Niseko resorts being developed?

[ILoveZao 8]

I read many times about new buildings and accommodations in Niseko area in recent years, but is the skijo being developed at all? Like lift and infrastructure? I would be interested to know it.

 

Thank you.

[RobBright 35]

Yeah, must say, some of the lifts around the Grand Hirafu area looked like they could have done with replacing.

[Go Native 70]

Since some foreign owners have started buying up areas of the resort like Hanazono and Niseko Village they seem to have long term master plans that include lift development. As we all know the Japanese seem to have forgotten how to invest in anything new so the existing Japanese owners of Hirafu and Annupuri don't appear to have any grand plans of redevelopment. In fact it's hard to determine if they ever have plans for anything at all....

For instance summer is just a few months away. What grand plans do Tokyu have to increase summer tourism to the resort? If you know of any please let me know

Useless as tits on a bull the lot of them.

[thursday 1]

they bothered to put up holiday pair I 'spose.

 

Where else has a new lift been put up in the last 2 years?

[Go Native 70]

Oh there's been a few new lifts around Japan but certainly not many.

Holiday Pair wasn't a bad idea but they have virtually no support facilities for beginners at the base. They have no magic carpets for complete beginners and kids. There's just so much more that could be done. They own the Kogen Hotel and let one of foreign ski schools owned by Hanazono to run out of there! Instead of developing their own ski school up to an international standard that can cater to foreigners as well as the domestic market. Ahhhh just don't get me started....So many missed opportunities and so little vision.

[BagOfCrisps 24]

Go on, GN, keep going....!

[quattro 1]

The Tour de Hokkaido will be starting in Kutchan this year. That should bring in some tourist to the area.

[Go Native 70]

Getting large numbers of tourists here is not the problem, we get that. I have a problem with major local companies like Tokyu having done next to nothing over the last 7 or 8 years to take advantage of the growth in the foreign market that foreigners have created for them. They've changed hardly a thing in the way they manage the resort to accommodate this emerging market. They've made little to no effort at all to understand and cater to this market which is much more affluent than the domestic one. They're pretty damned pitiful at marketing to the domestic market as well. The litany of missed opportunities is near endless....as I said don't get me started

[Metabo Oyaji 71]

Originally Posted By: thursday

Where else has a new lift been put up in the last 2 years?

Grandee Hatoriko apparently installed a new high-speed quad (5 m/s, "fastest in Fukushima Prefecture!") two years ago. This replaced a slower, pre-existing lift of some kind.

Inawashiro also replaced one of their lifts two years ago. (I think this may be what is now called the Hayama #3 Family lift.)

Adatara Kogen has also been advertising their "new" Gold Line lift this year, which is an extension (500 m -> 760 m w/mid-station) and upgrade from single to pair. The year before they upgraded their Orange Line lift from pair to quad.

[ILoveZao 8]

Interesting.

Thank you.

[HelperElfMissy 42]

Isn't there a little magic carpet in the small enclosed area near the Kogen for the littlies?

 

I agree the provisions at Hanazono are MUCH better for the beginners - I was watching our kids using the sleds there one day while a challenged boy (Autistic at a guess) was doing his first ski lessons - and without simple systems like a magic carpet he wouldnt have been able to manage, but with it and the supurb instructor he did really really well.

 

There is certainly more scope for catering to littlies and newbies.

[Jimmer 2]

The magic carpet over on the King side is only for NISS. Would be nice to have something similar over on Family, or maybe at the base of Ace as there's a bit more space there.

 

The lifts here could really do with an overhaul, too many old slow lifts, and the positioning of some of them is bizarre, why do they want us to walk uphill so much?

[scouser 4]

Any plans to renew them?

Must be one of the few resorts in Japan that isn't bleeding money....

[quattro 1]

The problem I see with Japanese management is no one knows how to make a decision. Upgrading the lift will keep getting kicked up the food chain till it reaches some one at the top who cant tell the difference between a magic carpet and a flying carpet.

[Go Native 70]

Originally Posted By: scouser

Any plans to renew them?
Must be one of the few resorts in Japan that isn't bleeding money....

In a company like Tokyu they maintain the old time Japanese practice of promoting from within. This often means people are promoted into roles they have had no prior experience in and no qualifications for. It appears those at the top here are generally in the last 5-10 years or so before retirement. When they retire they'll get a very nice company pension to live out their days in comfort. The very last thing they want to do during those last few years is well pretty much anything. They especially don't want to do anything possibly a little risky or different to what is normally done. Why would you? You'll likely get nothing extra if it's successful but you can risk losing face after a lifetime of dedication to the company if it's not. So you do nothing, it's the safest thing to do. Hopefully the company doesn't go bust whilst your in charge, let the next guy worry about that....

[Yuki's Passion 1]

Originally Posted By: Go Native

Since some foreign owners have started buying up areas of the resort like Hanazono and Niseko Village they seem to have long term master plans that include lift development. As we all know the Japanese seem to have forgotten how to invest in anything new so the existing Japanese owners of Hirafu and Annupuri don't appear to have any grand plans of redevelopment. In fact it's hard to determine if they ever have plans for anything at all....
For instance summer is just a few months away. What grand plans do Tokyu have to increase summer tourism to the resort? If you know of any please let me know
Useless as tits on a bull the lot of them.

I thought golf was the big thing up there in summer? Dont you guys have golf tournaments?

[muikabochi 208]

So are there not companies wanting to buy the company in order to shake it up and move forward?

[joshnii 2]

Go Native, do Tokyu not employ any gaijin at all?

Seems strange that they wouldn't up there, though if they are I suppose it might just be a position of no real influence/power.

[Go Native 70]

They haven't employed any I know of.

[joshnii 2]

Interesting. Do most of the busineeses up there feel the same way about them (being dinosaurs?)

 

Cheers.