La La La, Fu Fu Fu Summer Hirafu !

by Kazu

Going down the hillside of Mt. Niseko Annupri must be fun and the landscape of Mt. Yotei must give a special twist to going down the hillside by ski and snowboard.

Most of the bottom in the hollow between Mt. Yotei and Mt. Niseko Annupri seemed to be used as veggie fields and ranch. I am looking for the bumper crops of this year.

 

Niseko Tokyu Grand HIRAFU !

by Kazu

We arrived in the lodge near the peak of Mt. Niseko Annupri to have brunch like an afternoon-tea-set. Soon the lodge would be swamped by so many skiers and snowboarders in coming winter but it was not so crowded on that day.

The Tokyu Group run the facilities. It seemed that the real estate and tourism Group learned a lot on the design and function of the facilities required by the worldwide winter sports players.

Various kinds of liquors and wines were displayed on the shelf of the waiting bar near the entrance. I don't think the skiers and snowboarders drink a lot during their performance but some sips of alcohol may help them relax and warm up.

 

A New Accommodation under Construction !

by Kazu

This is the ranch run by the Municipality of Kutchan. I've never seen the cattle on the premises and in order to prevent foot−mouth- disease of cattle and pig, it is prohibited for outsiders to enter the premises strictly. 

The fog that had covered and filled Hanazono Area of Kutchan/Niseko started to disappear and the blue sky and bright white clouds could be seen from the ground.

I found new buildings under construction next to the premises of Hotel Park Hyatt Niseko Hanazono where we had stayed once and had dim sum lunch in China Kitchen many times before. The sign of the construction showed that it was for building two villas but it seemed much bigger than that .

 

Going up to the upper station on the hillside of Mt.Niseko Annupri !

by Kazu

We took the lift that connected Hirafu Slope Area and the sub\peak of Mt. Niseko Annupri for the first time to enjoy the brunch set in the lodge near the peak. Facing Mt. Yotei, we looked down the lower area at the foot of Mt. Niseko Annupri and Mt. Yotei,  

The hillside of Mt. Niseko Annupri had many mountain bike course to go down the hillside. Such activities had not been so popular in Japan before but the ample materials of tourism in this area allure many experts from foreign countries and established the perfect destination all the year round. 

The name of Niseko got so famous and popular, particularly for skiers and snowboarders now and even the broadcasting company BBC provided the weather forecast of Niseko as well as Whistler and Mont Tremblant in Canada and St. Moritz in Switzerland.

 

Niseko Hanazono early in the morning !

by Kazu

The forest and valleys may be soon developed for villas and hotels like a small village in Niseko Hanazono Area. I heard that some development projects had been suspended because of the steep rise of the construction costs including materials and fuels.

But as you may know, Japanese Yen is so weak and chap now and the labor cost is also very cheap nowadays, the development will soon be resumed and the landscape will change drastically.

I found a new villa under construction beside the way from Niseko to Iwanai Town on the west coast of Hokkaido island. Almost all the villas seemed to be facing Mt. Yotei with beautiful shape of typical Konide. Striking a balance between developments and conservation of nature must require high degrees of intelligence and technology, I think. 

 

Park Hyatt Niseko Hanazono in Autumn 2026！

by Kazu

I've never seen such many rooms of Hotel Park Hyatt Niseko Hanazono were lit in green season before. Even in the green season, Niseko/Kutchan Area of Hokkaido became one of the most popular destinations in Hokkaido.

The Ambassadors and staff of the embassies in Tokyo seemed to visit and stay there for pleasure. The grade of the facility provided by Hotel Hyatt  Group may be able to satisfy the visitors in higher bracket of foreign countries amply.

The bright moonlight over the mountains continued to make the shape of the clouds and the silhouette of the mountains clear. The area will be swamped by so many skiers and snowboarders in winter. Before the high season, the facilities will be closed for a while for maintenance.

 

The Fireworks in Niseko Hanazono Autumn 2026 !6

by Kazu

The parade of light-emitting optical fibers continued through the night so calmly but the sounds of explosion made by the fireworks of the event " the Mountain Lights" broke the silence for ten to fifteen minutes.

The scenery like a dream created by the steering committee that had carried out the event for years will not come again next year. I was wondering if the optical fibers will be reused or not. 

It's a pity that this scenery will not appear again next year but the steering committee that ran the event will figure out make another kinds of happiness absolutely, I think.  

 

The Fireworks in Niseko Hanazono Autumn 2026 ! 5

by Kazu

The variety of fireworks seemed to be ample to entertain the audiences in Niseko Hanazono for ten to fifteen minutes. On the hillside of Mt. Niseko Annupri, watching the fireworks over the illumination made of optical fibers might not need so long time. 

The event of "The Mountain Lights" may be resumed next year but it requires so many requests from the citizens and tourists who love the atmosphere an scenery created in the darkness.

I hope other kinds of nig events are being figured out now and they will strike us with new surprise and inspiration. Please keep watching the movem of this area and try them soon.

 

The Fireworks in Niseko Hanazono Autumn 2026 ! 4

by Kazu

The fireworks over the illumination on the hillside of Hanazono side of Mt. Niseko Annupri seemed to be saying "Good-bye" after years of the fabulous performance that allured and entertained the visitors from other areas on this globe and citizens of Kutchan and Niseko.

To be surprised, I had been assigned to the post that managed and controled the gunpowder and explosive materials last year. There are various kinds of regulations and rules to handle and stock the explosive materials including gunpowder.

In many cases, the local government officers, particularly the ones from the branch offices, must be watching and checking the gunpowder storage and the system that shoot the balls of fireworks.Nowadays, the collaborations of drones and fireworks seem to be in all over Japan but new rules must be installed as soon as possible.

 

The Fireworks in Niseko Hanazono Autumn 2026 ! 3

by Kazu

Even if the name of "Niseko Hanazono" got known worldwide, the fascinating event "the Mountain Lights" might as well be continued as it had been carried out for years, I think. It must have costed so much but the evening lift service for the event costed 2,500 Japanese Yen per diem that could cover a certain part of the total cost.

The visitors who didn't stay in the area but enjoy just watching the fireworks might have increased. Considering the maning cost of the event, the sponsors must have contemplated a variety of other tactics and strategy for the sustainable development of the area.

Some new buildings were under construction in Hanazono Area but I heard that some projects of development had already suspended because of the steep rise of the construction cost and lac of fuel.

 

The Fireworks in Niseko Hanazono Autumn 2026！2

by Kazu

As the event of "the Mountain Lights" would end up this year, the fireworks seemed to be more colorful than past years. I am not sure the cost of the fireworks but considering the finale of the event this year, the cost performance might be too tough to continue.

The competition among the east side of Niseko Annupri, Hirafu Side and Hanazono side, must be fine but the expenditure to allure the tourists to each area at the foot of Mt. Niseko Annupri  seemed to be not so effective nor efficient. 

On the other hand, Niseko Hanazono Area might have reached the stage where no more extra attraction is necessary to make the name known worldwide. If so, I am very happy but we would miss the beauty and calmness next year.