Where to eat in Niseko Hirafu? An Insider's Guide.

The vibe in Niseko's dining scene has changed since the pandemic. On one hand, there's been a surge of funky food trucks, injecting variety and value into the dining scene while energizing the streets. It's like a rock concert on the main street every night!

On the other hand, a new high-end dining scene is emerging, driven by the superb modern restaurants in the recently-opened luxury hotels such as SANSUI,  SETSU & INTUITION; along with a new dining and retail complex called "THE SELECT" .

The new restaurants are definitely on the pricier side -- set menus or Omakase "chef's course" are common and priced from ¥15,000 to ¥45,000 per person. Over half of the establishments focus on Sushi, Hot Pot, or Yakiniku, with luxury  ingredients like A5 Wagyu, Ootoro tuna, and Bafun Uni featured.

Reservations: Plan Ahead

But getting into Niseko restaurants -- new and established -- can be challenging.

People wandering the streets trying to get into ANY restaurant is a common site in the streets of Niseko Hirafu from roughly Dec 20 to Feb 20. 

Planning ahead is definitely recommended. However, securing a booking isn't always easy. Many restaurants remain in hibernation until late autumn, making it difficult to reach them. While online booking systems are common, some don't clearly indicate when they open for reservations, requiring you to call or email the restaurant to check. 

If you get to Niseko and don't have reservations you can take your chances trying walkins. MOMIJI ZAKA street in middle Hirafu has the largest concentration of bars and restaurants.

RESTAURANT Recommendations

Drawing on insights from my customers and my 15 years of experience in Niseko’s restaurant scene, here are a few well-regarded names, particularly concentrated on MOMIJI ZAKA Street. I have included links to their websites.

• Izakaya: AFURI RAMEN (Setsu), KOUGETSU (Momiji St), RAMEN & BAR MOMIJI-ZAKA 46 (Momiji St)
• Modern: THE BARN (Momiji St), TEMPORADA (Chatrium Niseko Hotel), KITCHEN (Chatrium Niseko Hotel), LUKE'S ALPINE CLUB (Setsu)
• Sushi: SUSHI KATO INORI (Setsu), SUSHI SHIN (Sansui)
• Fine Dining/Omakase: MAME (Momiji St), KAMIMURA (Chatrium Niseko Hotel)
• Yakiniku: SOUAN (Momiji St), KOBE-TEI (Momiji St)
• Takeout: EZO SEAFOODS FRESH (Seafood & Sushi Platters)
• Hotpot: RYUNABE (Upper Village)
• Sweets: NISEKO GELATO (Apres Village) LAYER NISEKO (Delivery)
• For Big Groups: KUMO (Skye Niseko)

TAKEOUT & FOOD SUPPLIES 

Options for Takeout in Niseko are limited, and there are no general supermarkets in Niseko Hirafu. Here are several options.

• Ezo Seafoods Fresh

 Browse a range of sushi and sashimi platters, available for pre-order on this website. You can also pop into Ezo Seafoods and buy sushi and seafood boxes from our displays, as well as wines and premium sake.

• PIZZA DELIVERY (YUMMY'S)

--Yummy's is Niseko's oldest pizza establishment and offers both dine-in and delivery. Its conveniently located in the Niseko Hirafu middle village.

-- Niseko Pizza is now located in Kutchan, but has a satellite food truck in Niseko Hirafu, LA ANDY, serving its famous pizzas.

• CONVENIENCE STORES (Lawson, Seicomart)

The "Konbini" are conveniently located on 343 (the main thoroughfare) and offer hot foods, snacks, beer and wine sake etc. They are generally crowded, expect queues.

• SUPERMARKETS (Lucky, MaxValue)

For fresh vegetables, meats etc, you will need to travel to Kutchan Town about 20 minutes away by car. If you are here for a week, I recommend heading to one of the Supermarkets on Day 1 to stock up.

• PHARMACY/GENERAL STORE (Sapporo Drug)

Sapporo Drug store stocks over the counter medications, as well as a range of snacks and premium alcohol, located on Hirafu Zaka, in Niseko Hirafu village.

• GREEN FARM CAFE 

Located in Chatrium Hotel Niseko, this cafe stocks sandwiches, rolls and a range of pre-prepared salads and pastas for takeout. Ideal for a quick, healthy lunch before hitting the slopes.

Wrap up

Finally, for a comprehensive listing of Niseko restaurants, I recommend checking out the Wine and Dine guide by the Niseko Promotion Board: Wine and Dine Guide.

James Gallagher and Ezo Seafoods Fresh Team