Summer in Niseko means the sun is up early so you enjoy a morning bike ride on quiet country roads, over rolling hills and through tree lined valleys. Lunchtime can be spent mastering your stroke during a heavenly swim in pristine Lake Toya, and the sunset hour can be passed running on a nearby trail while listening to the native birds singing.

The quite country roads in Niseko and the surrounding areas are perfect for cycling. A wide shoulder on the side of the road leaves plenty of room for cyclists, whilst courteous drivers obey the 50km/h speed limit to create a harmonious road environment. Clean fresh air, combined with lustrous scenery provides a motivating atmosphere as you cycle past vegetable farms, lakes, through valleys and over rolling hills. A two or three hour bike ride has never been more pleasurable. The newly constructed purpose built Mountain Bike Park and training area at the base of Hanazono is every hardcore riders dream. The first serious park of its kind in Asia. Click for more

Usually held at the end of summer or first few weeks of autumn the Niseko Cycle week is crammed with events and competition to cater for the most amateur cyclist to die hard veterans. The event is run by the Niseko Promotion Board and features a mixture of road cycling, time trails, MTB downhill, MTB cross country and beginners events. The area is a cyclists paradise and the events are designed to maximize participants enjoyment. For more details visit the Niseko Cycle Week website

Lake Toya is every open water swimmers dream. A stunning lake approximately 40km from Niseko provides crystal clear water, peaceful surroundings and the feeling like you are the first person to ever step foot into the water. A gentle slope allows you to walk to the water’s edge do your warm up and then enter the pristine waters. Bring a wetsuit to maximize your time in the water.

Kilometres of tree lined trails, and paved running paths are available on Niseko’s doorstep. You can enjoy a slow recovery run through the woods, or do some speedwork along the paved path beside the river. All options are catered for with hills and flat running locations. For the outdoor enthusiasts the endless number of trails through the mountainous regions surround Niseko provide for some stunning hiking/running. For the die-hard athletes a trip up Mt Yotei is a must.

Several companies stage events and competition over summer to cater for athletes of all disciplines. In particular the Lake Toya Big Swim and Niseko Trail Run by NAC are well worth the trip. The region also plays host to the Niseko Cycle Week (read above), in 2009 hosted part of the Tour of Hokkaido professional bike race (featuring some Japanese pro riders from the Tour de France in years gone by), the Sapporo marathon and soon to be MTB events.