Kanji, katakana and hiragana in place names

[BagOfCrisps 24]

OK perhaps a beginners question but....

 

For example, Niseko is ニセコ right? Which is katakana if I am correct.

Any particular reason that it isn't にせこ in hiragana?

 

I can see why perhaps Rusutsu is ルスツ　as that is the name of a skijo, even though there seems to be the actual town in kanji 　留寿都

But I presume ニセコ is more than just a name made up by a company.

 

Kind of interested in the reasons for things like this.

 

[Saitaman 1]

I think it's just the name it was given and as simple as that, Bag.

 

Then again, I know nothing and that's just a guess.

[RobBright 35]

I thought niseko ニセコ　was the Ainu name, and as such, was given katakana?

[LiquidX 0]

Yah, don't go to Niseko for your "Japanese culture"!

 

[Chriselle 158]

Yes, words like Niseko and Kamui are written in katakana due to their Ainu origins.

[gnarly-dude 1]

I did not know that.

Cheers.

[muikabochi 208]

I think for some ski-jo, the katakana thing is just "cool".

 

Like calling themselves 国際 might have been previously!

[Zer0star 0]

I think you'll also find a lot of the place names in Hokkaido are derived from the Ainu language, not just the ones in katakana. For example, Sapporo, Kutchan, Obihiro, Shimukappu, Kushiro etc etc. They are normally given kanji to match the Ainu language sound. (当て字). The name of the town Niseko comes from the Nisekoannupuri Mountain.

 

And here's a fun little fact, the area was originally called 'Kaributo' but this name had phallic connotations so they changed it to Niseko!