Eco 260
HOW does someone go from being so poor they live with their family in an attic, to owning a collection of magnificent homes around the world?
Ebisu Chalets: Western luxury, Eastern style
THE fusion of western luxury and size, Japanese charm and alpine architecture marks the completion of developer Zekkei Properties’ second Niseko project, Ebisu Chalets.
First look inside The Escarpment
THE very first home designed for Hokkaido Tracks Resort Properties’ most ambitious project to date, The Escarpment, is complete, offering a glimpse into the lifestyle the estate will offer.
Shouya Grigg's Hanazono House
ISOLATION and space. They're fast becoming the hallmarks of prestige in an ever-cluttered world. Coupled with a mindfully unique and artistic home design, space is what Hanazono House possesses in wealth.
A Capella resort sings out luxury at Annupuri
A GRAND interior water feature and a pantheon-influenced reception will greet guests to the six-star, Tadao Ando-designed Capella Niseko at Annupuri.
Suiboku's accidental developers
ACCIDENT, luck, undiscovered natural talent or something else altogether, it doesn't seem to matter now. The Suiboku is a striking block of 10 luxury apartments on Hirafu-Zaka Street.
The Vale Niseko unveiled
HIRAFU'S first five-star condominium-hotel, The Vale Niseko, swung open its doors with its grand opening ceremony earlier this month.
Odin House sets five-storey standard
NISEKO’S renaissance as a modern ski area with international appeal has been marked by an impressive array of attractive new buildings. But for sheer opulence, architectural innovation and scale, Odin House – the towering five-storey residence nearing completion in Hirafu’s middle village – has raised the bar dramatically
Interview with Nisade chairman Jonathan Martin
NISADE'S head honcho and family man Jonathan Martin gives us his views on Niseko past, present and future...
How long have you been in Japan and Niseko and what brought you here?
I’ve been working in Niseko for three years, relocating the family here with me 15 months ago. The snow brought me, I had done my time in the
Niseko architecture going rusty
WHETHER you call it 'ravaged', 'oxidised', 'weathered', or just plain 'rusted steel', it's been making a splash in international architecture... and it's coming to Niseko.
From Tokyo, Sydney, London, Hong Kong and beyond, over the past few years, Niseko has been lucky enough to have its natural splendor interpreted by many internationally
Interview with with the man behind Hokkaido Tracks, Simon Robinson
AFTER his house in the sun burnt down, he started building them in the snow. Powderlife caught up with the president of Hokkaido Tracks Resort Properties, Simon Robinson.
Could you start off by telling me a bit about yourself and how you came to Niseko?
I came here with my wife and business partner, Joasia, after we
Japanese baby boomers come to the rescue
WITH the global economic crisis throttling overseas sales of Niseko real estate, Japan’s cashed up generation of baby boomers could be poised to make a comeback.
A look at local property registers today reveals plenty of Williams, McDonalds, Chans and Chus among the owners of recently built rental properties in Niseko,
Interview with West Canada Homes president Paul Nikel
HE moved to Japan from Canada in the 90s and has been bringing pieces of his home land here ever since. Powderlife chats with West Canada Homes president, Paul Nikel.
How did the decision to start building Canadian-style homes in Niseko come about?
I came to Japan in 1991, and after a couple of weeks in Tokyo and Osaka I realised
Interview with Niseko Home Designs director Shigeru Uehara
WHEN entering one of Niseko Home Designs (NHD) houses, you can feel the warmth of Japanese culture. Powderlife speaks with the managing director of NHD, Mr. Shigeru Uehara, an architect with carpentry experience.
Having two business degrees from both Japanese and American universities, why did you start your career as a carpenter?
Izumikyo: Niseko's pioneering developers
By Chris Lane
Izumikyo Company client advisor
IZUMIKYO Company has had a hand in the creation of the Niseko resort area since 1973. After successfully developing such integral sites as the Hirafu Middle Village, Izumikyo, St. Moritz and Country Resort, the pioneering developer is about to release what it calls its ‘newest
Geothermal: heating of the future
MANY parts of Japan are considered to be ‘geothermal hotspots’. And one of these hotspots is Niseko.
This snowy little village may be chilly above-ground in winter, but below the earth’s surface it is blessed with shallow, easily harvestable resources. This means sustainable energies systems like geothermal heating
Interview with Tetsuo Ikee of Ikee Architecture, Design and Construction
WHEN you see the stylish houses being built in Hirafu, you often see the sign ‘IKEE’. Powderlife spoke to the owner of IKEE, Tetsuo Ikee, who shared his thoughts about the village development and Niseko’s future growth as an international ski resort.
Can you tell us about some of your background, including the reason
Building in Niseko
By Michael Davenport
Director of Niseko Consulting
WITH many of the real estate purchases in Niseko being land, there are lots of investors holding plots perfectly suited for new construction. However, the prospect of building in Japan can be a daunting one. Here is a rough outline of the basic steps in construction to show
Hong Kong developers come for powder, stay to build
IN literal terms, Niseko’s developments may be built on concrete slabs. But metaphorically speaking, they’re sitting atop powder, passion and a unique ski lifestyle enjoyed by Hong Kong entrepreneurs.
With little fanfare, Hong Kong-based entrepreneurs have come to enjoy a prominent place among the developers working in
Living on the edge: luxury lifestyle on Hirafu’s outskirts
THE designer behind the Sekka brand, Shouya Grigg (pictured below), has built a dream home at Hanazono, between Hirafu and Kutchan Town. Powderlife spoke to Shouya about how the new home embodied his ideals of a luxury lifestyle, and why he believed more people would be interested in building outside the villages on larger blocks of land.
Interview with Odin Project director Nicolas Gontard
Powderlife had a chat with Odin Project director Nicolas Gontard
What was your focus before Niseko?
I started a telecommunication products company, where I designed and manufactured bluetooth headsets for telephones. I built this company into a global brand, with sales all around the world, and then sold the business to a listed
Interview with Beckett Tucker, sales director for Above+Beyond Hotels
Powderlife magazine had a chance to speak with Beckett Tucker, the sales director for Above+Beyond Hotels and Resorts, to get his impressions of its flagship Niseko property.
Where is the Above+Beyond team located?
We are all based out of Hong Kong, however, I will be here in Niseko for the next four months. I am working out
Financing in Niseko
NOTE: There have been major changes in international financing of Niseko real estate since this article was written. Please seek the latest information.
By Ruskin McLennan
Managing director of Niseko Property
THE Niseko property market continues to mature. Last year saw unprecedented development in the Niseko
Moiwa Ski Resort's representative Eyal Agmoni
Earlier this month Moria Mountain Holding GK purchased the Moiwa ski resort. Powderlife Magazine caught up with the fund representative Mr. Eyal Agmoni to find out a bit more about their company and their plans for the future of Moiwa.
Tell me a about Moria mountain holding GK?
Moria mountain holding is a Japanese company
The Niseko bubble: I stand ‘corrected’
By Graeme Glen
Sales manager for West Canada Properties
LAST year, in answer to the question, ‘is Niseko a bubble?’, I stated that Niseko was not a bubble, nor could it become a bubble due to the fact that growth has been fueled by private investment and not leveraged. Private money, generally, does not go where
