tokyu

SKIERS and boarders at Hirafu will be zipped up the mountain in just five minutes next season, thanks to a new high-speed, eight-person gondola, Hirafu owner/operator Tokyu Inc has confirmed.

The new gondola will travel at speeds of up to 6m/second and replace the old four-person gondola that took eight minutes or longer

Kensaku Kuno is the general manager of Tokyu Resort Group, the owner and operator of Grand Hirafu. We asked Kuno-san to reflect on the past, present and future of Hirafu.

How long have you been in Niseko?
Since I became general manager of Tokyu – this is my fifth season. Before that I had worked as the administration

Tokyu Resort, owner of Grand Hirafu, has said there is unlikely to be any increase in lift ticket prices next season.

There was a small increase in the price of day passes this season, which means they are reluctant to raise prices any further next season.