WHEN Tomoko Kazama isn’t working in marketing for Niseko Village at Higashiyama, she loves hitting the mountain and going big. We get to know the poster girl for Niseko Village a little bit better…
When and why did you come to Niseko?
I came to Niseko in the 05-06 season. I wanted to work somewhere I could use English, and I was looking for a mogul team I could join and sent several emails to the teams and found a team here in Niseko.
What was Niseko like when you first arrived here?
So much snow! The year I arrived had the most snow in 50 years as far as I know. Niseko has changed so much since when I was little. It seemed like I wasn’t in Japan. There were foreign signs around the town and lots of Australians. There was still perfect fresh powder snow, and it’s the terrain and the night skiing that I love.
What did you do before you came to Niseko?
I was in University in Utah, enrolled in a sports science degree, and trained for mogul skiing in Salt Lake City.
What makes Niseko special?
Snow, nature, local produce, onsen and our landmark, Mt.Yotei. But mainly it’s the powder. You can enjoy every condition here in Niseko – powder, groomed, off-piste, park, bumps, and even corn snow in Spring. It’s such an amazing place!
We hear you’re a sponsored skier?
I am not a big sponsored skier, but K2 and Phenix are supporting me.
You are the poster girl for Niseko Village?
The other Niseko Village staff and I went up to the mountain when we had some good snow, and we
took several shots of staff that also included me. We had perfect blue sky with perfect white powder snow.
It is weird to see me on posters, but an honor to be on them.
You have have skied at a competition level?
I was competing alpine skiing until high school, when I switched to moguls in Utah and competed until 2006.
I want to ski aggressively like a man, and love to go big!
What is it you like best about skiing?
Skiing is and will be my lifestyle adventure. It gave me many opportunities and opened up doors in many ways. I truly enjoy this sport. I love to see the people from all over the world and I like to share the exciting moments on the mountain.
What do you do in the off season?
I started playing golf at Niseko Village Golf Course last summer – there are great golf courses all around Niseko. The Mount Yotei views are amazing from Niseko Village’s golf course in particular, and the par six hole is incredibly long for me. Other than that, in summer I do a little bit of bike riding and swimming.
What are your top 3 tips for visitors to Niseko?
1. Ski hard
2. Eat fresh seafood
3. Go for an onsen.