Sapporo Teine Review on SkiAsia.com
Occasionally as a writer you have a moment where your experience in business and some personal passion intersect; this week I had such an experience. Our friends at SkiAsia.com published a feature I wrote about the beauty and adventure on offer at Sapporo Teine, a ski resort near Sapporo, Japan.
I most often write about real estate in Hokkaido. But as this part of Japan is a premiere destination for powder snow, I know there is quite a bit of overlap between the most sought after property and the best locations to ski and snowboard in Hokkaido.
Hokkaido has a strong reputation for world-class, amazing powder snow. It is a common story that travel and adventure might bring skiers to Hokkaido (perhaps year after year), and then as their relationship with this part of Japan develops, they want to be here more often, and that begins a pursuit of real estate, perhaps they buy a place, and come back to their property each year. That pattern repeats itself in ski communities around the world.
While there is, in fact, epic snow thorough Hokkaido, Niseko tends to steal the show. And as so much of the attention is focused on the Niseko ski resorts, opportunities in Sapporo and at Sapporo Teine remain somewhat “secret” and undersold.
“My theory is that for visitors to Hokkaido, Niseko is such a big draw, it captures all the attention, and Teine is consistently overlooked.”
As I researched how Niseko ski videos have affected the reputation of Hokkaido, I had the chance to see how filmmakers and photographers see Hokkaido, where they put their focus, and how they frame the story of the potential of Hokkaido.
I did some research recently for a project about the best videos of skiing in Hokkaido. In a list of 35 videos, with so much coverage of Niseko, there was only one mention of Teine.
It’s true; In all that research, I only noticed one clear reference to Teine. That is strange for two reasons: 1. Teine is actually the most central ski resort in Hokkaido (with easy access, even by public transportation, from downtown Sapporo). 2. And the snow is incredible.
Why doesn’t Sapporo Teine get more attention?
Most visitors to Hokkaido come through Chitose airport, they may even stay in Sapporo for a night or two, but typically pass on to Niseko. And while Niseko is a proper jewel of Hokkaido, Sapporo has it’s own kind of “sparkle.”
The small towns of Kutchan, Niseko, and Rankoshi form what we call “Niseko,” and are a fantastic destination in their own right. Property in Niseko is red hot, and prices are up (year after year). We have written elsewhere about how Niseko has become a kind of victim of it’s own success (and it is next to impossible to rent an apartment in Niseko for the season).
Compared to The Story of Niseko, both the property in Sapporo and the skiing at Sapporo Teine are relatively “undiscovered.” Which (for now) means shorter lift lines (and much lower prices for property).
So as Niseko is somewhat overrun and Sapporo is generally undervalued, I guess I can say… thank you!
While Niseko has a remarkable marketing effort behind it, there is so much more to offer here in Hokkaido. The city of Sapporo is more than 100X the size of the Niseko region, with more accommodations, nightlife, shopping, jobs, and education opportunities. While Niseko has dreams of being a proper-year round destination, Sapporo Teine is another example of how Hokkaido already offers the opportunity to ski during the day and have all the amenities of a big city in the same day (with no commute).
While there are already so many voices touting Niseko, it feels good to be a voice for Sapporo.
A SKIER’S TRIBUTE TO SAPPORO TEINE, “ONE OF THE BEST PLACES TO SKI IN THE ENTIRE WORLD”
My profile of Sapporo Teine comes from personal experience; I have over 100 days on that mountain. This season, with the article in mind, I paid special attention every moment I was up there. I worked to “see with new eyes,” so I could provide a clear, insider’s view of the potential of our local powder. It’s a “pride” piece, in many ways. Wanting to show off our local mountain to the readers at SkiAsia helped me to develop a deeper relationship with the mountain.
Writing the article was a fantastic experience; I’d like to spend more time writing about the mountains of Hokkaido (and perhaps I already am?!).
My thanks to the marketing team at Sapporo Teine (and at their parent company, Kamori Kanko Co., Ltd.). They helped me clarify some of my thoughts and confirm some ideas I had about the mountain. I appreciate their support.
And big thanks to SkiAsia, for the opportunity. Their tag line is “Information on skiing in Japan, Korea and China,” and they certainly do offer extensive content about skiing in these cooler part of Asia. SkiAsia was excellent to work with, and I’m grateful for the opportunity.
Thank you.