The ever-changing seasons and their interactions with the local landscape seem to provide constant inspiration for creative Niseko residents. Many moved here to spend their days pursuing their passions, while others were inspired to create after living here. Meet some of the people creating cool things in Niseko.
Yoshitomo Design
After spending much of the past decade at sea as a merchant sailor in the oil and gas industry, Damian “Hippy” Keyte has settled down on a farm at Hanazono to carry out a long-held dream – to enjoy life in the countryside and bring abandoned organic and industrial material back to life. Out of beautiful old reclaimed local timber, rusted steel or blocks of concrete, Hippy creates art and furniture that will last another lifetime and beyond. He creates pieces from things he finds and dreams up himself, but will also create commissioned works using his own ideas or others’.
www.yoshitomodesign.com
Available at AJ Gallery
Nicao Chocolate
Born out of the basement of her house on the outskirts of Hirafu, Nicao Chocolate is an exquisitely delicious local “bean-to-bar” chocolate made with love by Naoko Blake. After simply deciding to make a batch of chocolate out of the blue one day, Naoko-san discovered a passion to create the perfect chocolate. After months of trial and error and testing different ingredients, she settled on three dark chocolate flavours, all based on Guatemalan cacao beans, that you can now buy in Niseko: regular (70% dark chocolate), Niseko-sourced strawberry (63%), and the dreamy-sounding plum liqueur and raisin (70%).
www.thecacaoproject.com
Available at Cave de Bambou and Sprout
Ikiya Mizuhiki Accessories
The mizuhiki knot is an ancient Japanese art form in which thin cords made of paper are wound together, wrapped in coloured string and starched stiff, then used to fasten traditional gift envelopes and boxes – always by hand. “These knots represent the threads tying people together,” creator Saori van den Brink says. “We use one, three or five strings because you can’t divide those numbers – meaning you won’t be separated, and your relationship will grow.” Saori-san mixes the traditional skill with modern styles, creating earrings, rings, bookmarks that double as hairpins and larger pieces like lampshades.
www.ikiya-japan.com
Available at Green Farm Deli & Café