But it’s not just mountain biking. Niseko is filled with outdoor fun in the sun after the snow melts. In fact, the first activity to get under way in spring is rafting: 15 metres of winter snowfall needs to go somewhere, and a look at the swollen, rushing Shiribetsu River in April reveals exactly where. The run-off creates whitewater rapids in spring, before subsiding in summer to offer a gentle rafting experience for all ages.

Outdoor family activities abound here. Tree-trekking – which uses elevated adventure courses – has taken off in Niseko in recent years. There are now two courses, one being Japan’s biggest with 100 platforms, all four to eight metres off the ground and connected by bridges, ropes and obstacles. The other incorporates a four-kilometre zipline – the longest in the country. Meanwhile, there are also long treks through the area’s wooded trails up Mount Annupuri or Mount Yotei – legendary among skiers for their snowfields in winter but part of many hikers’ summer goals.

In the nearby coastal town of Yoichi, just a 30-minute drive away, visitors can experience fruit picking in orchards that offer varying produce at different times of the year. Summer is harvest season for strawberries, cherries, plums and peaches. Yoichi, long known for its whisky production, is also home to a promising wine industry, with winery tours available. And those seeking outstanding meals won’t be disappointed. Covered by tracts of farmland and surrounded by pristine coastline offering an abundance of fresh seafood, Hokkaido is known across the country as the food bowl of Japan. So, as well as a sense of adventure, visitors to Niseko in the green season are advised to also bring a healthy appetite.

Finally, underlying all the activities and luxuries on offer is the sheer beauty of this heavily forested region dotted with lakes. Mount Yotei looms majestically over farmland laid out in squares of yellows and greens. “There is an endless list of outdoor activities to keep visitors entertained, but the area’s natural assets are a draw card in themselves,’ says Hough. ‘It really is an undiscovered paradise.”