TRAVEL Niseko
WITH ARCHITECTURE, ADVENTURE AND FINE DINING, THE MILLIONAIRES’ PLAYGROUND OF NISEKO ISN’T ONLY FOR FROLICKING IN THE WHITE STUFF, WRITES JING ZHANG
I’m sinking into a steaming private onsen in Keyaki, an enormous sixbedroom private residence built by the Hong Kong-based Pavilions Hotels + Resorts group at Niseko in western Hokkaido. Chilled glass of Chablis in my hand, I’m looking out over an unobstructed view of the lush green woodlands of Hirafu, a resort village in the Niseko area.
Friends wax lyrical about the beauty of Niseko during the winter months when Mount Yotei – a mighty but dormant volcano – presides over miles of pristine white slopes and powder. But spring, summer and autumn here and in the surrounding areas can be just as compelling, whether you’re relaxing in luxury in the beautiful Hokkaido countryside, sampling the finest local cuisine or breaking a sweat with outdoor sports.
The next day, sunlight glitters off a crystal-clear sea reflecting 50 shades of blue, the heat is intense and there’s a sparse smattering of clouds in an otherwise clear sky. Our neon-coloured kayaks (guided by Toyru expeditions) glide through the calm waters around the craggy coastline of the Shakotan Peninsula in the far west of the island. We explore caves, clamber over dramatic geological formations and swim in rock pools dotted with the region’s famous spiky sea urchins.
“The most surprising thing for people in summer and autumn is all the amazing things you can do,” says Aaron Jamieson, an Australian photographer, adventurer and gallery owner based in Hirafu. “People think that it’s this sleepy town, but there’s rafting and kayaking, stand-up paddle surfing ( SUPing), cycling, mountain biking and hiking. Niseko comes to life in a whole new way.”
Jamieson has been living in Niseko for 14 years and runs photography workshops and trips all year round. “The beauty of getting out in good weather, on the land, lakes and ocean in these seasons is amazing. It’s just so pristine: the water, the surroundings, it’s all absolutely beautiful.”
We head out to stunning Lake Toya for a morning of SUPing around the islands, breaking to take dips in the clear waters whenever it gets too hot. After a good workout and late lunch, we head back for rest and enjoy a nice glass of Champagne while watching the sunset from Keyaki villa.
Although there are lots of lovely hotels, four-star establishments are most common in Niseko. However, a recent spate of luxury developments and five-star hotels and resorts have upped the ante. Many, like the Park Hyatt and Ritz-Carlton, are imminent arrivals, and there are strong rumours of an Aman finally landing. The Pavilions group has finished some private residences for sale (such as the Keyaki villa I’m staying in) but is also developing a hotel and “Ginto Village” (tailored towards dining and shopping) on the same plot, due for completion in spring 2020.
“Niseko is extreme,” says Vincent McIlduff, founding partner of architectural firm ALT-254 and lead architect on the Pavilions project. “When building there you have to keep two aspects of function at the forefront of design: snow clearing and thermal insulation.
“There were two main concepts to the villas. Firstly, a Japanese style embedded in Western luxury. This formed the concept for Katsura Villa and Hinoki Villa, which were then split by price point. Katsura is very spacious and opulent, while Hinoki is a lot smaller,” he explains. “And then, Keyaki was a separate concept. It follows the designs of Western chalets – high pitched roof, high vaulted ceilings – creating an atmosphere of grandeur as opposed to the sleek and refined Japanese feel of the two other properties.”
Floor-to-ceiling windows clad the houses, giving residents gorgeous green views of the forest. Each spectacular villa is outfitted in local woods, designed with a nod to Japanese minimalism and art, yet with homey, contemporary, super-comfortable interiors perfect for hibernating
with the family or hosting summer parties. Beautiful family onsens are a highlight of each property.
“Growing up as an architect, you’re drenched with Japanese influence,” adds McIlduff. “Simple yet striking is our company’s design identity, something very evident in Japanese modernist design. The synergy between the Japanese and European styles is what captured our imagination for this project.”
But no trip to Japan is complete without a significant amount of time dedicated to epicurean delights, and accordingly we take the 90-minute road trip north from Hirafu to the famous Nikka Whisky’s Yoichi Distillery near the coastal settlement of Otaru and its warren of izakayas, eateries and historic buildings lining the old canals.
The increasing flow of well-heeled visitors to the island has fuelled the appearance of the many delicious indulgences Hokkaido has to offer. Demand for fine dining is high, pure ingredients are abundant and the competition is intense. Back in Hirafu, the one-Michelin-star Kamimura by Hokkaido-born chef Yuichi Kamimura lies right in the centre of the high street. A sampling of the summer menu on our first night in Niseko set the culinary bar very high, peaking with the chargrilled wagyu beef.
In summer and autumn, Hokkaido’s wonderfully rich agricultural produce flourishes. Just take the fare at Maccarina, an auberge in Makkari village not far from Niseko. The summer tasting menu offers refreshing, mouth-watering bite-size morsels such as ama-ebi shrimp poach, foie-gras terrine and flavoursome vegetables from the restaurant’s own garden.
“Just as it’s snowy and white in winter,” Jamieson says, “it’s lush and green in the summer. A lot of that is farming and all the local produce is just so delicious and fresh.”
An experience for those willing to get a little more involved in the story of local cuisine is Hokkaidian Homestead, an intimate seafood and farm-to-table venue that seats and serves one group at a time. We dine on fresh scallop and uni, taste seared local flounder with vegetables all grown on local farms a stone’s throw away, and sip delicious orangetinged Italian biodynamic wine while nibbling on thin slices of locally cured prosciutto (the region is famous for its pork) draped over the sweetest Hokkaido honeydew melons.
Opened in 2018 by former Hong Kong financier Ian Hong and his Japanese wife Noriko Matsushita, the operation is run by the duo with the help of locally based French chef Bastian out of a cottage in the rolling green hills of Date near Lake Toya. Guests are served lunch or dinner, but help out cooking some of the dishes while learning about the best nature can offer, a refreshingly intimate and magical experience and one that exemplifies the joys of these warmer, snowfree Hokkaido seasons.
IN SUMMER AND AUTUMN, HOKKAIDO’S RICH AGRICULTURAL PRODUCE FLOURISHES