It was a good excuse to get out of the office and a great day for riding, not too hot but definitely not too cool. We opted for a fairly easy ride from the Rhythm shop in Hirafu out to the Niseko View Plaza – a good ride for beginners or those who just want to see the local area.

We arrived at the Rhythm shop and checked in for the tour. The bikes had already been prepared for us and after a brief introduction, we were on our way. Down through Kabayama and straight into the open farmland with views of the ski resort and the iconic Mount Yotei.

We stopped for a quick break at a hidden spring which bubbles up fresh spring water from the ground. The spring had been made into a feature with the water bubbling out from the mouth of a Hokkaido Bear.

We set off again uphill, heading towards Niseko Town and passed a few cyclists heading in the other direction. Before long, the big yellow arched bridge over the River Shiribetsu came into view and we were in the real “Niseko”. Niseko is such a quaint little town, with brick paved pavements, stained glass street lamps and wrought iron table and chairs every few hundred metres! There are also plenty of little cafes and restaurants lining the roadside to come back and check out later.

At the other end of Niseko town is the Niseko View Plaza, a parking area featuring produce from the local area. Besides all of the fresh fruit and vegetables, there is also Niseko Gelato, and a Takahashi farm outlet selling cream puff pastry, cheese tarts and delicious ice cream! A great way to end the ride and replace those burnt off calories!

A quick phone call to the Rhythm shop and a van was there to collect us before we had even finished our ice creams.

Thanks Rhythm for a great morning ride.