What's New in Niseko?  Niseko Village's New Gondola and Hanazono's Fresh MTB Trails !

Niseko never sits still for long and this year the changes span both seasons. Niseko Village is replacing one of its oldest lifts with a brand-new gondola, and over at Hanazono, mountain bikers have just ridden the opening laps of a freshly built trail network. Exiting times for all the seasons!

Niseko Village's New Morino Gondola

Niseko Village has confirmed a major lift upgrade with the new eight-person Morino Gondola. This will double the old chair's capacity and most importantly take pressure off the current Niseko Village gondola. Oh yeah, you can eat dinner in a couple of them too..

What's coming?

• 86 cabins, including four VIP cabins with tables for light dining, and two glass-floor "Sky View" cabins for a birds eye view of the action below.
• Two-phase build. Phase one opens for the 2026/27 season (December 2026), running from the base to an intermediate station at around 670m. Phase two, connecting through to the upper station at roughly 930–970m, is due in December 2027, at which point riders will be able to go base-to-top without swapping cabins.
• Roughly 2km long, with a planned capacity of around 2,400 passengers per hour.
• The Wonderland Chair is also getting upgraded, moving from a single-seat to a two-person lift in December 2027, which should further ease congestion on the upper mountain.

In short you'll be riding in comfort and getting to the goods faster whether you're riding the new gondola or the existing one with less crowds. Gate 11 is calling.

Hanazono's Mountain Bike Park Has Landed

While the gondola news is a winter story, Hanazono is making itself heard this summer.The Hanazono Mountain Bike Park held its grand opening from July 1–5, with free trail access to mark the occasion and it's now open for the season.

The park is built and maintained by the hard work of NAMBA (the Niseko Area Mountain Bike Association), the volunteer-run nonprofit responsible for most of Niseko's rapidly growing trail network. Hanazono's contribution includes:

• 5.5km of newly built trail, with more planned for 2027.
• The standout, Hanazono Skyline, a 4,212m lift-accessed downhill run from the top. This is a flow-style trail designed for a smooth ride with minimal pedaling, complete with summer gondola access.
• Two courses catering to different skill levels, so it's not just for the rippers.
• Bike rentals (Kids, Youth, Standard, and Premium) are available on-site at Niseko Sports and in Hirafu from Rhythm.
• Full-face helmets and protective gear are recommended for the Skyline descent, with rental available; a standard MTB helmet is required resort-wide.

NAMBA now has more than 25km of trails spanning Twin Peaks, Grand Hirafu, Hanazono, and eventually a planned Mt Yotei loop. Niseko's mountain bike season runs roughly May to October, with July through September generally considered peak riding conditions.