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.”
We bid farewell to the Year of the Rat and embraced the Year of the Ox. The Ox is the second sign of the Chinese zodiac. Like its predecessor and complement, the Rat, the Ox signifies new beginnings. With our most recent development phase (IIIa) completed prior to the Chinese New Year, guests could experience some new beginnings of their own.
ink there is some Aussie pride in there) and it led Dexter, a guest during this period, to comment on the service saying “
Fine dining in Hirafu village exists in the form of restaurant Kamimura offering a nine course degustation menu. Chef Yuichi Kamimura brings a fusion of Japanese seasonal ingredients and flavors enhanced by a classic French cooking technique. Kamimura-san cooked under famous chef Tetsuya Wakuda at what has been called one of the top five restaurants in the world Sydney’s Tetsuya’s. Dishes like grilled scallop with black truffle cream and roasted Wagyu with Niseko potato puree utilize the abundance of Hokkaido’s local products on offer. Accompanying the food are the matching wines Kamimura has carefully selected for his guests. The wine list currently features the best of Italy, France, and Australia. If you need warming up or just a break from the slopes, Kamimura serves coffee to go with his almond and white chocolate cookies both eat-in and take-away. It’s not always easy to get in this fine establishment so be sure to ask our concierge team to get you a table today.
As you know, the Lunar New Year is fast approaching. When the clock moves past midnight on Sunday the 25th, we will moving into the Year of the Ox. We’re not sure what that means for the burning issues of the day, but we do know what it means for The Chalets at Country Resort - 100% occupancy again!
As Christmas Eve dawned, there was a rumour on the mountain that St. Nick himself was in Niseko for some killer boarding before his big night. True to form, our favourite man in the Red Suit made an appearance. Those guests who were deemed to have been “good” were among the first to receive their gifts which ranged from Toboggans and Japanese games for the children to Japanese Royce chocolates for the adults. While Santa appeared to be his normal portly self on the Chirstmas Eve visit, he must have burned off a few calories in his adventurous night as he was caught on the slopes the next day looking a bit thin. He assured us in an exclusive interview (see below) that he did indeed sample all the cakes and biscuits that were left out for him and he thanked everyone for their epicurean generousity.
We had a great turnout with more than 30 in attendance. We ate and drank from both the local produce and some old international favorites (the French still make great Champagne). Anna, Hayley, Joel and Alex provided music, skiing and snowboarding movie screenings, good cheer and bad dancing for entertainment. A few of our guests bowed to tradition and created their own fireworks display before the staff shuttled the party goers into town for the torch run and officially sanctioned, professionaly fireworks display on the Grand Hirafu slopes.
This issue we were able to secure a Niseko exclusive with the Jolly Old Soul himself, Santa Claus. While he didn’t stay with us, we were able to sit down for a quick snack and a glass of Hokkaido’s World Famous Milk before he set off on his journey. As you can see from the picture, he enjoyed our little village so much, he came back for a ski after finishing his big day.
(that’s why it’s the beginning), but now it is in full swing. We already mentioned the 50 centimetres between Christmas and New Year and it just keeps coming. Here’s what Olle, a recent guest at the Chalets from Sweden had to say. “We work in Norway on the ski slopes and the snow doesn’t compare to what we’ve been getting in Niseko. Definitely worth the trip!”
Those are just a few of the great comments we get from the guests at The Chalets. We’ll be back next issue with more great adventures from Niseko. Until then, we wanted to leave you with a great shot of our Niseko Resorts Group vehicle fleet. Whether it’s an airport pickup, a delivery of you and your family to the mountain or maybe just an SOS after a few too many in the village. Our team are there to help.
We’ve had a steady stream of guests through the resort this month to get the season started. Most importantly, we are proud to announce that over the New Year period the Chalets at Country Resort are 100% occupied! That is a first for us and we are looking strong into February. If you or anyone you know is looking for a great holiday, be sure to contact us quickly as we expect that there will be many more totally booked out times. Our marketing team has been working hard and the enquiries keep coming. Just last week, we were featured in the charity auction for the Britcham function in Singapore. After a frenzy of bidding (if you were there you know what I am talking about), the lucky winner donated more than $10,000 Singapore dollars to a worthy cause just so his family could stay with us. That’s indicative of the enthusiasm that our recent guests have had for the place. As we wave goodbye to our guests heading for the airport, the most common response is “See you next year!” To get your friends a great holiday, be sure to email Hayley at 
ice has been a big hit. Recent guests are glowing in their compliments (I would to if I had been pulled out of a snowdrift by the team – not the usual duty) and the team are getting to be well known in the village. As you can see from the picture, they are fitting in well with the environement. Our team is now complete with Joel Egan from Melbourne, Australia joining Anna Newland and Alexander Rowe from Sydney on the ground. So you know, Joel is a veteran of ski resorts such as Banff and Vail and is certified as a ski and snowboard technician. Before you head out to the Mountain, it might be worth a chat to Joel to see how he can help. The ground team wish everyone a happy and safe festive season and look forward to helping make your stay as comfortable as possible.
We all love Niseko for the snow. The start of the season has seen sporadic snowfalls, but enough big dumps to get the slopes humming. We’ve had some great runs out there already. Last week’s heavy falls resulted in the peak being opened meaning you have total access to the Mountain now. Snowfall is forecast to be light, but consistent over the New Year period and we are all looking forward to more great powder.
Anyone who has been to Niseko during the Christmas season has heard the rumors…We love Santa and Santa loves the powder. As the story goes, he likes to come to Niseko a bit early to limber up for his big journey and sneak in a few runs while others are distracted. We have it on good authority that an “Alex-sized” Santa will be spending some time in the Chalets at Country Resort on the 24th, just prior to his big adventure. If anyone sees Santa, could you please tell him to bring lot’s of snow to the area. Also, could you please take a picture so we can feature it prominently in our blog (it could be worth something you know).
Construction is finishing on the most recent phase of Country Resort and we are looking forward to having the extra chalets around and all the interesting guests that are sure to grace us with their presence.
We’re in expansion mode. While the workmen finish up on Country Resort for the year, we will be launching our latest project. The details of this project are not yet public, but we want you to be the first to know. We will be introducing our latest development, a low-rise, state-of-the-art apartment block in Hirafu Village very soon. As a member of the Niseko Resorts Group family you know the value of purchasing and will be given first priority on this project. In addition, any friends you may want to purchase will be extended the same courtesy. To take advantage of this opportunity and learn more, contact Steve Reck directly on