An’nupuri Ski Resort
Niseko Annupuri Ski Resort is one of the four Niseko United ski areas and is interconnected with
Niseko Village and then
Hirafu and
Hanazono. Officially known as Niseko Annupuri Kokusai (ie Annupuri International), most people just shorten it to Annupuri.
The An’nupuri village at the base of the ski area is quaint, and much of it has the old-school Niseko vibe whereby it’s retained some of its Japanese-ness and quiet atmosphere. This sleepy part of
Niseko is ideal for real skiers and snowboarders who are in Niseko for the powder and not the other types of fluff.
Pros and Cons of Niseko Annupuri
Pros
- Much of the Annupuri accommodation is less costly than other parts of Niseko.
- The Niseko Annupuri Ski Resort provides easy access to what’s arguably the best Niseko sidecountry terrain, and it provides the easiest access to Moiwa.
- The village is close to Konbu Onsen; a hot pot of onsen hotels.
- It can get a little busy at Annupuri Ski Resort but not to the same degree as Hirafu.
- The new quad chair lift is a dream for beginners as it accesses some nice mellow slopes and there are easy progressions for beginners.
- Like the rest of Niseko, the snow quantity and quality are amazing.
Cons
- As with other parts of Niseko, the Annupuri Ski Resort is frequently over loved by powder chasers. Thankfully it’s a long season from late November to early May so there are plenty of times to avoid the crowds.
- The foul weather that brings the big snowfalls is also responsible for frequently closing the primitive top lift at Annupuri Ski Resort, which cuts it off from the rest of Niseko United. The upside is that the Hirafu punters can’t get over to Annupuri.
- Ski and snowboard lessons with an English speaking ski instructor are only conducted in a private format (only ages 6 and up).
Pro or Con Depending On Your Perspective
- Relative to crazy Hirafu, Niseko Annupuri village is a quiet sleepy hollow, and it’s very laidback relative to Niseko Village where the wealthy ski bunnies hang out. There isn’t much in the way of pretty boutiques or party bars, but people stay in Annupuri to chase powder.
- It’s somewhat time consuming to get from Annupuri to Hirafu if you are seeking vibrant nightlife.
Niseko Annupuri Ski and Snowboard Terrain
The trail map doesn’t look like much and it reflects that in isolation, Annupuri Ski Resort is rather small with only 13 courses and 6 lifts. It’s a skinny ski area between the elevations of 400 and 1,156 metres (756m vertical). Thankfully the slopes are interconnected with the other Niseko United ski areas, and Annupuri also provides access to sidecountry terrain and
Moiwa. See the
An’nupuri ski resort page for more information on the terrain.
Where is Niseko Annupuri?
The Niseko Annupuri Ski Resort and the village that sits at the base are located between
Niseko Village (interconnected with Annupuri via the piste) and Moiwa (interconnected with Annupuri via the piste in one direction).
The New Chitose Airport (Sapporo Airport) is the main gateway airport (114km away) and there are airport shuttle buses and private transfers available. See the
travel to Annupuri page for more information.
Annupuri Accommodation
The small Annupuri village sits at the base of the ski area, yet true ski-in ski-out accommodation is limited to the
Niseko Northern Resort Annupuri. Within very short walking distance of the Annupuri gondola are a couple of streets where much of the Annupuri accommodation is concentrated, whilst other parts of the village are somewhat spread out.
There are a few Annupuri hotels, and other options include lodges, inexpensive pensions, chalets, and very close by are Japanese ryokans with onsen.
Annupuri Accommodation Listings
Ski Resort Facilities
Ski and snowboard rentals are available, although not the same variety that you’d find in Hirafu. For Annupuri ski lessons and snowboard tuition, group lessons are only in Japanese, so if you want to know what the instructor is actually saying, paying the premium for private lessons is the only option (ages 6 and up).
Annupuri has a handful of cafeterias and eateries that are located slopeside, so it’s easy enough to stop for a snack or lunch.
Annupuri Restaurants
Don’t expect a main street lined with restaurants, but there is a decent range of Annupuri restaurants if you’re prepared to explore a little. A few places are old school Japanese and only accept cash.
Niseko Northern Resort Annupuri has a few dining options including a lovely izakaya and a funky lounge bar.
Lucky Fingers sounds like a men’s club but it’s a lovely restaurant and bar, serving up very interesting Western/Japanese fusion cuisine including lots of fancy izakaya style snacks. The cocktails are also rather impressive.
Del Sole Caffe Pizzeria is a tiny pizza restaurant (they also do take-away pizza) if you’ve got a hankering for some western cuisine. Karabina is a lovely izakaya with a good range of food and where you definitely feel like you’re in Japan. Taj Mahal is about 1km from the main Annupuri village and has lovely Indian food.
For those who are lucky enough to be guests of
Lodge 401, the bar snacks on offer are amazing.
Annupuri Activities
In the Niseko region there are lots of
Niseko ski guiding options available to explore the powder in the off-piste, sidecountry or backcountry.
Niseko cat skiing is also an emerging activity to score plenty of fresh powder, and there are snowcat skiing outfits that cater to intermediate powder riders up to experts.
Specific Annupuri activities are pretty much limited to the small area for tobogganing.
For shopping requirements, you’ll want to head into Hirafu.