Hokkaido in Summer: Where to Play Padel and Pickleball

Two of the world's fastest-growing racquet sports have arrived in Japan's north — padel at Niseko Hanazono and pickleball at Rusutsu Resort.

The two sports differ slightly — pickleball plays out in the open, while padel sits within a glass-and-mesh enclosure — but the appeal is essentially the same: easy to pick up, enough to work up a sweat, and paced for conversation between sets. Both have been taking off globally, and both are more enjoyable here with a rolling green backdrop and the mountain breeze keeping temperatures comfortable. Here's where to play.

For those who aren’t familiar (what rock have you been living under) — padel is tennis meets squash, played within a glass-and-mesh enclosure where the walls stay in play. Rallies go longer than expected, and the four-player format means you're never short of someone to blame for a missed shot.

At Niseko Hanazono, The Padel Academy runs structured lessons from beginner to advanced, including a Padel Discovery programme designed specifically for first-timers. Family and private lessons are also available. 

• Season: 17 May – 22 November 2026

• Hours: 8:30am–7:00pm (May–Jul) | 8:30am–6:30pm (Aug) | 8:30am–6:00pm (Sep–Oct 1) | 8:30am–8:00pm (Oct 2–Nov 22)

• Court hire: ¥7,200/hour (2–4 players, min. 2) | Up to 2 hours per booking

• Rental: ¥600/racket | ¥1,000/can (3 balls)

• Lessons: Padel Discovery ¥3,000/person | Mon/Tue 3:30pm, Sat/Sun 10:30am | Ages 6+

• Location: Niseko Hanazono Resort, Hokkaido

Where to Stay: Our newest property in Lower Hirafu, Haven Niseko is the natural base for those who want to be in the thick of it — floor-to-ceiling views of Mount Yōtei and everything Hirafu has to offer on the doorstep. For something more secluded, Intuition Niseko sits tucked into a birch forest in Upper Hirafu, with one to five-bedroom suites, and an indoor-outdoor onsen to wind down after a day on the courts. Coming as a group? Yuki Drift's six-bedroom private chalet in Kabayama is the perfect après-padel base — with a private onsen, forest views, and space entirely to yourselves.

As Hokkaido's first dedicated pickleball facility, Rusutsu Resort boasts eight full-scale courts built to Japan Pickleball Federation (PJF) standards — the kind of set-up seasoned players will appreciate, and first-timers will simply enjoy.

For the newbies, think of pickleball as tennis, badminton, and table tennis distilled into something more immediately playable: smaller court, lighter paddle, slower ball. Give even the most uncoordinated person an hour, and they'll be serving with flair by the end of it.

• Season: 29 April – 25 October 2026

• Hours: 8:30am – sunset

• Court hire: ¥3,000/hour (up to 6 players)

• Rental: ¥350/paddle + ball set | ¥300/ball purchase

• Bonus: 1 hour free with a valid Resort 1 Day Ticket

• Location: Rusutsu Resort, Hokkaido

Where to Stay: The Vale Rusutsu, our award-winning ski-in ski-out property just steps from everything Rusutsu has to offer with direct access to the resort's lifts, restaurants, the Kotobuki onsen, and of course, the pickleball courts.