After stumbling across Niseko on family holidays a few years ago and building their own holiday houses here, a group of colleagues from Hong Kong embarked on a project to do what no-one has done to date – create a true village hub for Hirafu.
Aruku-zaka St – translated as “walking street” – will be a vibrant cosmopolitan tiered avenue that will link Upper Hirafu to Lower Hirafu and bring to life about 80 shops, restaurants and bars as well as an ice skating rink in winter and other activities year round. It will run for about 280m along one side of Middle Hirafu and downhill towards Lower Hirafu. The site area is 29,000sqm (about the size of five football fields) and the gross floor area once completed will be about 52,000sqm.
Strategically designed buildings, including hotel residences and apartments, will bound either side of the street forming varying central “plazas” that will allow people to wander and congregate, and provide spaces for activities and events.
Hirafu is the major resort village in Niseko, however it has grown slowly and organically over the past 50 years with very little attention paid to masterplanning for the new influx of tourists demanding shopping and entertainment in all seasons. While there are charming pockets of shops and restaurants across Hirafu Village that have formed the foundation of its character, there has been no dominant precinct that has ever naturally become a central heart.
Aruku-zaka is the first development of its type in Niseko – that is, a large-scale private development that aims to provide significant public space and create an activity centre for the community. Every ski resort around the world that has succeeded in establishing the four-seasons business model has a large, open public space populated by shops, restaurants and activity.
The ambitious project is being developed by Hong Kong company Metropoly Holdings Ltd. “We think retail is a piece missing that could greatly help turn Niseko into a year-round destination, that if realised would bring far-reaching economic and social benefits to the area,” says the project spokesperson. “We all have houses here, our families love the different seasons, we’re all very invested in the area, and we’re all very driven to turn Hirafu into an all-year-round destination.
“We are aware that it will change Hirafu due to its size, so we are very conscious that the change needs to be positive and we are working with the community to ensure this is a development that not only meets the needs of tourists but also adds to the local community year round. We’re certain it will and look forward to its completion when people will be able to see that.”