Our latest newsletter
Wednesday, April 8th, 2009Spring has sprung!
This week marks the first week of Spring in Niseko. While the rates for most things have dropped, there are many more days of sunshine. We look forward to the bluebird days ahead.
Your Periodic Update from “Powder Paradise”
Goodbye Winter…
We are coming to the end of our first winter season in Niseko with guests enjoying the light, dry snow by day and the warm, peaceful nights in their comfortable Chalets. We’ve had a busy season. We almost doubled our number of Chalets for rent and are anticipating a busy Summer building season. There will be more than just building happening this summer. We have had a large number of inquiries about the summer season. As a fours season resort destination, there is plenty to do in Niseko in the summer. Hokkaido itself is the most popular tourist destination for Japanese. They love the outdoor activities (there are 152 golf courses in Hokkaido, you have to go to Scotland to find more per capita) and they really love the weather. There are very few places in Asia that you would describe as “non-humid,” Niseko is one of them providing a perfect backdrop for summer holidays. If you haven’t scheduled some time to check out what Niseko has to offer, be sure to contact Hayley (hayley.richards@nisekoresortsgroup.com) now to see when we have availability.The Cure for Spring Fever? Plenty of Sunshine and Snow
As we near the beginning of April, the conditions on the Mountain are beginning to set in with milder temperatures and bluebird days abundant. While the base has begun its yearly creep down, there has still been some great bursts of snow. March 15th was one such day with a fresh dump of 40 centimetres (see photo). This winter season has provided more of a variety of snow conditions. The variable conditions have provoked comments from our guests (and locals) that there was far more visibility than usual and more days of sunshine. All in all, there has been something for everyone this year and we anticipate that we will still be skiing into May.
The snowfall breakdown for the year is as follows:
November 109 cm
December 327 cm
January 334 cm
February 277 cm
As you can see, we are still in the running to hit the Niseko average of 14 meters of snow through April. Let’s just say that we are all keeping our fingers crossed here to hit the mark!
Can you guess where the above picture was taken? While the answer will be published in the next issue, you can go to our blog at http://www.blogs.nisekoresortsgroup.com and give us your best guess now. The first to answer correctly will win a prize!
The Concierge Team’s Top 3 Onsens
Last issue we covered one of our favourite restaurants. This issue it’s the beloved apres ski ritual of the Onsen. Here are the team’s 3 favourite.
The Grand Hotel Annupuri – This mixed onsen offers a therapeutic outdoor pool setting overlooking the tranquil, snow-covered surrounds. It’s particularly enjoyable after a hard day of skiing with friends at the nearby slopes of Annupuri and Moiwa. The onsen complex also has 2 men’s indoor pools and 5 pools for women to choose from (including a private outdoor pool for the ladies).Yuki Chichibu – Located near Chisen Annupuri skifields (about a 30 minute drive from The Chalets at Country Resort) Yuki Chichibu is an authentic onsen experience. Entirely segregated, it boasts serene pools overlooking the snow laden valley. The women’s pools consist of 5 outdoor pools of varying temperatures and compositions including the much coveted mud bath said to wind back 1 year of your dermal layer. The men’s facilities are the same as the women’s, but sadly no mud bath. Visitation of this onsen is particularly enjoyable during snowfall as all of the pools are completely outdoors.
Hirafutei – A local treasure for those seeking refuge from a hard day of skiing Hirafu. Overlooking the family slope, guests enjoy an indoor onsen whilst watching friends and children slog it out on the slopes. A great local choice although it does get quite crowded during peak season.
The Sapporo Snow and Ice Festival
Yuki Matsuri (the Sapporo Snow and Ice Festival) was held between February 5th and the 11th this year. Duri
ng the festival, hundreds of snow and ice sculptures are created in three areas of Sapporo – Odori Koen, Satorando/Satoland and Susukino. They are lit up by a multitude of lights and accompanied by traditional shows and songs as well as contemporary events such as ski and snowboard jumping competitions. The magnitude of the festival is aided by the fact that the Japanese military builds most of the sculptures, some of which reach the height of 20 meters. So when you are planning your next winter visit to Niseko, be sure to think about squeezing in a trip to the festival. We highly recommend it for kids and adults alike. As always, you can contact Hayley (hayley.richards@nisekoresortsgroup.com) for any vacancies we might have during that time.
ng the festival, hundreds of snow and ice sculptures are created in three areas of Sapporo – Odori Koen, Satorando/Satoland and Susukino. They are lit up by a multitude of lights and accompanied by traditional shows and songs as well as contemporary events such as ski and snowboard jumping competitions. The magnitude of the festival is aided by the fact that the Japanese military builds most of the sculptures, some of which reach the height of 20 meters. So when you are planning your next winter visit to Niseko, be sure to think about squeezing in a trip to the festival. We highly recommend it for kids and adults alike. As always, you can contact Hayley (hayley.richards@nisekoresortsgroup.com) for any vacancies we might have during that time.More Things People are Saying About The Chalets at Country Resort
“Learning to snowboard is so much fun in Niseko, and it doesn’t even hurt”
Lauren, Sydney
“I’ll be back for sure next year. The powder is sweet!”
Simon, Sydney
On a final note, we’d like to say goodbye to our fantastic concierge team of Anna and Alex. We’ve had nothing but great feedback on their services throughout the winter. As the pair took the “Powder Pig” (Niseko’s Mascot) for a walk, we asked them for a final comment for this issue and here is what they had to say…
“We’ve had an amazing season and really look forward (hopefully) to returning to The Chalets at the end of the year for another amazing season of powder. We are complete snow snobs so it will be hard to ski anywhere else! We look forward to seeing you again.”