This Japanese ski resort: pulmonation capital of Asia and the world

This Japanese ski resort: pulmonation capital of Asia and the world

I am somewhere between the trees, knee -deep in the powder snow. As I stamp through the snow, I wear my snowboard instead of driving it. Inside, I scold the wrong line that I chose and breathe heavily when I step on the long, steep way back. It is a problem that many skiers and snowboarders know all too well - and willingly accept.

niseko: The powder paradise of Asia

About six meters below me, Chris Laurent from Paris fights with a completely different problem. "I can't find my ski," he calls, while he is escaping and laughing at the same time and rushing around in a growing hill of fresh powder snow. "I know he's here somewhere. But where?"

The snowflakes, as large as silver dollar coins, continue to fall down. These problems are typical of Niseko, which is considered the powder snow heart of Asia-some even claim that it is the best in the world.

The challenges of winter sports in Japan

Japan, regarded for a long time as the Mecca for powder snow, faces a worrying reality in recent years: warmer winter, decreasing amounts of snow, falling numbers of local skiers and snowboarders as well as the closure of formerly flourishing resorts. However, the insiders of the industry fueled the hope that the La Niña weather phenomenon-a significant phase of cooler weather-would generate a decline in the massive snowfalls that the island of Hokkaido on which Niseko had made legendary. In the 2021-2022 season, the La Niña phenomenon led to record-breaking amounts of snow in many resorts.

impressive snow conditions

The results were impressive at the beginning of the season: Niseko cracked the 68 -year -old record for snowfall in the first month of December. After a short doldrum, when the snow machine temporarily turned off, the snowfall started again at the end of February when some of the coldest air fronts from Siberia moved across the Japanese sea and came in Hokkaido's northernmost island. "There is a lot of snowing here. This is the best powder snow in Japan. At the beginning of the season I went up the mountain every day," says Jia-Rong Chen, who gave up his job in the Tech industry in Tokyo to spend the season in Niseko.

sustainable growth and international guests

The fast aging population of Japan, the stagnating economy and the number of cases of skiers has led to the closure of hundreds of resorts in the past ten years. According to some studies, the numbers of skiers and snowboarders have dropped by up to 75% compared to the dazzling times of the bladder economy in the 1990s. Nevertheless, Niseko seems to be an exception to this rule. The city has an increase in foreign visitors and the opening of new, elegant resorts and restaurants in recent years. Hotels like the Setsu Niseko, which was recognized at the World Skards 2023 as the best new ski hotel, and the new Muwa Niseko, which won the competition last year, opened their doors.

The future of winter sports in Niseko

But the investments are not only based on the region's snow, but also on the Japanese belief that the mountain of Yotei, a kind of little Fuji, acts as a "snow catcher". Climatologists report that the scientific markers looked promising before the season and that La Niña contributed to an early blanket. But the big difference to the competitors lies in the quality of the light, airy powder, which falls tirelessly when the cold fronts are rolled.

global warming awareness and market changes

But even if there are concerns about global warming and its effects on the amount of snow and quality, most insiders are optimistic that the number of visitors will continue to increase. "Global warming is not just our problem, it affects the entire planet. If we have snow -native weather, California will probably no longer get snow at all," notes Satoshi Nagai, Managing Director of Niseko Tourism Promotion, in his small but busy office only a few minutes from the lifts in Hirafu.

"In the past we were called 'Aussie-Town'. Before Covid-19, about 50% of our guests came from Australia. Now it is a little more than 20%, but the total number of Australians has not changed much, which means that we attract more visitors from other parts of the world."

niseko as an independent travel destination

A short walk to the lift in Hirafu shows what Nagai speaks of. Stylish influencers are everywhere. Some make selfies in snow suits that cost thousands of euros, while other champagne enjoys in a yurt designed by Louis Vuitton or destroy Dumplings from a Michelin star food truck. In the background, Heli-Ski providers transport wealthy guests to the surrounding mountains, while luxury concierge companies offer everything from chief tables to tailor-made snowmobile tours.

In the past, Niseko United - a collection of four resorts, including Annapurna, Niseko Village, Hirafu and Hanazono - was referred to as the "valley of the East" or "St. Moritz Japans". But that's over. Niseko has developed into an independent travel destination.

long -term perspectives and increasing number of visitors

"I've been in Niseko for 10 years now and I don't think we have ever had a bad snow year at this time," says Patrick Ohtani, COO of Luxe Nomad, who manages high-class real estate in Hokkaido, Thailand and Indonesia. "We are very lucky that the winds from Siberia capture the moisture. The high -pressure area meets the weather system and then the snow simply starts to fall. Compared to other ski areas worldwide, the height plays a major role."

ohtani notes that an increasing number of American skiers from all over the country, including the east coast, come to Niseko, ready to travel half the world while their own season is still in progress. Many use the icon pass, which offers seven-day unlimited access to Niseko United. "The greatest story for us is that the US market really fits. In 2017 there were only 619 overnight stays, but this year we already have 4,823 bookings, an increase of 404%.