Niseko is famous for its deep powder, back country riding, and modern ski resorts. It’s also a fine place to work in the green season. This summer, embrace the unique Japanese culture and explore this fascinating and beautiful part of the country.
All that Niseko snow melt has to go somewhere, and spring is rafting and kayaking season. There’s rafting and kayaking work available in the green season, and plenty of opportunities to explore the region’s rivers in your down time.
Niseko’s rivers and lakes are a great playground for other aquatic adventure activities such as canyoning, SUPing, and flat water kayaking. Peak summer is a great time to explore this pristine environment.
Cycling and mountain biking is becoming increasingly popular in Niseko. The Grand Hirafu Resort has two lift-serviced gravity trails, and the Niseko Area Mountain Bike Association is very active in building and maintaining trails.
Niseko hosts several annual cycling events including Hokkaido’s largest road race, the Niseko Classic, which attracts cyclists from Japan and around the world each year. There is also a yearly Hill Climb event, which is Hokkaido’s most popular hill climb race and offers stunning views of Mount Yotei.
There are cycling related jobs such as mechanics and tour guides available in summer.
And of course, if you want to just go for a stunning hike, Niseko has no shortage of amazing trails.
For a more detailed guide to summer activities in Niseko head to this page.
Japan is a very welcoming country for international seasonal workers but you will need a valid visa. People under 30 from many nations can apply for a 1 year working holiday visa. Processing time is fast (typically under two weeks) but you do have to apply in the same country as your passport. If you are over 30, employers are often willing to sponsor workers with specialist skills. The official visa information page can be found here.
Having basic Japanese language skills helps people get customer facing roles, and being bi-lingual will certainly make you much more employable. There are hospitality roles available in summer in F&B and guest services.
For more information about working in Niseko check out our Niseko Destination page.
That page also has a link to all the Niseko job ad on our site.
Images and videos courtesy of Tourism Niseko.