Where to eat, where to soak, where to find decent coffee before first chair, and how après actually works in Japan.
Twelve years of powder days come with a few opinions about the rest of the day. This is the general shape of eating, bathing and drinking in Niseko and Furano — and where our concierge team can save you the frustration of trying to book it yourself from another time zone.
Niseko has an unusually good food scene for a ski town, ranging from izakaya and ramen counters to a handful of genuinely serious restaurants. The catch is that the good places are small, and in January they are booked out weeks ahead — often by people who speak Japanese and called rather than emailed.
If there is somewhere specific you want to eat, tell us early. Restaurant booking is part of our concierge add-on and it is the request we get most.
Furano is a working town, and the food reflects that: less international, more local, and considerably easier to get a table. Central Hokkaido is farming country, so the dairy, vegetables and lamb are excellent. A soup curry after a cold day is close to a regional obligation.
Hokkaido sits on a lot of geothermal activity and the onsen are the best possible recovery after a day in deep snow. Etiquette is simple once you know it: wash thoroughly at the taps before getting in, no swimwear, small towel stays out of the water, and tie long hair up. Some onsen still restrict entry for visible tattoos, which is worth checking in advance rather than at the door.
Around Furano and towards Asahidake there are onsen with genuinely spectacular outdoor baths. We can point you at the right one for the day you have had, and arrange transport if you would rather not drive.
Both towns have reliable espresso now, which was not true a decade ago. Most places open early enough for a pre-lift coffee, though not all of them open early enough for a dawn start on a touring day — worth checking the night before if that matters to you.
Après in Japan is less about a slopeside bar with loud music and more about an izakaya, a beer and a lot of small plates. Niseko has both versions; Furano leans firmly towards the second. Either way, the evening usually starts earlier and finishes earlier than it would in Europe.
Taxis exist in both towns but are limited and get very busy in peak season, and drink-driving laws in Japan are absolute. If you are planning dinner somewhere other than walking distance, book transport in advance. Evening transport, airport transfers and supermarket runs are all part of the concierge add-on on our Niseko and Furano pages.
Written by the Summit guide team in Kutchan and Furano. Reviewed and updated for the 2026/27 season.