SNOW PLACE LIKE HOME

Niseko, Japan's premium ski resort town, is undergoing a luxury development boom. We speak to some key players about the region's allure and its growing popularity as a year-round destination 

- Coco Marett

Every continent ski destination in the world has a signature for the ultra-high-net-worth guest. In Asia, that will be Niseko," says Michael Chen, co-CEO and founder of HakuLife, which manages luxury properties and curates exclusive experiences for the elite who visit the town. He's also the developer of award-winning properties Hakuchōzan and Haku Villas.

Chen first visited Niseko in 2010 with his three children. "It was my first holiday with them as a single dad," he says. "We fell in love with the place, and continued to visit Niseko at least once or twice a year after that."

During one of those visits, with an hour to kill before heading to the airport, Chen asked a friend who worked in real estate to drive him around. "He showed me a piece of land, and I made an offer on the spot. By the time I got to the airport, I received a message that the seller had accepted my offer," says Chen, who was based in Hong Kong at the time. "I always wanted to have a family home, and I thought, what if I build a home in Niseko? Even if we won't be there all the time, it's a place where we can build years of memories."

It was here that he built Hakuchōzan, a seven-bedroom chalet on the Middle Hirafu Village bluff with spectacular views of Mount Yotei. "I designed the home functionally for my family. We love to entertain, and we love having multiple spaces to relax, like onsen or by a fireplace," says Chen, who had previously spent 15 years in the integrated resort business with brands including Caesars and Crown Resorts. "I spent a large part of my career serving ultra-high-net-worth partners and clients, and I was confident that the market was there. So I took a risk, and went to market with a catered chalet experience, similar to those in Europe, that included butlers, private chefs, chauffeurs-a high level of hospitality and curation," he says. "Back in 2016, Niseko didn't really have that."