Rusutsu Resort
ルスツリゾート42°45′ N 140°54′ E
Rusutsu spreads spaced birch and long groomers over three mountains southeast of Yotei, and its hotels and amusement park make the base feel like a small town.
Photo jeremydeades · Flickr · CC BY-SA 2.0 and others, credited in the gallery
- Beginner9.8 km
- Intermediate17.4 km
- Advanced6.6 km
- Expert3.5 km
Rusutsu sits about half an hour southeast of Niseko by car, and Mt Yotei stands between them. The resort credits the volcano with blocking the cold northwest wind and the nearby Pacific with bringing frequent clear days. Kamori Kanko has run it since 1981, and in 2025 it won Japan's Best Ski Resort at the World Ski Awards for the sixth time.
The ski area covers three mountains. West Mountain is the small one behind the Rusutsu Resort Hotel and the Ferris wheel, and it carries the night riding. Gondolas lift you from the hotel and the Westin up East Mountain to 868 m. Mt Isola is the biggest of the three, and you reach its 994 m top by riding Furikozawa to the Isola base and boarding the Isola Gondola.
How it rides
- Powder
- 5 out of 5
- Trees
- 5 out of 5
- Steeps
- 3 out of 5
- Sidecountry
- 2 out of 5
- Park
- 4 out of 5
- Beginners
- 4 out of 5
- Family
- 5 out of 5
- Quiet
- 3 out of 5
- Value
- 3 out of 5
- Après
- 2 out of 5
Rusutsu built its name on trees. You can ride the forest between the marked runs anywhere inside the boundary, and the resort leaves a long list of official runs ungroomed. Super East pitches to 40 degrees on East Mountain, and Heavenly Canyon follows a creek line on the back of Isola. In a storm the snow piles into the valleys and onto the south and east faces, and once the sun returns the north-facing slopes of Isola and East Mountain hold it longest. The Heavenly runs on Isola and the trees between Vivaldi and Tignes on East Mountain are the usual places to look.
Lift rides hit a record 4,958,488 in 2024/25, up 12 percent on the year before, so get to Isola early on a powder morning. The Across pairs bring you back from Isola to East Mountain. On selected days a Mt Isola First Track ticket loads the gondola at 8:45 for 60 riders.
The Westin is ski-in ski-out, and its monorail takes about five minutes to reach the Resort Hotel and West Mountain. Families get a lot out of the place. Kids can ride the lit West Mountain runs until 20:00, and Samurai Kids Park sits on the hill for the smallest ones. Kamori's free Rusutsu-Go bus ran from Sapporo through 2025/26, and its BIGRUNS bus reaches the airport in about two hours.
Fly the mountain in 3D立体地図
Every run at Rusutsuコース
| Avg | Faces | Map | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fuboruフーボルコーズ | 1,690 m | 222 m | 15.4° | 7.5° | N | ||
| Furikozawaフリコ沢コースNotes | 2,205 m | 214 m | 11.9° | 5.5° | E | ||
| Rainbowレインボーコース | 2,163 m | 204 m | 15.6° | 4.7° | E | ||
| Isola Grand Bypassイゾラグランド迂回コース | 707 m | 126 m | 17.4° | 9.8° | NE | ||
| FamilyファミリーコースNight | 676 m | 105 m | 14.3° | 8.8° | SE | ||
| White LoverホワイトラバーコースNight | 714 m | 105 m | 15.7° | 8.3° | SE | ||
| Isola-D BypassイゾラD迂回コース | 372 m | 65 m | 18.4° | 9.7° | NW | ||
| East Trailイーストトレイル | 684 m | 65 m | 9° | 5.4° | N | ||
| Joint連絡コース | 298 m | 21 m | 9.7° | 4° | E | ||
| Isola Top Bypassイゾラ山頂迂回コース | 273 m | 17 m | 11.7° | 3.6° | NE | ||
| Isola GrandイゾラグランドコースNotes | 3,002 m | 528 m | 20.7° | 10° | N | ||
| Steamboat-BスティームボートBNotes | 1,927 m | 438 m | 20.7° | 12.8° | NE | ||
| Heavenly Viewヘブンリー・ビュー・コースNotes | 2,599 m | 409 m | 18.2° | 8.9° | E | ||
| East VivaldiイーストヴィヴァルディNotes | 2,047 m | 392 m | 26° | 10.8° | N | ||
| East TignesイーストティーニュコースNotes | 1,758 m | 371 m | 22.1° | 11.9° | N | ||
| Steamboat-AスティームボートANotes | 1,571 m | 361 m | 21° | 12.9° | E | ||
| Heavenly Ridge BヘブンリーリッジBコース | 963 m | 210 m | 19.2° | 12.3° | E | ||
| BambiバンビコースNight | 854 m | 205 m | 22.9° | 13.5° | E | ||
| Isola-CイゾラCコース | 599 m | 171 m | 20.3° | 16° | NW | ||
| Isola-DイゾラDコース | 674 m | 161 m | 22° | 13.5° | NW | ||
| EvaエバーコースNightNotes | 711 m | 153 m | 20.6° | 12.2° | E | ||
| Heavenly Trailヘブンリートレイル | 707 m | 121 m | 18.5° | 9.7° | E | ||
| Heavenly CanyonヘブンリーキャニオンTreesNotes | 1,465 m | 372 m | 23.7° | 14.2° | E | ||
| Heavenly Ridge AヘブンリーリッジAコースNotes | 1,224 m | 297 m | 22.9° | 13.4° | E | ||
| Giantジャイアントコース | 1,125 m | 263 m | 24.5° | 13.1° | SE | ||
| Eliteエリートコース | 638 m | 170 m | 27.5° | 14.9° | SE | ||
| NaturalナチュラルコースTreesNotes | 466 m | 164 m | 30.5° | 19.4° | SE | ||
| Heavenly SpiritヘブンリースピリットTrees | 508 m | 148 m | 19.3° | 16.3° | NE | ||
| DynamicダイナミックコースNight | 490 m | 139 m | 24.9° | 15.8° | E | ||
| SkyスカイコースTrees | 356 m | 125 m | 25° | 19.3° | E | ||
| Across AアクロスAコースTrees | 217 m | 78 m | 26.5° | 19.8° | E | ||
| Across B | 152 m | 45 m | 22.5° | 16.7° | E | ||
| Isola-AイゾラAコースTreesNotes | 740 m | 238 m | 29.8° | 17.8° | NW | ||
| Isola-BイゾラB コースTrees | 675 m | 223 m | 25.3° | 18.2° | NW | ||
| Super EastスーパーイーストTreesNotes | 379 m | 187 m | 36.4° | 26.3° | E | ||
| TigerタイガーコースTreesNotes | 579 m | 170 m | 29.2° | 16.4° | E | ||
| Tree Run林間コースTreesNotes | 639 m | 168 m | 24.8° | 14.8° | S | ||
| Rusutsu No.1ルスツNo.1コースTreesNotes | 439 m | 150 m | 25.9° | 18.8° | E |
Lengths, vertical, pitch and aspect are computed from OpenStreetMap run lines and 30 m elevation data. Steepest is the hardest 60 m pitch. Treat them as a guide and trust the signs on the hill.
Peaks, gates and named areas
Know the zones before you goエリア
West MountainウエストMt.
peak
The Yotei Gondola and three chairs serve the 715 m West Mountain behind the Rusutsu Resort Hotel and the amusement park. It holds all the night riding and a marked tree zone, and Tiger is its steepest run.
Good for night riding, tree zone, beginners
East MountainイーストMt.
peak
East Gondola No.1 runs from the hotel to the mid-mountain station, and East Gondola No.2 and the East Quad both reach the 868 m top. Vivaldi and Tignes run long from the top with Freedom Park on Tignes. Super East drops off this mountain too and is the steepest run at Rusutsu.
Good for long groomers, park, trees between runs
Mt IsolaMt.イゾラ
peak
Isola is the biggest of the three mountains and tops out at 994 m. The Isola Gondola and five chairs serve the Steamboat and Heavenly areas, and the views reach Lake Toya.
Good for powder days, long runs, Lake Toya views
Heavenly area
zoneAdvanced
The Isola No.4 high-speed quad serves the Heavenly runs on the back of Isola. Heavenly Canyon and Heavenly Spirit stay ungroomed, and the trees around them are among the best at the resort.
Good for tree riding, ungroomed powder
Steamboat area
zoneIntermediate
Steamboat A and B run over 2 km each through the forest off Isola No.1. Cafeteria Steamboat feeds the area.
Good for long cruising, forest ridges
Furikozawaフリコ沢
zoneBeginner
This 2.1 km beginner run follows a natural valley from East Mountain to the Isola base. It is the way in to Isola for everyone.
Good for Isola access
Isola Gondolaイゾラゴンドラ
lift
The Isola Gondola climbs from the Isola base to the 994 m top. On selected days the First Track ticket loads it at 8:45.
Good for summit access, first tracks
Freedom Parkフリーダムパーク
parkAdvanced
The park on East Tignes runs an expert line of 5–12 m kickers and an easy line of 1–3 m jumps beside a banked lane. A 15 m kicker goes in for March.
Good for big kickers, progression
Beyond the ropes · open
Rusutsu runs no gate system and lets riders into the trees inside the ski-area boundary. The trail map marks a tree zone on West Mountain and many official runs stay ungroomed, and beyond the boundary the mountain is unpatrolled and ridden at your own risk.
- Tree riding is permitted inside the yellow-dotted ski-area boundary
- Respect roped closures around hazards
- Terrain beyond the boundary is unpatrolled and at your own risk
- Shiribetsu-dake tours start from the resort car park and are avalanche terrain
Check the daily avalanche report before you leave the resort. Carry a beacon, shovel and probe and know how to use them.
Worth knowing before you go
Buy online. The 2025/26 adult day cost ¥12,000 online and ¥16,200 at the window.
Epic Pass holders get five consecutive days. Redeem at a ticket window, since the My Epic phone pass does not scan at the lifts.
Ride Furikozawa to the Isola base early and get in the Isola Gondola line before mid-morning.
The Rusutsu Powder Day Trip bus left the Hirafu Welcome Center at 8:30 in January and February 2026 and reached East Mountain at 9:15, for ¥9,000 return.
Point-ticket holders ride the Across No.1 and No.2 pairs, East Gondola No.1 and the Tower pair for free.
Shiribetsu-dake's south face starts from the resort car park. It is serious avalanche terrain and a guided objective.
18 mapped lifts
The liftsリフト
Getting thereアクセス
From New Chitose Airport
- Drive
- About 1 hr 30 min
- Bus
- Kamori's BIGRUNS bus, about 2 hr, ¥5,000 booked online at least 7 days ahead or ¥5,500 otherwise; Hokkaido Resort Liner, ¥5,500 to the Rusutsu stops (2025/26)
From Sapporo
- Drive
- About 1 hr 30 min
- Bus
- Rusutsu-Go bus from Kamori Bldg 3 near JR Sapporo, about 2 hr, free in 2025/26 with online booking by 15:00 the day before; a fare applies from 2026/27
About 30 minutes by car from Niseko and 35 from Kutchan. Winter parking is free. The Hokkaido Resort Liner also runs from Lake Toya (¥3,500) and Noboribetsu (¥4,000) from late December to February. Taxi estimates: CTS about ¥32,800, Sapporo about ¥27,800, Kutchan Station about ¥12,300.
Paid links
Line up the trip around Rusutsu Resort
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Where to stay nearby宿
Soak after温泉
Touring close by山スキー
Towns to base in町
Ride these on the same trip近くの山
Quick answers about Rusutsu Resortよくある質問
How big is Rusutsu?
Rusutsu has 37 runs and 18 lifts over 594 m of vertical, from 400 m at the base to 994 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 37.3 km of piste there.
How steep is Rusutsu?
The steepest mapped pitch at Rusutsu is about 36.4° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 10.1 km of the mapped total.
Can you ride off-piste at Rusutsu?
Rusutsu runs no gate system and lets riders into the trees inside the ski-area boundary. The trail map marks a tree zone on West Mountain and many official runs stay ungroomed, and beyond the boundary the mountain is unpatrolled and ridden at your own risk.
How much is a lift ticket at Rusutsu?
An adult day ticket at Rusutsu costs ¥16,200 in the 2025/26 main season. Epic holders ride here too.
Does Rusutsu have night riding?
Yes. Rusutsu runs night lifts 16:00–20:00. West Mountain only, last ride 19:45, mid-December to 31 March. Lit runs: Family, White Lover, Bambi, Eva, Rainbow, Dynamic and Sky. Night ticket ¥3,800.
How do you get to Rusutsu from New Chitose Airport?
Rusutsu is about 1 hr 30 min by car from New Chitose Airport. By bus: Kamori's BIGRUNS bus, about 2 hr, ¥5,000 booked online at least 7 days ahead or ¥5,500 otherwise; Hokkaido Resort Liner, ¥5,500 to the Rusutsu stops (2025/26).
When is the season at Rusutsu?
Rusutsu usually opens late November (29 Nov 2025) and closes end of March (31 Mar 2026). The deepest, most reliable snow comes mid January to late February.