and the active Mount Usu and Shōwa-shinzan volcanoes nearby.
What to pack
- Layers, a warm sweater and a jacket for cool evenings
- 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 spring a good time to visit Niseko?
It is a trade-off: Sunny spring skiing in March, resorts closing through April, then snowmelt, cherry blossom in May and the strongest rafting water. The best months overall are January–February and July–August.
+What is the weather like in Niseko in spring?
Highs of up to 16°C (61°F) and lows around -7°C (19°F), with about 44 rainy days over the season.