Setsu Niseko at Niseko United Resort, Japan, Wins 2023 Best New Hotel Award The newly built Setsu Niseko at Niseko United Resort in Japan has won the 2023 award for Best New Ski Hotel at the World Ski Awards. The World Ski Awards were launched in 2013 by the brains behind the World Travel Awards. World Ski Awards uses a voting system with votes sourced from ski tourism industry professionals, travel buyers, tour operators, […] Industry News Julia Schneemann | November 21, 2023 0 Comments
evo Expands Footprint in Japan with Acquisition of Bergland Hotel in Hakuba evo Hotel Hakuba Transformation and Rebrand Planned for Winter 2024-25 evo, the outdoor retail and experiences company, today announced the opening of their second evo Hotel. evo Hotel Hakuba follows the company’s first traditional hotel offering, evo Hotel Salt Lake, which debuted in 2022 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Related: Why Hakuba Valley, Japan Is The Real Deal For An […] Industry News SnowBrains | November 21, 2023 0 Comments
Shiga Kogen Mountain Resort in Nagano, Japan, Opening This Weekend The Yokoteyama ski area, part of the interconnected Shiga Kogen Mountain Resort near Nagano, Japan, has announced its official opening day. Yokoteyama will have a ‘pre-open’ for this weekend on November 18 and 19, 2023, then will shut for a couple of days before officially re-opening for the season on November 23, 2023. Shiga Kogen is in Yamanouchi in […] Industry News Mike Humphrey | November 17, 2023 0 Comments
Karuizawa Nagano, Japan, Report: Manmade Snow and Smiles Report from Wednesday, November 5, 2023 Last week, my feed started blowing up about ski resorts opening in Japan. While I couldn’t make it to Fujiyama Snow Sports Yeti (the four-hour drive is a little too far for me, no matter how ski-crazed I may be), when I heard that Karuizawa Nagano was open, I decided it was time to […] Conditions Report Mike Humphrey | November 14, 2023 0 Comments
Fujiyama Snow Resort Yeti First to Open in Japan For 25th Consecutive Year On October 20, 2023, Japan kicked off its winter season. Continuing its 25-year-long streak, Fujiyama Snow Resort Yeti was the first ski resort to open in Japan. The resort’s early start is no accident. The management team prides itself on its snowmaking ability. Each year, to retain its crown, the resort blows just enough snow to make a single […] Industry News Mike Humphrey | October 30, 2023 0 Comments
A $1.4 Billion Investment to Create a World Class Ski Destination in Japan We’ve probably all been to a ski resort that is a little bit smaller with a special place in our hearts. Those independently owned resorts keep the soul of skiing intact and are places where generations of families have learned to ski. Recently, it seems the skiing industry is making somewhat of a trend to provide luxury services and amenities to […] Industry News Gregg Frantz | October 16, 2023 0 Comments
Sapporo, Japan, Withdraws Bid to Host 2030 Olympic Winter Games Amidst Bribery and Bid Rigging Scandals Japanese Olympic Committee officials and representatives from Sapporo, Japan, announced on Wednesday, October 11, 2023, that the city of Sapporo will withdraw its bid to host the 2030 Winter Olympics. The decision to withdraw the bid came due to a lack of public support amidst the scandals following the 2020 Tokyo Summer Games. Sapporo Mayor Katsuhiro Akimoto and Japanese Olympic […] Industry News Julia Schneemann | October 11, 2023 0 Comments
Indy Pass Adds 54 of the Biggest Resorts in Europe, Japan, and Canada SkiWelt, Austria; Big White, BC; and Kiroro, Japan, join Montana Snowbowl to lead the 23/24 class of new resorts totaling 183 worldwide The Indy Pass announced today that 54 new partner resorts (see below) have signed on for the 23/24 season, including some of the biggest in Europe, Japan, and Western Canada, and dozens of independent Alpine and Nordic resorts […] Industry News SnowBrains | October 10, 2023 0 Comments