Months spent huddled up at home does wonders to one’s wanderlust.
Now, while many of us are dreaming of tropical beaches and glistening blue pools, we have found ourselves dreaming… of snow. Mountains and mountains of the best powder snow on the planet, to be more exact.
That’s right – we’re talking about Niseko, the famed Japanese ski resort nestled on the northern island of Hokkaido.
That Unique Niseko Magic
It might sound like a cliché, but Niseko truly is unlike anywhere else in the world.
Before the world shut down, our team would visit Niseko every year. As the seasons turned – from blinding white powder to the lush greens of summer and the glowing foliage of autumn – and the years went by, we saw the region blossom and really come into its own.
Arriving in Powder Paradise
Getting to Niseko is an event onto itself. You land in New Chitose Airport, about an hour’s drive from the Hokkaido metropolis of Sapporo. Niseko United (a cluster of four ski resorts: Grand Hirafu, Hanazono, Niseko Village and Annupuri), on the other hand, is about two hours away.
The drive to the resorts (be that on a shuttle bus or in a privately chauffeured car) is peaceful and beautiful, with views of snow covered fields, woodlands and yes, mountains, rolling by the windows. Even before you arrive, Niseko lives up to its scenic reputation.
If you’re taking the bus, there is a halfway stop at a quaint rest stop where quintessentially Japanese vending machines buried in snow meet a bustling market place atmosphere, with vendors hawking Japanese snacks and beverages.
This gives you a first taste of the unique, quirky charm which still colours the Niseko experience.
Life in the Village
Once in Niseko, we usually make Grand Hirafu our home base and with a rental car, the wider area is our oyster. Grand Hirafu is the liveliest of the four resorts and is geographically positioned in between the other three: Hanazono is great for families and those looking to get their thrills with snowmobiling and the like; Niseko Village has a posh, private resort feel to it; while Annupuri is more quiet than the other four and known for its easy access powder.
Compact in size, Grand Hirafu very much feels like a village, with its bijou streets lined with rustic wooden houses neighboured by edgy concrete structures. Though development has been drastic, there is not a sky scraper in sight to rival the height of the resident mountains: Mt Niseko Annupuri which hosts all four of the ski resorts and the majestic Mt Yotei, Hokkaido’s equivalent to Mt Fuji.
Echoing the contrasts visible in the local architecture, Hirafu Village offers cosy izakaya pubs, photogenic coffee carts parked in the snow and fine dining venues which require tables to be booked months in advance. You can walk from the ski lifts in Upper Hirafu down to the forest bound end of Lower Hirafu – just mind your step in the snow and ice.
A Luxe Metamorphosis
When in town, we’re very much like every other traveller, doing our best to soak up as much of the snow, sake and scenery as we can. But when we travel, we also inspect our chalets – and we do mean all of them.
During our trips to Niseko, we have literally visited hundreds of chalets. This has given us a unique overview of the Niseko real estate landscape and how it’s changing. Over the years, we’ve seen the chalets get bigger and grander. With each visit, the area features more and more properties where the only word that feels apt to describe them is a breathless, resounding “wow”.
And you don’t just need to take our word for it. International chains have also sniffed out the area’s unique potential, with brands including Ritz-Carlton, Aman and Hyatt all set to open, or have recently opened, new, highly anticipated properties in Niseko.
Staying True to Hokkaido Roots
But what do all of these changes mean for the local community and local colour? Yes, Niseko has become gentrified. And yes – there is still a unique, undeniable magic about the place. It might be known as the “Aspen of Asia” but it’s also unequivocally, unmistakably a mountainside village nestled on the remote island of Hokkaido.
As Kenya Katayama, the mayor of Niseko, underlined in an interview with the New York Times, he wants his community to develop along the lines of a Swiss village, instead of a huge North American-style resort. In Niseko, a lot of emphasis is put on respecting to region’s stunningly unique nature and you really don’t need to venture far from Hirafu to feel like you’re in the middle of nowhere in the best possible way – we really recommend taking a day trip out to Lake Toya.
The 2020 Factor
Like everywhere else in the world, the upcoming Niseko ski season will be a little different this year.
The ski season will happen and the lifts will be up and running. But due to international travel restrictions, there will be less of the usual, international crowd at the resorts – in fact, there will be less crowds, period. That’s great news for the powder buffs who are lucky enough to be in town, with the unprecedented opportunity to completely forgo the queues and have those coveted slopes practically to themselves. That being said, certain restaurants and resort facilities might be closed for the season due to a dip in demand.
Though international borders essentially remain closed, Niseko is yours to explore if you are currently in Japan (the flight time from Tokyo to Sapporo is just around 90 minutes!). To make the most of this beloved powder mecca, our team will be more than happy to share our expertise and help you find the best chalet in Niseko – contact us to start planning your powder getaway.
