August is here and things are heating up in Niseko with plenty of fanfare and fireworks. The many festivals taking place around the region make Niseko a great place to set up base for easy access to summer entertainment with beer gardens in Sapporo, fresh seafood in Otaru, and matsuri emerging in every nearby town over the next couple of months – last weekend’s Jaga Matsuri – celebrating everyone’s favorite local potato in classic style – will have given locals a good taste of the fun to come!
The past month
July was a great month for exploring, with locals venturing far and wide across Hokkaido to enjoy some camping and BBQs surrounded by nature, along with a few evening beers of course.
SummerJapan.com guests took advantage of some great weather to enjoy a rooftop BBQ at the Hirafu 188 building – can’t beat a BBQ with a view!
The Ushio Matsuri in Otaru was met with great weather and plenty of tasty local food and entertainment. The hanami (fireworks) display was a great crowd-pleaser as always, but there’s really no beating the local craft beer options!
Conditions were looking good for the UCI Gran Fondo Niseko Classic event in early July, the sold out event saw more than 1000 riders competing for the 3rd year on one of the world’s most picturesque courses. International interest increased from 10-19% this year with more riders taking part from Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Australia.
The following week the weather was not so kind during the kids Strider Cup held at Hirafu Sunsports; the turnout was still great for this family event with the kids braving the rain and mud to rip it up around the race tracks.
The Sapporo Beer Garden has been ongoing throughout summer and there’s still plenty of time to head to the city to enjoy some local and international beers, foods, and outdoor vibes right in the heart of town. Don’t miss the extra refreshing Kirin “Frozen” Draft!
Coming Up
Ezo Rising Sun Rock Festival – 10-11 August – Hokkaido’s biggest rock festival
Hirafu Festival – August 18th – Hirafu’s very own festival
Sapporo Beer Festival – ongoing until 15th
August looks set to be great for enjoying the outdoors, with temperatures in the mid 20’s and plenty of sunny days it’ll be great golf weather – be sure to hit the nearby courses and practice your swing!
If you’re feeling adventurous don’t miss out on northern Japan’s largest music festival; the Ezo Rising Sun Rock fest. With dozens of acts across multiple stages this will be a crazy weekend to soak up the true Japanese music scene!
Closer to home we have the Hirafu Matsuri taking place right on our doorstep at Sun Sports Land; the village’s #1 celebration thrown together by dozens of local business; look forward to great food, great drinks, great events, and great Niseko locals! This is one of the best summer opportunities to meet the community and celebrate green season in the resort. Don’t forget to wear your yukata!
