BROTHERS Glenn and Dale Goulding are believed to be the first to bring tourists to Niseko with their company Deep Powder Tours. Powderlife tied down co-director Glenn for a few quick questions…
When and why did you come to Niseko?
I first came to Niseko in February of 1992 with my wife Fumiko, and have returned every winter since.
What was Niseko like when you first arrived here?
Niseko-Hirafu was much quieter then, with most visitors dining at the pensions or hotels. You rarely saw a foreigner, that’s for sure. Most people only skied the groomed runs. Hanazono chairlifts opened the following winter season, and we skied Strawberry Fields every day and never saw any other people in there – it was always untracked and bottomless!
What did you do before you came to Niseko?
In Australia, I worked on and off in the hospitality industry in restaurants and bars. I worked in the US in the 1984 winter in Alta ski resort in Utah and did many seasons during the ’80s, living in my Kombi van in the Snowy Mountains in Australia – basically ski-bumming around.
What makes Niseko special?
Niseko still has an alternative feel about it compared to the big North American or European resorts. I think it’s the laid-back Hokkaido lifestyle. Niseko is also very special to me because my eldest daughter, Naomi, was conceived the first time I went to Niseko, and she’s the oldest Australian-Japanese child in Niseko.
There was no one bringing tourists to Niseko when you arrived, what made you come here?
I wanted to go to the best powder snow area in Japan, so when I asked Fumiko she suggested we go to Niseko. She was right!! That first trip to Niseko is when I decided I would start a snow tour company for foreign travellers, particularly Australians, as Japan was such a convenient destination and international winter tourism was such a non-existent market at the time.
Was it hard getting foreigners here initially?
In the early days it was difficult convincing Australians that it was good to ski in Japan not only for awesome snow quality, but also that it was not expensive and not overcrowded. Once we started to get some guests from Australia travelling to Niseko they kept returning and bringing others with them.
You tour all over Japan. Is Niseko your favourite resort?
We do have guests travelling to ski resorts all over Japan, and I’ve travelled around and skied many of them myself. Niseko is still my favourite ski resort in Japan and generally gets the best snow. I always feel at home in Niseko.
What are your top 3 tips for visitors to Niseko?
1) Respect the Niseko Rules set by the ski patrol.
2) Try the many onsens in the village.
3) Be adventurous and try the different varieties of food in the restaurants. If you are staying in a Japanese-run pension then dine in to discover local cuisine is delicious and great value.