Snow country: How Niseko became Japan’s ski and property boomtown

KUTCHAN, Japan — As winter ends in Japan, the memory of powder snow likely lingers in the minds of its record number of domestic and international visitors. Perhaps no other place in the country is responsible for this more than the Niseko ski area in western Hokkaido.

Over the past 30 years, following the bursting of Japan’s asset-inflated bubble economy of the late 1980s, a combination of domestic and foreign capital along with waves of visitors has turned Niseko’s real-estate and recreation market from a hidden gem into a boomtown home to some of Asia’s finest luxury resorts and villas.

Some observers say this growth can be a potential model for other rural Japanese towns, while others point to challenges in sustainability.

In this video, Nikkei Asia speaks with Niseko’s resort-industry leaders and provides a timeline of how the surging property and tourism market came to be, and where it’s going.

Justin Randall is a contributing reporter.