Niseko to Launch Heated Six-Seater Chairlift in 2025

Niseko Grand Hirafu will upgrade its King Hooded Quad Lift #3 to a six-seater heated chairlift for the 2025–26 season, marking a first for the resort and one of only a handful of such lifts in Japan.

The new high-speed lift will feature a loading carpet for easier access and boost hourly capacity by 600 passengers, easing congestion on the mid-mountain.

The upgrade is part of the “Value Up NISEKO 2030” initiative, a long-term plan to modernize infrastructure and enhance year-round tourism. Construction begins spring 2025, following an early closure of the current lift on March 31st last season.

Located on Hokkaido’s Mt. Annupuri, Niseko is Japan’s most internationally renowned ski destination, famed for its deep, dry powder—averaging 15 metres annually—and its four interlinked resorts: Grand Hirafu, Hanazono, Niseko Village, and Annupuri. The area draws skiers from around the world, especially Australia, and is celebrated for its off-piste terrain, vibrant après scene, and scenic views of Mt. Yotei.

While heated chairlifts are fairly rare in Japan, Niseko Hanazono introduced a luxury six-seater in 2021 with heated leather seats and bubble hoods, designed by Pininfarina.

Other six-seaters exist at resorts like Gala Yuzawa and Yuzawa Kogen, but Niseko’s new King Lift will be the first of its kind at Grand Hirafu.