Our Setsu Journey Part 3 - A Serendipitous Ski Holiday

What was your vision for what you wanted to create with Setsu as a Niseko holiday retreat?

We have been studying the rich history of ski culture and the style of services in resorts like Zermatt, Aspen, Whistler, Courchevel. We want to bring the romance of the European off-piste lifestyle into Niseko, if you remember how these resorts were depicted in the movies in the old days, the whole après-ski experience was very different.  The food, the music, the cognac, everyone is having a good time; these are the type of experiences that I am trying my best to recreate at Setsu Niseko.

If you look at where we are with the development of Setsu Niseko today, all these important fundamentals of a good ski resort are in place.  Setsu Niseko’s services and facilities will capture everything you need; public and private onsen, wellness centre, beauty spa, yoga studio, a children’s room, seasonal events and activities, a gymnasium, ski shop, ski concierge, guest services.  And when it comes to restaurants, Setsu Niseko will have one of the widest range of professionally managed restaurants of international standard for guests to enjoy. 

Aside from our in-house facilities and services, helping guests discover those experiences is something that we are very focused on. There is so much to do in the local area, whether it be cultural journeys, wellness or more adventurous activities. Our team will be there to help guests discover the hidden experiences for a truly memorable holiday. 

I remember one year I took my 90-year-old parents along with us, we had pretty much three generations together. Yet and each of us could find things to do, to have a memorable holiday. That is very powerful. For the older folks, they were able to walk in the snow, stroll around the shops in Kutchan, visit Otaru, enjoy the onsen, visit the tofu shop, so many things they could do. And then in the evening, we would all join together for dinner. It was such a wonderful experience. Unforgettable. 

You’re obviously very experienced in developing large scale projects in high-profile locations. How did this experience ensure Setsu’s architecture integrated within the Hirafu landscape?

We are probably the largest project in the Hirafu area, it is not huge by international standards, but for a small town like Niseko, it’s very large. The architecture must be timeless, must be practical, stand up to the harsh environment. But most importantly it must also have the presence of the place. At SC Global, we are very particular about having the right architecture, the right design, even the right artwork that reflects the place. We don’t want a New York or Singapore style design in a ski resort.  So if you take a look at the Setsu Niseko interior you will find that the design is very Japanese. When you stay at Setsu Niseko, we want you to experience Japan, there is a lot of wood to give warmth to the space and a number of Japanese elements in the interior design, the shoji screens, the washi paper on the walls and authentic tatami rooms. We have spared no effort to make sure that we get it right.  

Can you give us a peek into your crystal ball – How do you see Niseko maturing over the next 10-20 years?

That is an easy question because I thought about this a lot when I first decided to embark on the development of the site.  I went to school in Seattle Washington, which is very close to Vancouver. That was in the late 70s.  I have always felt and told friends at the time that Niseko today is like Whistler was 50 years ago. Whistler was a quiet sleepy town with just one hotel and now look at it today. Demand creates supply and supply creates demand.  It’s a process where people demand the convenience of facilities, luxury hotels, the reliable brand names that they recognise. Those are the places they will go to the first time, after that as people get to know the town well, they move on to even more luxurious hotels, but without the need for international branding, something more local and unique. Niseko is still developing and with the Shinkansen train coming in 2030, it will really open up the domestic market and bring the charms of Niseko back to the local market.

Reproduction of an interview in Powderlife Winter 2021/22