KATE AND SUZHER // the escarpment
COUNTRY // hong kong
WHAT made you fall in love with the Niseko area? We were bowled over by the beauty of it here. The variety of pistes is amazing and we love the quaint small town and little Japanese restaurants. Do you have a family? Suzher my husband and my three girls, Jade 13, Katya 11, Tatiana 6. How did you first hear about Niseko? We’d heard from a number of friends who had started to come here. We were intrigued because it was quite close from Hong Kong. Describe what owning a house in this area means to you? Everything about this house is what intrigues me about Japan – it’s clean, the attention to detail, the love and care that has gone into building; this house is very much what we feel around here. Are you working – what do you do? I work in investment banking for Morgan and Stanley – I run the Asia Pacific Investment Banking. What is the purpose of your home in Niseko? We never like to rent. We much prefer to own something. It’s a good investment for our own emotional experience and family. What are your hobbies? We love cycling, skiing, walking and hiking as a family. What do your children like about the area? That they’re in ski school and meeting people, and their friends are coming more and more. They love hiking, cycling and skiing together. Do you prefer to spend time in your home here or get involved with the activities on offer? I hear there are other things here that we’ve never done before as a family – like fishing or rafting. People talk about their vege gardens and tulips. We’re looking forward to seeing that in summer. Why do you see Niseko as a good investment? You have to love it as a passion for yourself then you look at capital appreciation if you’re lucky. We looked at this and thought this would be our folly – this would be a lifestyle choice. It’s frankly an investment for our children – we want them to come here and build memories.
PHILLIP AND NICOLE // akari
COUNTRY // hong kong
WHAT made you fall in love with the Niseko area? Fantastic snow, clean air, great food and a good mix of international people and Japanese locals. Do you have a family? Yes, I have been married to my wife Nicole for 13 years and I have a girl of 11 and boy of 10, they love the area in winter and summer. How did you first hear about Niseko? Friends who had skied here before told us about the resort. Describe what owning a house in this area means to you? Knowing we have a peaceful home that we can travel to easily and frequently is a new experience for our family and it allows us to experience another way of life in a very friendly community. Are you working – what do you do? I have been importing and exporting a diversified range of products into and out of Asia since 1994. After travelling for many years I am now trying to spend more time with my family. What is the purpose of your home in Niseko? To enjoy life and spend as much time as we can here and hopefully learn some Japanese. What are your hobbies? I love to ski the powder, eat in great restaurants, cycling and triathlon, and my wife loves golf. What do your children like about the area? The freedom to do as they please; they love to ski and in the summer there are a lot of children who they can run around with. Do you prefer to spend time in your home here or get involved with the activities on offer? If we’re not skiing we do spend quite a lot of time in the house. But in the summer there are lot’s of activities and opportunities to meet the community. Why do you see Niseko as a good investment? Niseko is a wonderful place to unwind and we always look forward to returning. Financially, a big attraction was the freehold title and the potential of the area. We hope to holiday here for many generations to come.
LYNDALL, GUY & FIONA // shirokuma & big valley COUNTRY // australia
WHAT made you fall in love with the Niseko area? We love the ‘winter wonderland’ combined with the wonderful food and the friendly people. And then there was the most important factor –
the awesome powder and no queues! Best snow in the world and so convenient for us to get to compared to Canada, Colorado or Europe. Do you have a family? One son 23, and an 18-year old daughter. My brother (part owner) with three children plus a sister (part owner) with two teenagers. How did you first hear about Niseko? Some friends had originally been up here, bought a house and raved about the powder snow – years ago now. Describe what owning a house in this area means to you? Rest and relax or ski every day! A wonderful family holiday destination as my teenage children also love being here. Has a minor added benefit of escaping from our very hot summer weather at home and being in the same time zone as home makes working from here very easy, if that is what you need. Looking forward to enjoying some time in summer up here soon, as it is meant to be beautiful also. Are you working – what do you do? Company Director. What is the purpose of your home in Niseko? Lifestyle choice. What are your hobbies? Photography, travelling, fishing, cycling, reading and of course skiing! What do your children like about the area? Love the powder and off-piste skiing. Enjoy the local night life, the food and the culture. When you’re in town, do you prefer to spend time in your home here or get involved with the activities on offer? Thoroughly enjoy both. Why do you see Niseko as a good investment (financial reasons, escape, place to bring your grandchildren, four seasons)? Great lifestyle choice in an area that can only become more popular for all the above reasons.