One of the major parts of ski culture is enjoying a great après ski after a day on the slopes and the Niseko bar scene is a great option for this. Niseko has some of the best bars and après ski options for after a long day riding through the powder! The options range from breweries to expensive cocktails. Learn more about drinking in Niseko and some of the best bars to visit during your ski trip to Niseko with these Niseko bars.
Niseko Bars for a Bar Crawl
If you are looking to do a bit of a bar crawl in Niseko, and enjoy some of the nicer cocktails in Niseko in one night here is a great itinerary:
Starting from the top of the slopes near the Hirafu Welcome Center to the bottom:
You can also swing by the Niseko food trucks during the crawl.
Bar Gyu
There are seasonal drinks, ranging from any booze that fits your fancy. However, this bar will cost a pretty penny with most drinks ranging from 1,200 yen or more. Another downside is that the inside of the bar is pretty small. I feel that everything in the bar is small – from the tables to the stools, to even the drinks.
This is definitely more of an experience than a place to go and try to get wasted and party. But, still a fun evening or après ski experience.
Location: 167-21 Yamada, Kutchan, Abuta District, Hokkaido 044-0081, Japan
Hours: 5pm – Midnight
Price: $$$
Musu Bar + Bistro
If you want to find the French in Niseko, then Musu is the Niseko bar you need to go to. This French bistro-style place is run and primarily operated, by French seasonal workers.
Musu does not only offer cocktails but has some great lunch and tapas options. But, for the purpose of this post, the focus will be on the cocktails. The menu is set, but very artistically drawn. The cocktails focus on mixtures that have an iconic Japanese ingredient for example there is a wasabi margarita.
Another location that is fairly small in size. The main seating area is at family-style tables – with another large portion of the seats being along the window that looks out over the main street to the Hirafu Welcome Center. Therefore, the bar fills up pretty quickly by 7 pm.
The drinks here are just about 1,500 yen each as well. The sizes are reasonable cocktail sizes and are a bit more of a bargain for the price of the drink than some other establishments in Niseko.
Location: 044-0081 Hokkaido, Abuta District, Kutchan, Yamada, 190-13 OdinPlace２階
Hours: 7:30am – Midnight
Price: $$
Niseko Taproom
Located just the floor above Musu bar is Niseko Taproom. If you want to talk about small establishments – this will be the smallest of all the Niseko bars listed. The seating around the bar holds only about six people, and there are two tables that can hold approximately another 6 more. There is the option to drink at some tables outside of the bar though.
This tiny bar specializes in beer – if brewing didn’t give that away. The options are still pretty limited to about six local options.
This is a great location to grab a quick drink after hitting the snow slopes at Hirafu.
Location: 044-0081 Hokkaido, Abuta District, Kutchan, Yamada, 190-13 Odin Place 3F
Hours: 1pm to 10pm
Price: $$
Toshiro’s Bar
Looking for some more interesting cocktails? Then check out Toshiro’s Bar. Located just off of the Family Ace slopes, this bar is a great option for mixed cocktails to just chilled drinks.
This is another expensive option in Niseko, however, has more seating than the other establishments.
There are tables, or barrels, lined up along the window wall that looks out over the slopes. If you get there early enough you can enjoy watching skiers and boarders partake in night skiing.
As mentioned, this is an expensive drinking option from the mixed drinks to the shots. However, if you have the money to spend then grab the Smoked Penicillin. The drink is brought out with a lid and then the smoke is wafted over the drink. But I would opt for only one drink there in the future as the serving sizes are small for the price. For example, the smoked penicillin has a large ice cube that takes up approximately 70% of the drink. The other drink sizes are small as well – making this a splurge.
Location: 204 Yamada, Kutchan, Abuta District, Hokkaido 044-0081, Japan
Hours: 5pm – Midnight
Price: $$$
Niseko Pizza
While this isn’t exactly a Niseko Bar, this is a great option for a cocktail with some food. If you are looking for some pizza with some fancy cocktails then Niseko Pizza is a great option. This restaurant is the most popular in Niseko – so always expect a crowd. The joint does take reservations in advance though, so there is the option to plan ahead.
The drinks at Niseko Pizza also has a great combination of local Japanese ingredients mixed into traditional cocktails.
Niseko Pizza is also connected to the next bar: “The Bar” – which is an option to wait with a couple of drinks during the rush crowd for a table at Niseko Pizza.
Just like most of the locations in Niseko, the cocktails are costing another 1,500 yen per drink. This mixed with the food offered here can lead to an expensive night quickly.
Location: 〒044-0081 Hokkaido, Abuta District, Kutchan, Kutchan-chō Yamada, １６７−３
Hours: 5pm to Midnight
Price: $$
The Bar
Located just around the corner from Niseko Pizza is the establishment labeled “The Bar”. You will find mixologist here frequently visiting Niseko Pizza to grab waiting patrons for a couple of drinks. The main focus of the bar seems to be those waiting for tables down at Niseko Pizza. The menu, however, is different than Niseko Pizza. There is a larger drink selection than Niseko Pizza but has the same price tag.
This is a great establishment for a laid back feel, as there were not many people there compared to the other previously listed establishments – but this may be due to the fact that it is new.
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