Please upgrade to a more modern version to fully experience JapanToday site and for security reasons A foreign man in his 20s was stabbed in the back on a street in Kutchan town and said that "someone was bleeding” from a wound to his back The victim was taken to hospital and police said his injury was not life-threatening The scene of the crime is in the Niseko area that is frequented by many foreign tourists Police believe the victim may have been involved in a fight and will wait until he recovers before questioning him Join the leading Asian tourist attraction to assist our diverse range of customers There's something in the water up there in Hokkaido Never seen so many violent crime stories coming out of there Pretty sure he didn't deserve a knife in the back Recall one time hiking in remote area but no exact location details to protect the innocent.. beautiful mountain side with a scenic view of the Sea of Japan Suddenly an elderly man charged downhill straight downhill towards me with his hiking stick pointed straight at me managed to step to the side and watch him loose his balance and fall down but everyone immediately encouraged me to keep walking and then they attended to him but the fellow in Hokkaido was not so lucky As my eyes quickly swept over the headline I thought to myself that the kitchen is the most dangerous room in the house Use your Facebook account to login or register with JapanToday you will also receive an email inviting you to receive our news alerts A mix of what's trending on our other sites valued at over JPY100 million (US$700,000) was handed over to the mayor on 10 February said he wants the money to be helpful to the town but provided no specification for its use Kutchan Town has said it is currently storing the gold in an appropriate location Sign up to receive Powderlife and Summerlife Digital Magazines as they are published and select other topics that interests you Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Powderlife is passionate about delivering exceptional service We believe it’s the little things that make a ski holiday so special Let us do the ground work for you and help you plan the perfect holiday Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value" Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_3" ).setAttribute( "value" Unlock exclusive perks as a Powderlife Member A link to set a new password will be sent to your email address Your personal data will be used to support your experience throughout this website, to manage access to your account, and for other purposes described in our privacy policy © 2007-2025 Powderlife Privacy Terms Cookies Connecting decision makers to a dynamic network of information, people and ideas, Bloomberg quickly and accurately delivers business and financial information, news and insight around the world Skiers at the Niseko Tokyu Grand Hirafu in Kutchan Weather Watch will take a brief hiatus after this edition and return on Jan It was exactly what I wanted from my summer: a new beginning I found countless chances to examine how I define myself in a place where no one knows who I am I mastered my self-introduction: “Nice to meet you This introduction became my way of navigating unfamiliar spaces—classrooms and the teacher’s lounge at both of my new schools in Kutchan The first time I set foot in Kutchan High School The air was cool and stagnant as I received my school uniform and schedule from my new homeroom teacher I learned I would be joining classroom 3-B.  The steady hum of fans circulated the warm summer air mingling with the muffled chatter of students I was asked to introduce myself on the lunch broadcast – a larger stage to define who I was Lunchtimes were spent with quickly-made friends I had been thinking about how to define myself long before I arrived in Kutchan I had to consider which pictures to bring along which stories to keep at the forefront of my mind and what fun facts would best represent me in Japan It was an exercise in self-definition that I hadn’t fully realized I was engaging in.  I think it’s something that we all do often “What’s your favorite color?” do you have an immediate answer think of something on the spot and let it become part of your identity Should I give an answer from the version of myself in the U.S. Should I use the opportunity to redefine myself to think of what my aspirational self would say?  My first day at Kutchan High School was a study in contrasts with the sun casting long shadows on the school grounds The building itself was a mixture of clean lines and worn corners “Who are you?” Faces were patient but expectant I met people who had missed my original self-introduction giving me the opportunity to introduce myself anew what seemed like the most “me,” but I continued to wonder how much of this definition was true and how much I was just adopting and learning from along the way.  I was constantly redefining who I was in the eyes of my classmates I was invariably asked to give a longer self-introduction presentation The slideshow I created to introduce myself ended up being 92 slides long.  Most of the slides were just images or had a single word for emphasis but scrolling through the cascade of slides before presenting was intimidating and my personal history seemed remarkably short.  I had never been asked to do that kind of thing before – stand up in front of a classroom or on a stage and speak about myself in a way that tied the disparate threads of my identity together in a logical way and I met the version of myself unfolding in the slides of my presentation.  and the things about me that I think are most interesting I flashed an image of a fish over the screen “What is this fish’s name?” I asked.  It was the first fish name I was taught in elementary school in Hawaii I wanted to give my class the same experience of being quizzed and then thinking remember that you are the one who gets to define who you are I was constantly reminded that I wasn’t just representing myself; I was representing Oregon and the United States to Japan This added weight to my self-definitions and made the relationships I built during my time in Kutchan feel unlike any I had experienced before The thing about having two first days – two promises of new possibilities – is that there are two accompanying goodbyes I only spent about two weeks at Kutchan Agricultural High School sandwiched between my time at the “regular” Kutchan High School there are thousands of moments – decorating classrooms for school festivals taking the long route home while talking with friends – that I have not yet transferred to paper Each influenced the definition of myself that I took back to the United States a definition newly expanded and filled with the excitement that comes from knowing I now have second homes in a town I didn’t even know existed just a few months ago.  But I made all of those memories as the version of myself that I defined over the course of my first few days and weeks at my new schools after summer break had begun for Hokkaido schools my friends and I made a promise to send each other a picture every day It has been a way to stay connected across the miles to bridge the gap between our lives as they continue on separate paths I’ve sent them pictures of giant watermelons stacked high in grocery stores snapshots of my pets and the endless highways stretching across the U.S. being reminded of their vastness only after returning from the tapered roads of Kutchan I’ve received updates from their lives – August festivals open campuses as they prepare for university backpacks shielded by umbrellas from the first heavy rain after I left.  Familiar faces in those photos anchor me back to Kutchan and of the choices I made to define myself.  hold onto the people who remind you of that version of yourself I learned that while you will constantly be asked to explain who you are you have control over how you define yourself and relationships that you define and redefine with each new beginning.  “Who are you?” – know that the answer is yours to create Annamika Konkola is a Senior Reporter with Youth Journalism International.  “This incredibly important, worthwhile organization should be supported by everyone who cares about quality, ethical journalism.” — Nat Hentoff, First Amendment expert, in 2016 Consider making a recurring monthly donation Youth Journalism International / 30 Taylor St All donations in the USA are tax-deductible – This year’s top honors in Youth Journalism.. Pope Francis admonished us to humility and simplicity Annamika Konkola is a Senior Reporter and Senior Photographer with Youth Journalism International from West Linn Youth Journalism International connects student writers artists and photographers with peers around the globe and promotes and defends a free youth press “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.” – Article 19 Youth Journalism International works all over the world. Click here to view a map of our impact You can find Youth Journalism International on Facebook Copyright © 2025 Youth Journalism International | Crafted by Cornershop Your browser does not support JavaScript, or it is disabled．Please check the site policy for more information Areas in Hokkaido saw some of the sharpest rises in land prices in 2024 thanks largely to foreign visitors who have heightened demand for vacation homes and hotels It was the largest rate of increase since 1992 after the collapse of the asset-inflated bubble economy Redevelopment in urban centers and tourist areas also pushed up prices But the ministry’s figures show that prices are rapidly picking up steam in regional areas of Japan a town located in the core of the Niseko resort area of Hokkaido land prices have been rising for more than a decade as wealthy skiers from abroad have learned about the powdery snow conditions there The price of 1 square meter of residential land in Kutchan which is lined with vacation homes and family-run “pension” accommodations jumped by 9.7 percent from the previous year to 181,000 yen ($1,200) as of Jan led the nation in terms of fastest rate of increase for residential land Kutchan’s residential land price was nearly triple the 65,000 yen average in Furano topped the nation in terms of rate of price increase for commercial land But commercial land in Kutchan is now priced at 156,000 yen per square meter The capacity of lodging facilities in Kutchan has widened to about the same level as the town’s population of 17,000 people when the number of visitors increases rapidly local and Hokkaido-based business operators alone cannot meet the demand cabs and sightseeing buses with license plates from outside Hokkaido are seen coming and going in the town The hourly wages for part-time jobs in the tourism and restaurant industries in Kutchen often exceed those in Tokyo The local community now faces a shortage of housing for workers as existing apartments are full But construction and real estate companies may now be reluctant to build new housing due to the high land prices and rising costs of construction materials and labor which has operated a ski resort in Kutchan for about 40 years the company built “Nature Niseko Hirafu,” a dormitory for corporate clients on company-owned land about 2 kilometers from its ski resort The dormitory is a wooden building called a “moving house.” All units are furnished and ready for occupancy as soon as they are transported in trucks and connected to electricity and water supplies The 110 units are almost always fully occupied by cab drivers and people working in the tourism industry “Investment is expected to continue due to the rapid increase in the number of tourists and rising demand for lodging facilities,” Mikito Yokoyama director of the Hokkaido Association of Real Estate Appraisers Surging tourist figures have driven the increase in land prices in other tourist destinations prices soared by 20.2 percent to 238,000 yen per square meter That was the sharpest rate of increase for commercial land prices in the prefecture Many inns in Kinosaki Hotspring offer lodging and meals separately and are popular among foreign visitors exploring the town luxury brand stores along Midosuji street between the Shinsaibashi and Nanba districts remain popular a Tokyo-based comprehensive real estate service the average rent per “tsubo,” or 3.3 square meters in the Shinsaibashi district from July to September 2024 was 250,000 yen a month up by nearly 50,000 yen from October to December 2019 Rents in the district are approaching the level of those in Tokyo’s Ginza area Booming tourism driving surge in land prices nationwide Average land prices across Japan rise for 3rd year in a row Japan’s land prices rise at strongest pace in 34 years Residential land prices rise for first time in 31 years: survey Information on the latest cherry blossom conditions Please right click to use your browser’s translation function.) A series based on diplomatic documents declassified by Japan’s Foreign Ministry Here is a collection of first-hand accounts by “hibakusha” atomic bomb survivors chefs and others involved in the field of food introduce their special recipes intertwined with their paths in life A series about Japanese-Americans and their memories of World War II In-house News and Messages No reproduction or republication without written permission the family-friendly festivities will take place in Kutchan’s Chou or Central Park from 10am to 4.30pm on Saturday the first day and 10am to 2.30pm on Sunday The attractions on both days include snowmobile tubing traditional Japanese children’s games and a snowman contest Attractions particular to Saturday include a kids snow park mochimaki or traditional rice cake throwing and a performance by by the Hokkaido idol group WONDER*WHITE On both days there will be 19 food stalls providing snacks Visitor parking will be located at the nearby Kutchan Town Hall Shishi General Promotion Bureau and Yotei Agricultural Cooperative Headquarters For more information on the Yukitopia Snow Festival, please refer to the Kutchan Town webpage Hokkaido—Raised in a region of the world known for its hot temperatures Hideki Yamanaka is now stationed at “koban” police box during the chilly winter months here mainly to help foreign visitors the Niseko-Hirafu police substation serves the 1.7 million visitors who flock to the world-renowned Niseko ski resort The police box sits in front of a heart-shaped monument that reads “I love Niseko,” a popular photo spot for skiers in colorful attire the Niseko-Hirafu koban is the only temporary koban that is open for more than three months a year on Japan’s northernmost main island is one of three officers assigned to the Niseko-Hirafu substation for each of the three daily shifts He has been given the rare assignment at koban in Japan of serving and protecting people in English a pair of Mexican brothers arrived at the koban They told Yamanaka that they were on their way to Niseko when they were informed that a jacket they had lost in Tokyo was found The two wanted to know how the operator of their accommodation facility could legally receive the retrieved jacket on behalf of them Yamanaka helped them create a letter of proxy Expressing their gratitude for Yamanaka’s help the brothers said they did not expect to find someone who could speak English With the arrival of nighttime skiing hours the slope-side lighting fixtures in the neighborhood cast a gentle glow over the entire town Yamanaka was driving a patrol car to an accident scene when the radio rang out who lived alone and whom Yamanaka had visited before Several days had passed without anyone noticing his death “Niseko isn’t all glitz and glamour,” Yamanaka said Yamanaka spent his earliest years outside his home country During his elementary school days in Kenya and he had to be picked up or dropped off by car each time he went outside As conflicts broke out in neighboring Somalia and Ethiopia Yamanaka became familiar with refugee camps That exposure led him to decide to “maintain public order” as a policeman Yamanaka has taken advantage of the language skills he gained in his childhood His police duties have included handling emergency 110 calls made in English Winter 2025 marked his second deployment to the substation in Niseko Yamanaka received a phone call about a traffic accident that occurred earlier in the day A car driven by an American had slowly rear-ended the automobile in front of him He said moisture on his shoe soles caused his foot to slip off the brake pedal Believing no one was injured but not knowing what to do the American initially left the scene of the accident was slightly irritated by the American’s actions because she wanted an official police report of the accident to apply for an insurance payment Yamanaka mentioned that procedures vary from country to country and that police in Japan do not directly provide accident reports to relevant parties He assured the two that he would deal with the incident with great care using his rich experience of managing cases involving people from a variety of nations knowing that he should expect the unexpected his koban received a report about an avalanche that buried three foreigners The death of the 21-year-old woman from New Zealand was confirmed at a medical center Yamanaka called her mother in New Zealand to inform her of the tragedy More shocking to Yamanaka was the 33-year-old New Zealand man who was also killed had graduated from the University of the Ryukyus in Okinawa Prefecture When Yamanaka was first deployed to the Niseko-Hirafu koban Sellens held a welcome barbecue party for the officer The opportunity allowed Yamanaka to smoothly build connections with foreign residents in the community Yamanaka and Sellens got along so well that they surfed together The two had also warned each other about the growing number of avalanches in Kutchan He closes his eyes in a quiet snowfield and listens to the gusts of wind Yamanaka checks out areas where avalanches are likely to occur His prayers are always the same: “May Niseko be at peace today as well.” Police scramble for ways to protect victims at empty ‘koban’ Niseko tourist numbers recover to nearly 90% of pre-COVID totals Deadly risks lie beneath beauty of backcountry skiing areas Niseko ski area buffeted by weak yen as tourists start returning Ski resort town Niseko plans fixed-rate lodge tax on guests Cab fleet to come to rescue of Niseko during busy ski season The construction projects are in both Kutchan Town proper and the resort area of Hirafu For the resort area, in Upper Hirafu, a new waterworks center due for completion in the summer of 2027 is being constructed at Parking Lot #2 to accommodate the growing population And in East Hirafu road widening work is ongoing at the key Yamada Intersection which regularly sees traffic backups of almost two kilometers during the busy winter season The roadwork is due to finish around the end of the month several projects in Kutchan Town proper have longer timelines One of the more ambitious projects is the construction of a new pool and children’s library complex about a kilometer from Kutchan Station which itself is being redeveloped in preparation for the Hokkaido Shinkansen (bullet train) expansion This facility will replace the 40-year-old Kutchan Municipal Pool which was closed in 2020 after a building survey revealed that the crumbling building was not earthquake safe The new two-storey 2,469sqm (747 tsubo) construction which is also replacing two aging public school pools is taking place on a site of about 6,570sqm (1,987 tsubo) Kutchan Town is still finalizing the designs and expects to construct the facility in fiscal year 2026 But the budget has already been revised upward by JPY1 billion (US$6.5 million) more than originally planned due to rising material and labour costs While rising costs are impacting construction across Japan the issue is particularly acute in Kutchan and Niseko where in addition to the local capital projects there is resort development and major Hokkaido infrastructure projects notably the Shinkansen expansion and the Kutchan-Yoichi interchange construction The demand for labour is so great that three purpose-built workers’ lodges by the Sapporo-based Red Horse Trust Real Estate Company have sprung up in Kutchan since February of 2023 This is the most of any Hokkaido municipality The work is in the Yotei Tunnel south of Kutchan which has been plagued with delays caused by large boulders in the planned route The latest issue was a rock mass that was encountered on 19 November just three metres from where another rock mass was cleared the day before after months of effort removal equipment had been left on-site in anticipation of rock mass blockages happening again and the extraction work began on 25 November before concluding on 18 December The construction is part of a planned extension of the Hokkaido Shinkansen to Sapporo from its current terminus at Hakodate One of the four stops along the way will be Kutchan Station which is currently being retrofitted so it can accommodate Shinkansen trains The total length of the construction project is 212km of which about 80% will run through tunnels While partially due to the mountainous terrain the Shinkansen will traverse the Japan Railway and Transportation Organization (JRRT) said that extensive tunnel construction is actually part of the strategy “The Hokkaido Shinkansen has many tunnel sections to minimize the effects of snow making the Shinkansen highly resistant to it,” said the PR Strategy Division of JRRT While the extensive tunnels will make operation of the Shinkanese easier in snowy Hokkaido when complete geographic challenges in the Yotei Tunnel and elsewhere underground have significantly slowed down progress A JRRT webpage detailing the Hokkaido Shinkansen extension’s progress says that some construction work has been delayed by “three to four years due to worse-than-expected geological conditions and the appearance of huge boulders.” The Hokkaido Shinkansen’s expansion completion goal An updated timeline has not yet been released by JRRT According to The Hokkaido Shimbun it is expected that this will raise tax revenue by about JPY280 million (US$1.9 million) The raise is in response to the Hokkaido Prefectural Government preparing to implement its own lodging tax this April Hokkaido’s tax is a tiered-fee system unlike the flat percentage surcharge that was implemented by Kutchan Town in fiscal year 2019 which was the first accommodation tax in Hokkaido concerned about a double taxation and a confusing collection system for local accommodations came to an agreement with the Hokkaido Government wherein the Hokkaido tax will be taken out of Kutchan Town’s existing lodging tax fees This has led to Kutchan planning the fee hike from 2 to 3% for fiscal year 2026 As reported by The Hokkaido Shimbun located about a half kilometre from Kutchan Station saw more visitors this last season than anytime in the last 15 years Over 133,000 skiers took advantage of the small ski spot as determined by lift numbers Asahigaoka’s lift price is JPY1,500 (US$10.31) which recently has been attracting inbound visitors and foreign residents many of whom take advantage of night skiing on Tuesdays and Thursdays allocated funds to remove the remains of a 1960s ski jump at Asahigaoka Other planned improvements include updates to the lift equipment and replacing some of the lights with LEDs According to reporting by The Hokkaido Shimbun the large development is to be constructed on 2.7ha of land in a residential area of Kutchan Town about 5km northeast of Hirafu where the majority of its temporary residents will work The build will consist of 30 low-rise apartment buildings with construction beginning this spring Nisade Services hopes that the residence will be ready for occupants by the end of this year While the residence is meant to address a very real shortage of housing for resort workers there are concerns among local residents that the complex will significantly increase foot and road traffic in Kutchan Town which has a permanent population of about 15,000 The residence is in line with other recent dedicated housing developments in Kutchan and Niseko For instance, three “Workman House” lodges by the Sapporo-based developer Red Horse Trust have opened in Kutchan since February 2023 providing housing for medium and long-term-stay construction labourers Nisade Services’ new foreign worker apartment complex is also meant for housing construction workers in the summer when there won’t be as large of a demand for resort worker lodgings The 10 December decision followed lobbying by Kutchan which complained that since it already has a lodging tax in place the additional Hokkaido Lodging Tax would amount to a double taxation The exemption doesn’t mean that Hokkaido won’t collect its fee Unlike Hokkaido’s tiered-fee lodging tax which is expected to begin in April of 2025 Kutchan will therefore pay the Hokkaido lodging tax equivalent out of its own lodging tax earnings to the Hokkaido government Niseko has also implemented its own lodging tax it is a tiered system and earlier this month Niseko’s Mayor Kenya Katayama also requested a consultation about the Hokkaido Lodging tax The housing is for the continuation of last winter season’s successful “Niseko Model” in which 25 outside taxi drivers and 11 vehicles were brought to the area to accommodate visitors and residents While the drivers last season were housed in temporary worker dormitories left over from Hokkaido Shinkansen (bullet train) construction the intention now is to create permanent housing to support the Niseko Model for the foreseeable future Kutchan Town has set aside a plot of vacant land for the taxi drivers’ housing in the central Higashi part town and is looking for a business operator to develop and manage the accommodation a bidding service where Kutchan has posted the offer the town is offering a lease period of 27 years for the 3,040sqm (920 tsubo) property free of charge This period includes construction and demolition time and comes with stipulations, including, according to reporting by the Hokkaido Shimbun that a minimum of 30 rooms are provided at a maximum rent of JPY70,000 (US$450) per month The land lease start date is scheduled for fiscal year 2024 The accumulated snowfall depth reached 110cm the only time in the past 19 years it has exceeded one metre this early The measurements came from the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)’s weather monitoring station in Kutchan Town Kutchan had the second deepest snow depth in all of Hokkaido only surpassed by the Lake Shumarinai area north of Asahikawa And as the weather station is in Kutchan Town proper its measurements are typically less than the snowfall at higher elevations On 16 December, 360niseko’s daily snow report documented a snow depth of 210cm at the summit of Mt Annupuri and 257cm of total snowfall in Niseko so far this season officially called “Kutchan Jyaga Matsuri” is an annual event to celebrate Kutchan’s most important agricultural crop and thank the town’s farmers it has evolved into a boisterous weekend festival featuring potato-bag-filling events long lines of dancers accompanied by taiko (traditional Japanese drums) and a variety of other activities like a moon bounce rock climbing wall and prize-winning games Refreshments are available from dozens of local food stalls many featuring specialites from the Niseko area is a happy plump skiing potato called “Jagata-kun” The festival days conclude with a parade of large lanterns at night the return of the winter Hirafu Free Shuttle Bus was announced for the upcoming winter season and its operation dates from 1 December through 31 March is significantly longer than in seasons past with four lines starting from the Hirafu Welcome Centre and stopping at a combined 33 places throughout Upper The bus operation is being funded by Kutchan Town’s 2% surcharge accommodation tax The specific timetables have not yet been confirmed for the 2024/25 season The return and expansion of the Hirafu Free Shuttle Bus is in line with other transportation initiatives taken by Hirafu and Niseko Towns including the “Niseko Model” of bringing in outside taxis and drivers for the winter season an initiative which kicked off in 2023/24 and will return this winter For more information on the Hirafu Free Shuttle Bus, see the dedicated website The site which was proposed is a 3,040sqm (920 tsubo) property that used to be occupied by a school lunch centre The idea was that a business operator would operate dedicated driver housing on the land free of charge for 27 years provided that certain stipulations around number of rooms offered and monthly price were met which was hoped to be established in fiscal year 2024 was in support of the “Niseko Model” a successful program that has brought outside taxis and drivers to the Niseko area during the busy winter months several council members cited the short timeline and a lack of clarity on the details as the basis for their opposition Niseko has now become the second Hokkaido jurisdiction to implement a lodging tax the first being Kutchan which implemented a 2% tax on accommodations in November of 2019 tiered system based on five categories of nightly accommodation expenses a guest paying less than JPY5,001 ($32.68) per night will pay a JPY100 (US$0.65) tax while a guest paying more than JPY5,001 and less than JPY20,000 (US$130.69) will pay a JPY200 (US$1.31) tax The highest the tax goes is JPY2,000 (US$13.07) for guests paying more than JPY100,000 (US$653.47) a night The tax is calculated solely on the accommodation costs and does not take into account add-ons from the lodging But if the accommodation charges an additional cleaning fee as a separate line item from the accommodation charge the lodging tax is determined by the sum of both Since July, Niseko Town has updated its accommodation tax webpage with downloadable Japanese and English collection procedure guides declaration forms and on 24 October various guest-facing public relations materials the accommodation operators will charge the tax to guests Lodging taxes are becoming a trend in the Shiribeshi region with Akaigawa Village to launch one in April of 2025 and Otaru City and Rusutsu to implement their own during fiscal year 2026 The prefecture of Hokkaido may also implement its own lodging tax as early as the spring of 2026 which The possibility of the Hokkaido Prefecture accommodation tax has raised complaints about double taxation if it goes into effect construction work is ongoing to widen the road at the Yamada Intersection in East Hirafu a site that regularly sees 1.8km-long traffic backups during the winter season which is expected to be finished by 29 November is the result of a meeting convened last February by Kutchan Tourism Association (KTA) to discuss the resort area’s notorious winter traffic including the Kutchan Police and Fire Departments the Shiribeshi General Promotion Bureau and the Niseko Promotion Board reviewed drone footage commissioned by KTA to determine where to focus their efforts This was complimented by a 2023 survey on traffic conducted by Kutchan Town and according to Tourism and Commerce Division Manager Naoya Numata the various data clearly revealed a particularly bad traffic bottleneck ”The inflow into the Yamada Intersection from the Niseko Hirafu side was identified as a major issue From the Niseko Hirafu side of the intersection daily traffic volume during the winter season averages 10,440 vehicles with peak traffic at 876 vehicles per hour this often led to frequent traffic backups of nearly two kilometres frustrating residents and visitors while also causing issues for emergency services While there was an existing plan to widen the road at the intersection during fiscal year 2025 the KTA meeting gave a new urgency to the situation and the timeline was advanced “The fact that we were able to bring forward the construction work including obtaining the budget from the Shiribeshi Promotion Bureau While the widening of the intersection is expected to considerably improve traffic flow in Hirafu including updating road signage and separating traffic signal controls Suzuki san said that other changes are also expected including public relations campaigns for residents and visitors “Infrastructure renovations over multiple years will be important as well as behavioural changes of tourists and local residents” “Solving the traffic congestion problem is not easy.” which is in the middle of touring seven Hokkaido towns that lack movie theatres arrived at the Kutchan Town Community Center on Friday night and will be showing films until the afternoon of this Sunday 8 September Regular screenings are JPY1000 (US$7) but free for high school and younger students The festival is featuring films shot in Hokkaido films that won praise at overseas festivals and films that are debuting in Japan there will be talks with directors and others involved in the films’ productions there is an international competition for mid-length films from all over the world and an Audience Award that viewers can vote for For more details, see the dedicated website. Tickets are available here Today's print edition Home Delivery With the winter sports season in full swing snowboarders and those who just want to experience the snow are once again descending on Hokkaido But the influx of so many visitors has highlighted a shortage of services to meet their needs towns and villages that face declining populations and lower tax revenues are increasingly hard-pressed to finance A rising number of Hokkaido towns and villages are discussing the introduction of a local accommodation tax following decisions by the prefecture and Sapporo to tax lodgers beginning in April 2026 Two such levies are already in effect on those staying at Japanese style inns hotels and private lodging facilities in Niseko and Kutchan.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); The Kutchan tax was introduced in November 2019 it provided ¥200 million in funding for local projects related to tourism infrastructure the levy is expected to bring in around ¥260 million In a time of both misinformation and too much information quality journalism is more crucial than ever.By subscribing Your subscription plan doesn't allow commenting. To learn more see our FAQ Sponsored contents planned and edited by JT Media Enterprise Division This is part of a larger trend of material and labour cost increases that is affecting municipal and resort development in Niseko The discrepancy between the original estimate for the library and pool complex (JPY2.7 billion / US$19 million) and the current projection of JPY3.7 billion (US$26 million) is due to construction costs ballooning, according to reporting by The Hokkaido Shimbun Major infrastructure projects in and around the Niseko like the Hokkaido Shinkansen (bullet train) expansion the associated redesign of Kutchan Station and the under-construction Kutchan-Yoichi Interchange have for several years been pushing material and labour costs up The need for transient workers has also put pressure on the housing market and led private companies to open dedicated worker lodges in both Niseko and Kutchan These expenditure increases in Niseko have played out against a background of worldwide increases in material costs that kicked off as global trade resumed at the end of the Covid era Most construction material prices – most notably the price of lumber which peaked during the global “wood shock” of 2021/22 – have come down since their post-Covid highs but are still significantly higher than pre-pandemic levels Prohibitive costs have recently caused plans for Niseko and Sapporo projects to be scrapped and, over the last several years, prompted Niseko developers to issue advice on how to save on construction costs The worldwide cost increases have been especially hard on Japanese development due to the recent depreciation of the yen the weak yen is a major driver of tourism to Japan which in turn leads to new construction and infrastructure improvements a phenomenon clearly seen in resort destinations like Niseko Kutchan Town will hold a briefing for residents about the library and pool facility’s cost on the 26th of this month Two of the exhibits are in Kutchan’s Shu Ogawara Museum of Art including a retrospective of the eponymous Shu Ogawara’s work called “Images Afar” and a calligraphy exhibit by Kutchan resident and calligraphy teacher Museki Oyamauchi (81) And by popular demand, a special Hideyuki Fujikura (78) exhibit called “North Cape Tour” has been extended through 30 June at Niseko’s Arishima Takeo Memorial Museum The North Cape Tour exhibit features paper-cut cape Niseko’s Arishima Takeo Memorial Museum is closed on Mondays and Kutchan’s Shu Ogawara Museum of Art is closed on Tuesdays The museums are both JPY500 (US$3.35) for adult entry and open from 9am to 5pm sport Rankoshi Town Niseko Town Kutchan Town Kyowa Town Niseko Tokyu Grand Hirafu venue and others Summary citation element： 倶知安観光案内所 The content may change without prior notice Please be sure to check the organizer's official website for the latest information on the event Seasonal “news” of Hokkaido can be checked by category You can check the information of your “town” in one place Events” held throughout the province are easy to find and can be saved This page has been automatically translated by Google Translate service Kutchan and Rankoshi Towns with various Hokkaido organizations and the private GO Corporation the model brings extra drivers and taxis into the area during the busy winter season According to press releases by the public and private entities involved with the thousands of rides ordered via the GO app last season leading to an increase in the number of vehicles this season from 11 to 20 Powderlife asked tourists at the Hirafu Welcome Centre about their experiences with taxi service in Niseko A 34 year old man from California said that using the GO app was “pretty easy” and said that after signing up and ordering their group’s car arrived in five to ten minutes A 50 year old woman from Canada said she used the GO app the night before to order three taxis at 7pm so her group could go to dinner who had already registered with the GO app last year said the experience of using it was again easy but that the price was a “bit expensive” reporting that a 12-15 minute ride cost nearly JPY4,500 ($29) inbound visitors pay a “sightseeing” surcharge of JPY1180 (US$7.60) this season the goal of the Niseko Model is to improve access to all transportation in Niseko There was some evidence that this is happening A 30 year old woman from Seattle picked up a taxi the old fashioned way outside Kutchan Station upon her arrival and hasn’t yet downloaded the GO app although she said she has been seeing signage for it “everywhere” Despite the overwhelmingly positive response the experience has not been perfect for everyone A 56 year old man from Indonesia said he couldn’t load the GO app on this phone despite having not had any issues loading other apps during his travels He still couldn’t succeed in doing so even after enlisting the help leading him to speculate that the app may have issues with some international carriers Both towns have issued advisories urging caution These began on 3 July when Niseko reported the discovery of bear footprints from the day before at the summit of Mt. Yotei, providing a photograph But most of the bear or bear-evidence sightings (meaning droppings or footprints) have been found on Mt Both towns have published practical advice taking all food and garbage back and retreating if seeing a bear droppings or an animal carcass like that of a deer In 2021 Kutchan Town temporarily closed the Niseko Annupuri and Kagami-numa hiking trails in response to multiple bear sightings Until the coronavirus pandemic hit in 2020 Hokkaido’s Niseko and the surrounding area enjoyed an unprecedented building boom and wealthy private investors from Japan and abroad purchased forested land surrounding Mount Yotei and nearby farmland where they built their own winter chalets and private resort complexes With tourism to Japan having resumed in October developers are once again looking at the Niseko area as a place to invest and build But that growth also comes with a problem familiar to resort areas worldwide: How can the area balance economic growth with sustainability?googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); a 15-minute train ride from Niseko Station had originally considered limiting a resorts’ floor areas to a maximum of 1,000 square meters in principle with exceptions granted to developers wishing to build 3,000 square-meter facilities under certain conditions such as at locations a set distance away from a main road in order to avoid traffic jams Please view the main text area of the page by skipping the main menu. The page may not be displayed properly if the JavaScript is deactivated on your browser Japanese version They will be made from asphalting a 1,600sqm (480 tsubo) plaza at Hirafu’s Sunsports Land that now is unusable during the muddy early and late winter months According to The Hokkaido Shimbun Kutchan approved JPY28 million (US$178,000) on 10 June for the project funded by revenue from Kutchan’s lodging tax The need for more parking in Hirafu has been exacerbated by the construction of a water distribution facility at Hirafu No which will reduce its current 250 car capacity by 80 spaces Kutchan is considering converting the remainder of Hirafu No 2 parking lot to a multistory structure to accommodate more vehicles Spots Ski/Snowboard In the outskirts of Niseko and the southern Hokkaido area you can enjoy high-quality powder snow that skiers and snowboarders long for we will introduce ski resorts where you can fully enjoy powder snow the true joy of skiing and snowboarding in Hokkaido [7 minutes walk from Sapporo Station] Enjoy hot springs A comfortable stay at the 605-room "Sapporo Hotel by Granbell" [Updated for 2025] A complete guide to accessing Daiwa House Premist Dome (Sapporo Dome) and nearby hotels "So cute it's unfair" - Feel the healing power of a sleeping miniature horse [Information on the early opening on April 25th] Sapporo Odori's newest attraction Floor details and highlights of "4PLA" opening in summer 2025 A hotel in the center of Sapporo with a superb sauna and large public bath Experience the warmth that is unique to Hokkaido at "Danyuki Sapporo" [2025 Edition] 7 recommended cherry blossom spots in the Kitami and eastern Hokkaido areas Enjoy cherry blossom viewing in the great outdoors All rooms in the “Workman House” branded lodges are single bed and cater primarily to medium and long-term-stay labourers Rates start from ¥6900 (US$44) per night for room only and go up to ¥9300 (US$60) per night with three included meals Each unit offers wifi and basic amenities along with access to shared bathing complimentary ice cream bars and rice balls opened its latest Workman House in Takasago one of two 45-room developments opening this year in that neighbourhood 5 minutes from Kutchan Station The first Niseko area Workman House was a 30-room Hirafu building opened in February 2023 and when the third opens later this year Kutchan will have most of any municipality in Hokkaido saying of Niseko that 100 more rooms are needed “as soon as possible” hopes to plan and build even more lodges over the next 12 months The booming construction landscape in and around Niseko not only consists of resort residential and tourism accommodation construction but also the construction of the Shinkansen (bullet train) line and the Trans-Hokkaido Expressway Both pass through the Niseko-Kutchan area and will be completed around 2031 recent demand for work-related medium and long-term stays in Niseko isn’t limited to construction in response to a dire need for more car services 25 taxi drivers from Sapporo and Tokyo were housed in worker’s dormitories for Hokkaido Shinkansen tunnel construction Demand for seasonal resort staff also swells massively during ski season so such accommodations could potentially be used for these staff when other construction slows down over winter Several large international resort companies have invested in purpose-built resort staff accommodation buildings owner of Hanazono Ski Resort and Park Hyatt Niseko hotel These are often rented to construction workers in summer Other smaller companies generally buy or rent old houses and pensions outside the resorts and in Kutchan Town to house staff Red Horse Trust’s first Workman House opened in Takikawa City Hokkaido in 2020 and the 1 June-opened Workman House Kutchan Takasago is its 13th such accommodation with over a dozen Workman House property management positions currently available on the Red Horse Trust career page The company’s stated goal is to have 50 Workman House accommodations open in Hokkaido by 2027 「良すぎる…」日本最北端の離島で過ごした旅の記録！大学生らが撮影した映像が話題に「青春だ」 【札幌駅徒歩7分】温泉＆夜景＆朝食ビュッフェが充実！全605室「札幌ホテルbyグランベル」で快適ステイ 釧路のひと・ことが集う“ネオ公民館”を運営 | 木村琴絵がオススメする、北海道釧路市３つの「とっておき」 札幌南区で広がる交流の輪！学生が地域と共につくりあげるコミュニティマルシェ「八百カフェ」とは 【2025年最新】大和ハウス プレミストドーム（札幌ドーム）へのアクセスと周辺ホテル完全ガイド！遠征・ライブ宿泊にも便利 【4月25日先行オープン情報も】札幌大通の新名所！2025年夏オープン「4PLA」のフロア詳細や見どころについて ナイトレースに名物グルメも！ホッカイドウ競馬2025開幕＆“馬のまち”日高町おすすめスポットガイド 【2025年版】函館近郊・道南エリアおすすめ桜スポット20選！北海道内で一足先に花見を満喫 【2025年版】北海道の花イベント16選 桜や菜の花、つつじ、チューリップが咲き誇る 【2025年版】旭川近郊・道北エリアおすすめ桜スポット10選！花見をしながらアウトドア 【2025年版】帯広・釧路近郊おすすめ桜スポット8選！家族や仲間とゆっくり楽しむ花見 【2025年版】登別・洞爺湖近郊・道央エリアおすすめ桜スポット10選！絶景とともに楽しむ花見 【2025年版】帯広・十勝近郊おすすめドライブスポット20選！絶景や食の魅力がいっぱい 【2025年版】札幌近郊おすすめドライブスポット20選！日帰りで楽しめる定番から穴場スポットまで 【2024年版】北海道の絶景に囲まれた秘湯・名湯15選！旅行で訪れたい絶対おすすめ温泉スポット 【2024年最新】ホッキョクグマやアルパカたちがお出迎え！北海道で動物たちと出会える＆触れ合えるスポット10選 【2024年版】一面の紫色に魅了される！北海道のラベンダーが楽しめるおすすめ観光スポット10選 「こんな素敵な所があったとは」まるで魔法学校！？釧路で撮影された幻想的な1枚がかっこいい！「アロホモラしたい」 札幌の味噌ラーメンを代表する超人気店『すみれ』 時代と共に進化する「味噌ラーメン」の味の秘密とは 宮の森の“完全予約制隠れ家サロン”で本格アフタヌーンティーを楽しむ 札幌「afternoonTEA afternoonALCOHOL」 札幌シメパフェ巡り（２）住所非公開＆会員制！札幌の“秘密のパフェバー”「Remake easy」に潜入 「素晴らしい景色…」まるで異世界！“鉄のまち”室蘭で撮影された一枚が話題に「圧倒される」 「もう廃棄するしかない」ももクロのイベントが中止になり販売できなくなった大量のホットドッグ→その後のファンの優しさに出店者が感動！「本当にモノノフっていいな」 島の“温泉ソムリエ”小島有貴がオススメする、奥尻島３つの「とっておき」＜あの人のとっておき帖＞ 地域からの恩恵に自覚的でいたい。５周年を迎えたドット道東が辿り着いた「ローカル事務局」という役割 オホーツクの海を愛する村井克詞がお薦めする、紋別３つのとっておき / あの人のとっておき帖 「新しい消費」と「関係人口」が創り出す、十勝と全国をつなぐ新たなライフスタイルの形とは 十勝シティデザイン創業者、柏尾哲哉さんインタビュー 北海道最小の村から全国へ！全国から注目される「おといねっぷ美術工芸高校」とそれを後押しする「おと高応援団」とは アーティストをハブに地域を混ぜる・繋げるーゐぶりのアーティスト・イン・レジデンス振り返り 合同会社Staylink創業者 / NPO法人E-LINK理事 / 北海道オンラインコミュニティ 島プロマネージャー Accelerating this trend is the ongoing Hokkaido expansion of Japan’s famous bullet train network (Shinkansen) which will connect Kutchan Station to high-speed rail in 2030 potentially in time for that year’s Winter Olympics which Sapporo is bidding for As the area’s largest population center Kutchan has long served as the de facto service town for the Niseko resort community everyday shops and even a Self-Defense Force base Niseko Property Director Grant Mitchell said that a few years ago this proximity kicked off an ongoing increase in Kutchan property values as Niseko development and the concurrent rising resort prices reached a critical level “With a lot of big hotels being built there is a lot more staff needed and there wasn’t much staff accommodation (in the resorts),” Mitchell said ”There was a big gap between what the market provided and what was needed “It was really the Japanese that picked up that there was a demand and it wasn’t being filled,” said Grant referring to Niseko service staff accommodations He said foreign buyers had been mostly interested in the commercial areas around the station anticipating the coming bullet train and the resultant human traffic “There are a lot of people buying old run-down buildings and then just keeping them,” said Mitchell He said the recent rise in rental prices allowed a decent yield on these buildings a lot of buyers don’t want just land they want a building that they can make a return on now Mitchell said until five years ago most people didn’t pay attention to Kutchan but Niseko Property had always had a strong focus there with the largest number of listings for the town among local real estate companies the knowledge that there was going to be a Shinkansen station it just gave a bit of a basis for my confidence about the area the travel time to Niseko from Sapporo’s New Chitose Airport But since a ‘Rapid Airport Express’ line links Sapporo station to the airport when the bullet train arrives inclement weather will rarely affect travel time to Niseko “Having the Shinkansen will let people come directly from large population centers “That will increase numbers enormously which means that suddenly you have a Japanese domestic market booming Sapporo is currently bidding for the 2030 Winter Olympics and Niseko has been earmarked to host the downhill events if the bid is successful It’s hoped the Shinkansen will be completed in time for this The bullet train will cut train travel time from Sapporo to Kutchan from 2 hours to 25 minutes and like with the first bullet train which opened ahead of the 1964 Tokyo Olympics would display Japanese technology to the world Kutchan Station is getting a huge makeover in preparation for it becoming the Hokkaido Shinkansen (Bullet Train) Kutchan Station when it is connected to the expanded Shinkansen line between the present terminus of Hakodate and Sapporo The entire station and its surroundings are being redesigned for the opening and Kutchan Town’s survey asked residents and non-residents alike to vote on their favourite design out of three options 1,899 people participated in the survey and the clear winner was Plan A which received 44.7% of the vote The responses were filed online and on paper with 94% of participants being under age 30 probably due to the three briefing sessions about the new station that the town held at local schools in January While Kutchan Towns’s survey results website page says that the station is scheduled to open in 2030 Transport and Technology Agency indicated last fall that due to construction challenges the Hokkaido Shinkansen Expansion probably won’t open till sometime in 2031 In 2023 about 33,000 Filipinos visited Niseko and real estate agents reported a sharp uptick in Filipino investor transactions This coincided with the announcement of the development of a Hotel101 in Niseko – a Filipino brand hotel condominium which is due for an IPO on the ​​The New York Stock Exchange later this year Although the 33,000 Filipino visitors represented just 4% of Niseko’s 2023 international visitors the figure is about 40% higher than 2019 and appears to have had an outsized impact on investment H2 Christie’s International Real Estate Revenue Strategy Manager Alvin Yow said that while sales to Filipino investors accounted for one to two percent of transactions in the 2018/19 winter sales from the opening of Japan’s borders in 2022 till now have seen exponential growth ”Sales to Filipino customers actually accounted for more than 10% of our real estate revenue in the last financial year Yow said that Filipino purchases were mostly investment properties like land and commercial buildings along Route 5 in Niseko/Kutchan and around Kutchan Station with the remaining 30-40% for personal investment and private-use villas and condos H2 Christie’s International Real Estate is also the master sales agent for Hotel101 Niseko a 482-room hotel currently under construction and the first international location for the Manila-based DoubleDragon Properties Hotel101 Global CEO Hannah Yulo-Luccini said the Philippines had a growing population of young people who “are starting to have the means to travel more” She said Hotel101 chose Niseko in order to provide affordable travel and investment options at a “truly global destination.” Filipinos are not just flocking to Niseko but Japan in general The first four months of 2024 saw almost 270,000 Filipino visitors stream into the country a rise of more than 40% from the 190,000 during the same period in 2019 Bill Barnett, Managing Director of Asia-Pacific hospitality consultancy C9 Hotelworks said Hotel101 and other businesses are also targeting the growing numbers of Filipinos who live outside their country. “There are over 10 million Filipinos who reside abroad Hotel101 is marketing to Filipinos who live in the US Canada and even Germany,” Barnett said Filipinos traditionally come during summer However in March 2024 more Filipinos arrived in Japan than any other month before The Philippines is centred about 10 degrees north of the equator and has no winter weather which Yulo-Luccini said was part of Niseko’s appeal ”Many Filipinos aspire to experience snow at least once in their lives The current rise of Filipino travellers to Hokkaido appeared to begin in 2018 when Philippine Airlines began direct Manila to New Chitose A large part of the sightseeing demand can be traced to the 2017 Philippine film Kita Kita (Japanese for ‘North North’) which was filmed in Hokkaido and became the highest grossing indie movie ever in the Philippines Philippine Airlines supply chain issues have grounded this connection for now but the airline has stated its intention to open up the route again later this year Transport and Tourism (MLIT) said it will be announcing an implementation plan for an 11.7km Kutchan-Niseko section of the Trans-Hokkaido Expressway which will connect with the already-under-construction Kutchan-Yoichi Interchange The implementation plan is to be released with the final MLIT highway budget for fiscal year 2024 and then during the fiscal year funds are to be earmarked for surveying and design work Another interchange section of 12.5km between Niseko and Rankoshi discussed for several years as part of a larger plan to have the Trans-Hokkaido Expressway run from Rankoshi to Kutchan is not developing an implementation plan in fiscal year 2024 but advocacy for it is expected to continue The new interchange is expected to improve access to Niseko’s resort areas for visitors including shortening the travel time to and from New Chitose Airport and Sapporo The infrastructure is also anticipated to improve Niseko Town’s emergency services and disaster prevention initiatives Under the theme of “Thinking about Kutchan Town in 2050” young researchers and local students in Kutchan came together for the workshop in March to discuss the town’s future junior high school students expressed their desire for more amusement facilities and opportunities for cultural activities in the town such as studying at the food court in the local supermarket or going to a different town to watch movies and shop Suggestions brought up in the student’s discussion included organizing events such as festivals and opening unused facilities and condominiums to the public to create space for interaction among the townspeople The workshop concluded with the creation of a town slogan “Oishisa Shinka Youteizan (Deliciousness Evolving/True Value/Deepen Mt Yotei)  NOW WE SEE As reported by The Hokkaido Shimbun the town’s general account increased by over 16% from the year before buoyed by strong property tax growth from the town’s resort area which has continued its post-Covid recovery The Kutchan Tourism Association’s subsidy from the town is to increase by over 60% to JPY196 million (US$1,303,000) funds that will be used to make the “Kutchan Night Go Bus” which runs from Kutchan Station to Hirafu during the winter season free of charge in order to reduce traffic congestion Infrastructure expenditures include JPY39 million (US$259,300) for the design of facilities around Kutchan Station which is currently being revamped in anticipation of the arrival of the Hokkaido Shinkansen (bullet train) in 2031 and JPY201 million (US$1,336,300) for a new public facility of a children’s library and swimming pool A further JPY48 million (US$319,000) is earmarked for the removal of a derelict ski jump built during the 1960s at the town’s local Asahigaoka Ski Hill the gym also features a balcony with a view of Mt Yotei two coaches are available to provide guidance based on your training level and group lessons for up to four people are also offered The gym was founded by Hong Konger Jeff Leung who has been living in Niseko since 2010 and started Snow and Flow Snowsports School in 2017 Jeff said it would be a staffed gym with classes (not a 24-hour gym) and had been designed to appeal to a wide range of users ”Unlike a traditional gym or a cross-fit specific gym “We borrowed the idea from CrossFit in some regards – people can work out together and support each other but we want to have more variety and our own in-house program “When we designed it we had people of different experience levels and preferences in mind rather than just one niche of people that we’re targeting weight lifter or just a more casual user it’s suitable for everyone “Downstairs is a free-weight area with group one fitness class in the morning “On the second floor its a bit more like a traditional gym that is machine based “Again it’s designed to be very beginner friendly and we also have showers and change rooms for people who want to work out before work or at lunch time.” Jeff is a former management consultant and said it was a big decision to invest in a purpose-built gym “We debated about whether to do for a long time and it’s been a two-year project “As a former management consultant I enjoyed the process “Building Snow and Flow was really fulfilling but I wanted to think about what else to do other than just building a bigger ski school “I wanted to see if building a local community business actually worked.” The membership fee for eight visits per month is ¥8,800 For more information visit their website The company employs four people who hand-make each snowboard in a Kutchan workshop Island is aiming to make 180 snowboards in contrast to last year when they manufactured Island began in March of 2020 by co-owners Owain Bassett and Stu Cady right as Covid began to shut down much of Japanese society Cady said that although this seems like poor timing the extra space to perfect their designs ultimately was beneficial ”Beginning in 2020 gave us time to really go through the paces of testing the production The boards are available on Island Snowboard’s site internationally or arrange for a workshop pickup as well as in the Niseko retail shops Rhythm Base and Niseko Sport The four 2024 snowboard options are all existing models having had top-sheet revamps and with improved construction performance Island also has a team of “Riders” who using Island’s boards around Hokkaido Co-ownders Bassett and Cady are Riders themselves ”The idea is to manufacture in the summertime and ride in the wintertime Bassett and Cady’s are both expats and Islands’ customers are mostly inbound visitors to the Niseko area although the number of Japanese customers has steadily increased citing the enthusiastic snowboard culture in Hokkaido and other parts of the country hopes to continue growing Island’s profile within Japan The lodging tax was introduced in November of 2019 and as The Hokkaido Shimbun reported at a flat rate of 2% is unique among other lodging taxes in the area which usually are tiered flat-rate systems The revenue target for the lodging tax was set at JPY300 million (US$1,977,750) when it was introduced which was partially impacted by Japan Covid-era travel restrictions which ended in October of that year the lodging tax brought in JPY243 million (US$1,601,892) in revenue The Hokkaido government is currently considering a tiered The Shinkansen station is a redesign of the existing Kutchan station retrofitting it so it can accommodate the Hokkaido Shinkansen extension which is currently under construction between Hakodate But it is also a complete reimaging of the transportation hub and its surroundings to become what Kutchan calls in its survey language a “new symbol” of the town with ‘Plan A’ representing the four seasons Yotei scenery and ‘Plan C’ showing ridgelines representing the area’s general aesthetic originally planned to open at the end of fiscal year 2030 has been delayed by construction challenges labour shortages and material cost overruns It is now expected to open – and therefore begin arriving in Kutchan – later in 2031 Locals and people from out of town alike are welcome to participate in the survey For more information on the station designs, click here. To participate in the survey, click here Two double-decker buses will run 12 shuttle services a day allowing passengers to hop on or off at any of the over 20 sightseeing spots along its 40km route Sky Bus Niseko is equipped with a voice-guided tour system in Japanese and English and attendants on board who will introduce daily special deals and events This year’s operating season is from 20 July through 18 August and stops at onsens (Japanese hot springs) and the major Niseko ski resorts among other destinations Each ticket also includes special offers tied to stops like a yoghurt drink at Niseko’s popular Takahashi Dairy Farm The fare for a standard 3-trip ticket is JPY2,000 for adults (US$13) and JPY1,000 (US$6.50) for children with a 10% discount for purchasing electronically in advance Also available are unlimited ride passes in 1-day with the one week cost being JPY7000 (US$45) for adults and JPY3,500 (US$22.50) for children The unlimited ride passes are not available for the local resident discount Sky Bus Niseko’s first year of operation was 2022 and is run by Kutchan Tourism Association with funding from the Hokkaido Tourism Promotion Organization The project aims to enhance Niseko’s green season for visitors and residents alike by providing convenient access to a wide variety of the area’s attractions For more information and to purchase tickets, visit the Skybus Niseko website They are meant to ensure that new development blends into the natural scenery of the area The Hokkaido Shimbun recently interviewed Mayor Kazushi This English transcript has been translated for clarity On the current state of resort development and why new rules are necessary Mayor Kazushi: The anticipation surrounding the opening of the Hokkaido Shinkansen station and the extension of modern highways has spurred investment in resorts I think it is important to create new rules in the sense of rethinking overall town development taking into consideration the balance between economic activities caused by development while taking advantage of the rich natural charm of the area On the focus on the new rules and whether they will be effective Mayor Kazushi: The new rules are designed to guide high-quality development while ensuring that adjustments are made to avoid sprawl Many facilities have already been built around prime ski resorts and we have stressed the importance of maintaining them as attractive facilities while renovating them I believe we were able to clearly demonstrate our goal of creating a sustainable international resort On the draft proposal allowing up to 10,000sqm in total floor space for new accommodations in contrast to the initial proposal of 1,000sqm or less Mayor Kazushi: There was a concern that if the floor area was set at 1,000sqm or less there would be too many small lodging facilities crowded together The study group (which included experts) also pointed out that even with a large building size allowed the forest can be more widely preserved by setting a maximum development area proportion so a much larger site is required and this has been reflected in the new rules From the standpoint of welcoming high quality development we have provided decision-making criteria for those who invest On the possibility of delaying the implementation of the new development rules in light of divided public opinion Mayor Kazushi: It is difficult to strike a balance between protecting nature and creating a world-class resort through development What is important is that we all share the will to create the future of this area We will do our utmost to bring the plan into effect on 1 October while carefully explaining it to the public On his overall vision for the future of community and resort development Mayor Kazushi: Even if socioeconomic conditions change in the next 50 to 100 years we want to be able to maintain the outstanding natural environment and scenery centred on Mt If the business is only for the benefit of the tourism industry The most important thing is to enrich the lives of the people who live here and make them happy Currently 17-year-old and raised in Kutchan Shinnosuke earned his spot in the world championship by winning the TOYO TIRES FWT JUNIOR 1* U-18 SKI MEN category at both Maiko Snow Resort and Lotte Arai Resort earlier this year The world championship is scheduled to take place from 20 to 25 January Shinnosuke was also crowned champion in the Japan Freeride Open 2023 OPEN SKI MEN category in February at Hakuba Cortina ski resort where he competed against a lot older participants “I’m excited for the World Championship and my goal is to come out on the top,” said Shinnosuke who added that he is also thrilled because this is his first time traveling overseas ”Skiing is something I love enough to bet my life on Shinnosuke started skiing when he was around three years old but his passion began to grow after he entered a local big air competition at Niseko Tokyu Grand HIRAFU in 5th grade “I didn’t do well in the competition but that’s when I began to practice skiing and started to enjoy jumping,” said Shinnosuke Shinnosuke entered his first freeride competition in the first year of junior high school Although he did not get the results he wished for this experience led him to officially get into freeride a category that requires jumping and skiing in powder snow — both activities that Shinnosuke enjoys “I was ambitious to win so I practiced skiing at night at HIRAFU during the weekdays after school and I didn’t have a coach so my father acted like one giving me advice” explains Shinnosuke he would spend the whole day skiing with his friends at Niseko Tokyu Grand HIRAFU or Niseko Hanazono Resort creating a strong foundation for his upcoming ski career Things started to change for Shinnosuke when he moved up to high school where he earned his first victory at the Powder Freeride Kiroro Open 2022 and from there it has been an uphill journey I didn’t achieve the results I wanted I think all the practice I’d been building up started to kick in” said Shinnosuke who has been watching his son’s journey throughout said “I want local kids to know that they can be anything they want if they work hard and I hope Shinnosuke will become an inspiration for them.” located in the city area will be divided into seven lots for one-unit houses with sizes ranging from about 330 to 350sqm (100-107 tsubo) but the land is expected to be sold mainly to families raising children and new residents The town will announce the sale on its website by the end of this year Construction is scheduled to begin in early May and finish by the end of October who is known for making and selling the non-alcoholic “Hakko Ginger” beverage The first drink in Maeda san’s new line of adult beverages is called “AQUAVIT = GIN” and is made using Kutchan-grown potatoes in cooperation with Niseko Brewery and Shakotan Spirit The name of the brand is “SPEAKEZ” and a craft beer is also being planned AQUAVIT = GIN is expected to hit the market on 10 October and advance orders are being accepted now According to reporting by The Hokkaido Shimbun several area tourism groups including the Kutchan Tourism Association have petitioned for changes or a relocation for the planned facility which as of now will be located on Hirafu No 2 parking lot near the Niseko Tokyu Grand Hirafu ski resort The modifications proposed by Kutchan Town include a 90 degree rotation of the building’s orientation to reduce its length along the town road – lessening its impact on local scenery – and a reduction in the area of its water distribution pond by increasing its depth If these changes are accepted by the tourism associations the planned completion is expected to be delayed from its goal of November 2026 to August 2027 alternative sites are still being considered was launch in December 2023 as a joint collaboration between Tokyo-based Plants Laboratory and Hokkaido Electric Power Company (HEPCO) The goal of the partnership is to promote food tourism and sustainable farming in Hokkaido and the LEAFRU FARM installation in Kutchan Station is its first project LEAFRU FARM uses a novel indoor farming system developed by Plants Laboratory and University of Tokyo called PUTFARM which has minimal water inputs and allows low-cost environmental control through the use of inexpensive materials like agricultural vinyl PUTFARM installations can also be ready in about a month allowing a shorter return on investment than most indoor farms