The snow has melted, the flowers are in full bloom, and the travellers have thinned out of Niseko. Right about now, however, insiders are quietly locking up their winter holiday plans to this sought-after ski destination. Why, you ask? The interest in Niseko has increased year on year, reflecting the general post-pandemic tourism boom in Japan.
According to the Japan National Tourism Organisation (JNTO), April 2024 saw over 3 million travellers visit the country, a 4 per cent increase compared to the same period in 2019. And with the yen getting weaker, it looks like there’s no better time to make that trip. “Last season felt like a turning point,” said Stephanie Chai, CEO and founder of The Luxe Nomad, the largest luxury vacation company in Asia that exclusively manages chalets and apartment hotels in Niseko, Rusutsu and Furano in Hokkaido.
“There were a lot more American travellers last winter, and they’re discovering what Asians have long loved about Niseko.” A WINTER LEGEND Home to the Ainu, the indigenous people of Japan, Niseko’s story as a ski destination started when Lieutenant Colonel Theodor von Lerch Edora from Austria visited in 1912. During his trip, he explored Kutchan and became the first person to climb and ski Mount Yotei — an accomplishment cemented with a statue in town.
The popularity of winter sports in Japan started in earnest during the country’s participation in the 1927 Winter Olympics in St Moritz, Switzerland. The same year, Prince.
