Niseko, Japan
CNN
–
I’m somewhere in the tree. Powder deep thighs. Stomp on the snow. Carry it rather than getting on my board as I should.
Taking the wrong line and tweeting to myself about getting stuck, I breathe hard as I begin a deep, long march. It’s a problem that most skiers and snowboarders pay to pay.
And they do with their large groups.
Chris Laurent, from Paris, about 20 feet below me, has a different problem.
“I can’t find skis,” he said, swearing and laughing as he delves into the growing mound of fresh powder.
“I know it’s somewhere. But where?”
The snowflakes the size of silver dollar coins keep raining on both of us.
These are Niseko issues. Some say the powdered capital of Asia, and the world.
Long respected as a mecca of powder, Japan has faced some horrifying realities in recent years, including warm winters, reduced snowfall, a plunge in local skiers and snowboarders, and the closure of former resorts.
However, industry insiders have been salivating this season as La Niña weather patterns, a periodic period of cool weather, pointed to returning to the massive snow dump that legendarily created the Hokkaido island of Niseko. The last La Niña-led season in Japan was 2021-2022, surpassing record snowfalls at many resorts.
Early on, the results were impressive. Niseko began the season by breaking the 68-year-old’s snowfall record in the first month of December.
Since then, there has been a lull when the powder machine was turned off before grinding again in late February, as some of the coldest and coldest fronts from Siberia have moved across the Sea of ​​Japan to Japan’s northernmost island.
“It’s really snowing a lot. It’s the best snow in Japan. At the beginning of the year, I go up every day,” says Jia-Rong Chen, who left his job with Tokyo Technology to come to Niseko for the season.
“But by the middle of the season, I’ve been a bit spoiled. I already had enough powder. Some people think it’s a great season if they come in January and they snow. Some people think it’s the worst if they’re not in February, but they’re not. But I always avoid that.”
Japan’s rapidly aging demographic, sputtering economy, and fewer skiers have closed hundreds of resorts in the past decade. Several studies say that since the dizziness of the bubble economy in the 1990s, the number of local skiers and snowboarders has plummeted by up to 75%.
But for now, Niseko appears to be bulletproof.
Over the past few years, the town has been riding the wave of new fancy resorts and restaurants openings, with more foreign visitors. Hotels have opened their doors, including Setsu Niseko, the winner of the world’s best new ski hotel at the 2023 World Ski Awards, and Muwa Niseko, a new entry who won last year’s competition. The Michelin-starred Japanese chef fleet is also betting that the party will continue.
Many new investments can be attributed to consistency in snow compensation and the Japanese belief that Mount Yotei (the cloud-covered mini-mount Fuji that usually looms over the area) is a “snow catcher.”
Climate scientists say the scientific markers looked good before the season. And La Niña affected the snow area early on. But what sets the town apart from its competitors is the airy, light powder quality that falls into the relentless curtains as the cold front rolls.
“Temperatures in December were lower than normal. Then January was extraordinarily hot. La Niña is rapidly corrupted. It’s getting shorter. Professor Tomonori Sato, a weather researcher at Snowfield University, said:
“I’m born in Nigata Prefecture and knows the quality of the snow very well. My hometown is near the hot springs in Osawa (a ski resort on the main island of Japan) that was hit by snow this year. The snow is very wet and heavy there. You can ski much better in Hokkaido.”
Hokkaido is surrounded by water and is surrounded by water, promoting the weather system that produces world-renowned, consistent dry powders. And while there are concerns about climate change that affects snow volume and quality, most insiders believe that visitors will continue to come.
“Global warming is not just a problem for us, it’s a problem for the whole world. Yangji, general manager of Niseko Tourism Promotion, says that it’s a cramped but busy office just a few minutes’ walk from the ski chair at Rap Market Hirafu.
“We used to be called an Australian town. About 50% of all our guests were from Australia. That fell just over 20%, but the total number in Australia hasn’t changed much, meaning we were getting more people from other parts of the world.”
A quick walk to that lift on Hirafu shows Nagai talking. Uniform influencers are everywhere. There are also Snap Selfies in Snap Suits worth thousands of dollars. Others drink champagne in a Louis Vuitton-designed yurt and stir in dumplings from one Michelin food truck or $170 ribeye from the US-based Wolfgang Steakhouse. Heli-Ski operators offer everything from chef tables to bespoke snowmobile tours to surrounding mountains and luxury concierge companies to wealthy customers on ferry.
Niseko United – It was during the time when the four resort collections of Annapurna, Niseko Village and hirafu were often divided into upper and Hanazono, or St. Moritz in Japan. It was compared to the famous alpine bolt hole in the west.
But there’s no more. Niseko is a destination in itself.
“I was in Niseko for 10 years and I don’t think a snowy year is bad at that point,” says Patrick Ohtani, COO of Luxe Nomad, who manages high-end properties in Hokkaido, Thailand and Indonesia.
“We are very fortunate because all the winds from Siberia are picking up moisture. High pressure hits its weather system and snow starts falling. Compared to other ski destinations around the world, altitude plays a major factor.”
Otani says many American skiers are coming from all over the country, including the East Coast. My own season is still in progress at home, allowing me to fly halfway through the world.
Many of them come with Ikon Pass, which offers 7 days of free access to Niseko United.
“The biggest story for us is that the US market really establishes a dominant foothold. In 2017, we had just 619 guest nights,” Ohtani says.
“Up to this year, we have booked a 4,823 nights, a 404% increase. US travelers’ revenues have increased by 130% since last year.”
