Last year at World Ski Awards Sekkakan (Niseko) was recognised as Japan’s Best Ski Chalet, while the title of Japan’s Best Boutique Ski Hotel went to The Vale (Niseko). During the Gala Ceremony Japan’s Best Ski Hotel also went to The Hilton (Niseko), while Niseko itself took the title of Japan’s Best Ski Resort. On top of that The Vale went on to win the award for World’s Best Boutique Ski Hotel, elevating Niseko from country-wide domination to the global playing field. Not bad for a resort that, from an international standpoint, is barely ten years old. So what has led to such a reputation for this small resort in Northern Japan? The Snow - Niseko’s Powder Snow enjoys something of a fabled reputation around the world but it really does have to been seen to be believed. Winter 2014/15 was a bit of a “below average” season...only 11 metres of snowfall! Snow in Niseko is not measured in centimetres and it is rarely anything other than epic. Despite only being 1,300m high, Niseko United boasts some of the world’s finest powder snow on tap for months. And the season runs and runs - opening around the end of November the lifts run until early May, by which time you can ski in the morning and raft in the afternoon! The Food - Michelin starred restaurants where you can get a ten course meal for under €100, tiny eateries hidden under eaves, French, Japanese, Italian and more all crammed into an area which you can cover by foot in 15 minutes. People come for the snow and they come back for the cuisine. The Rooms – Just 15 years ago Niseko was a relatively sleepy Japanese ski resort with ageing buildings and dwindling numbers. Since the turn of the century all that has changed. Properties like The Vale and Ki
Niseko have taken accommodation up to global standards. More four star plus hotels and buildings are going up each year as a result of increasing demand from visitors for beds and high-end service. The Service - First came the snow, then the buildings and now the service. As guest profiles change and people come with more disposable income, the demands on the resort are changing. Not content with simply skiing, guests are looking for more restaurants, better service and amenities in the hotels and chalets and apres-ski activities like shopping and spas. And Niseko has had to become more family friendly too - with ski schools serving not only “powder hunters” but kids and complete beginners. Local management companies have risen to the challenge, providing highend service with a Japanese twist to guests from all over the world. So where to from here for Niseko? Regardless of the results in the 2015 awards (and we wouldn’t bet against another clean sweep!) Niseko is on the global map. Guest numbers are on the rise from every country, but perhaps most importantly the new skiers from Asia are now being joined by the traditional markets from Europe and America. Reports of muddy slopes or resorts struggling with lack of snow in European and American resorts won’t come out of Niseko and more and more skiers are casting an envious glance towards Niseko where they know they will get guaranteed snow, a chance to experience unique Japan and, now, world-class service.
MORE INFORMATION For more information on visiting Niseko head over to the official website at www. niseko.ne.jp. Photos copyright Hokkaido Tourism Management.
2015 WORLD SKI AWARDS YEARBOOK
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