Photo/Illutration Visitors ski in the town of Kutchan, Hokkaido, on Dec. 7. (Takayuki Kakuno)

Snowboarders and skiers from the world over are joyfully cutting through fresh northern powder once more with the seasonal opening of the famed international ski resorts in Niseko, Hokkaido. 

English and Chinese were both heard throughout the slopes of Niseko Tokyu Grand Hirafu, a resort on Niseko Annupuri, on Dec. 7.

Some skiers carved out waves of snow as they flew down the mountain that sits at an elevation of 1,308 meters. 

The return of Niseko's silken powder is especially welcome after a lack of snow pushed back the resort's opening by one day when it kicked off winter operations earlier this month.

The opening of specific slopes is growing, also based on the amount of snowfall, with other resorts on the mountain in similar situations.

The number of foreign tourists to Niseko has recovered to nearly 90 percent of pre-COVID levels and expectations for inbound tourism continue to increase. According to statistics from the towns of Kutchan and Niseko that make up the area, the total number of visitors was 2.9 million in fiscal 2023.

However, growing numbers of visitors mean long lines at the lifts. To account for this and boost transportation capacity, the resort now has new 10-seater gondolas that are 1.5 times faster than the previous fittings and have a maximum speed of 21 kph.

The prior four-seat lifts were the oldest in Japan and had been in use since 1985.

Tokyu Fudosan Holdings Corp.'s group companies plan to invest 10 billion yen ($66 million) from 2024 to 2026 to boost transportation capacities, including those of  gondolas, and improve the resort's restaurants and other facilities.

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