If you're ready for a down day,  traveling with non-skiers, or are keen to see more of the amazing sights and activities Hokkaido has on offer, there are plenty of options to choose from. Five great ones we're sure you'll love below.

Road Trip to Lake Toya

Rent a car and follow Route 66 and 232 south past the flank of Mount Yotei, and in about an hour you'll arrive at the shores of Lake Toya, a vast volcanic caldera lake that is as picturesque as they come. The drive itself is half the reward with wide-open farmlands smothered in snow, the perfect cone of Yotei in your rearview mirror, and the Shikotsu-Toya National Park unfolding as you draw closer. 

The distinctive islands of Lake Toya are always spectacular.

Once at the lake, take the Usuzan Ropeway up for sweeping views back across the water back to Mount Yotei and the smoking crater of nearby Mount Usu, or simply stroll the quiet, snow-blanketed lakefront in Toyako Onsen. Steam rises off the water against a backdrop of snow-covered islands, and the whole area feels like a different, gentler side of Hokkaido. Round the day off with a soak in an onsen and you'll be ready to return to the slopes in the morning.

Snowshoeing Through Niseko's Backcountry

Strap on a pair of snowshoes and wander head first into Niseko's stunning winter landscape. Niseko Adventure Centre (NAC), NOASC, and Explore Niseko run guided snowshoe tours across the valley, taking in highlights like the frozen, crescent-shaped Hangetsu (Half Moon) Lake at the base of Mount Yotei, the snowy forests along the Shiribetsu River, and backcountry routes out to natural hot springs at Chisenupuri and Yuichichibu. There's even a nighttime version pairing snowshoeing with sledding at Half Moon Lake's crater.

All of the tours are guided, suit most fitness levels and ages (generally 6 years and up), and include the gear you need, so no experience or equipment is necessary.

You may be lucky enough to encounter a native Hokkaido fox on your snow shoeing adventures!

Yoichi Whisky Distillery Tour

For a full-day outing with a very different flavour, head roughly an hour and a half from Hirafu to the coastal town of Yoichi, home to the Nikka Yoichi Distillery — one of Japan's most historic whisky producers, founded in 1934 by Masataka Taketsuru. The self-guided tour winds past the distinctive coal-fired pot stills, through the original warehouses where casks quietly age, and into a small museum tracing Taketsuru's journey to Scotland and back, and the birth of Japanese whisky itself.

Best of all, entry is free and includes a tasting at the end, where you can sample a few of Nikka's whiskies (and apple-based drinks for non-drinkers or drivers) in the distillery's cosy visitor hall. Combine it with a wander through Yoichi's seaside townscape or a stop in Otaru on the way back, and it makes for fantastic and memorable day off the hill.

The Nikka Whisky Factory - Photo Good Day Hokkaido

Otaru Canal & Glassblowing

About an hour's drive from Niseko, the historic port town of Otaru is stunning in winter, when gas lamps reflect off the canal and snow settles on the old stone warehouses lining its banks. The area is known for glass blowing and there are many options to partake or observe. Otaru is also one of Hokkaido's best spots for fresh seafood, with sushi restaurants near the canal serving uni, hairy crab and scallops straight off the boats. Add a coffee stop in one of the town's atmospheric old bank buildings and you'll easily fill a day.

The Otaru Canal is impressive day or night and perfect for a romantic stroll.   

Ice Fishing with Big Fight

For something completely different -  a short drive from Niseko toward Rusutsu, family-run Big Fight Matsumoto turns its spring-fed trout ponds into a winter ice fishing spot, drilling holes through the frozen surface and setting guests up in heated tents to fish for rainbow trout. The water here is fed straight from the Shiribetsu River — among the cleanest in Japan — so the trout are healthy and plentiful, and guide Arata Matsumoto, who's run the operation for over 20 years, is on hand to help even total beginners land a fish within minutes.

It's a relaxed, sheltered activity that suits all ages and skill levels, with rods, bait and hot drinks provided and a warm tent to retreat to between bites. Most catches are released back into the pond, so it's as much about the experience and the scenery as it is about bringing anything home — a genuinely unique way to spend a few hours off the mountain.