Hokkaido Turns To Golf Tourism
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escape Hokkaido Turns To Golf Tourism By Paul Myers There’s an old adage that if you want to play golf in spectacular surroundings, go to the coast or the mountains. I t’s true. But so far, perhaps because of golf’s Scottish links origins, seaside courses have received most of the kudos and attention. Think St Andrews and Pebble Beach, any number of layouts in Hawaii or Majorca and Melbourne’s famous sand belt. Golf and coastal environments just seem to go together. Now, the mountains are fighting back. And Japan’s most northern island of Hokkaido, famous for its powder snow in winter that attracts skiers from around the world, is at centre stage. Australian entrepreneur, Peter Murphy – who put skiing in Japan on the map in the late 1990s – believes the Niseko region of western Hokkaido could become as famous for golf as for skiing. Seeking to emulate Whistler in Canada, Vail and Aspen in the US and Queenstown, New Zealand, he sees no reason why tourism should dry up when the snow melts. This year, his company, SkiJapan.com, is launching YoteiGolf.com, an initiative that packages five rounds of golf with accommodation and car hire for 81,500-yen (approx. SGD$1325) quad share to 113,750-yen (approx. SGD$1850) twin share. Airfares to and from Sapporo are additional. “Not many people outside Japan realise what the region offers outside the ski season, but with the launch of Yotei Golf, golf travellers can now add Hokkaido to their future warm weather travel considerations,” he says. “As well as golf, there’s white-water rafting, sea kayaking, cycling and mountain biking, onsen mineral spring baths and you can hike to the top of Mt Yotei if you’re fit enough.” Last November, the Japan National Tourism Organisation participated in golf tourism’s major annual showcase, the International Golf Tourism Operators’ travel market, held in Belek, Turkey, where it announced its intention to promote golf tourism. “Japan is in a very lucky situation. It has a wonderful golf 88 wGolf Asia
Hanozono's 17th tee is an
inviting view, till you see
the landing zone.
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escape The twinpeaks overlooking Riverwood. 90 wGolf Asia
“It’s great value for money with some of the best
golf you’ll play anywhere in the world, as well
as offering a wonderful culture and environment,
food and wine.”
destination, but it’s totally undiscovered,” Niseko is among them.
IAGTO’s chief executive, Peter Walton, said Hokkaido, a one-hour flight north from
after a visit there last August. “It’s great Tokyo, is a laid-back, friendly, mountainous
value for money with some of the best and mostly rural island known for its fresh
golf you’ll play anywhere in the world, as produce, especially potatoes. With just 5.5
well as offering a wonderful culture and million people, it is the least populated region
environment, food and wine.” of Japan.
For a region virtually unknown as a Although the golf season is short – from
golf destination, there are 170 courses May through October – playing 36 holes in a
on Hokkaido – more than most major day is feasible in high summer. But if you want
international cities. A dozen are within easy something more relaxing, golf in the morning
reach of Grand Hirafu, accommodation central followed by traditional Japanese lunch and a
for the Niseko area in winter and summer. relaxing hot onsen bath is hard to beat.
Numerous others are scattered around the It’s a toss-up as to which is Niseko’s best golf
island, including near the regional capital of course. Hanozono, Niseko Village course with
Sapporo – all at reasonable walk-in prices. its accompanying centrepiece Hilton Hotel,
Many layouts were developed during the and Riverwood stand out.
1980s Japanese economic and golf bubble All the while, Mt Yotei – an 1898-metre
that burst in the early 1990s, turning a bevy extinct volcano – is omnipresent. Such is the
of private clubs into public-access courses, and topography of the region that all physical
dramatically lowering prices. landmarks surround the mountain that locals
This reality belies a common western belief have traditionally called Ezo Fuji (Hokkaido’s
that golf is out of reach of most Japanese, Mt Fuji). With good reason: the resemblance is
who supposedly can only go to a driving remarkable.
range, and therefore are too expensive to Yotei may suddenly appear at any moment
attract visitors. But apart from a handful of on any golf course, or anywhere else for that
exclusive private clubs around Tokyo and matter.
Osaka, there are plenty of opportunities to Hanozono, owned by a ski company,
play golf in a country with 2500 courses boasts perhaps the best course in the area.
– second only to the United States – and The immaculately groomed layout features
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escape Mount Yotei features heavily in the scenery. 92 wGolf Asia
In winter the ski resort
is very popular.
beech tree-lined fairways, wonderful scenery A second Rusutsu golf complex, 45 minutes
(including Mt Yotei) and four of the best par- from Niseko, features twin wood and river
3s on one course in Japan. courses and stunning mountain scenery. This
The 17th hole, which plays 214 yards from aptly named Riverwood duo, ranks alongside
a highly elevated back tee to a narrow green Hanozono as the best in the region. The
protected by a lake, epitomises Niseko golf: wood course, at 817 yards (6231 metres) is a
scenic, challenging-yet-enjoyable and truly much tougher test that its sister river layout
memorable. that plays fully 700 yards shorter.
The Niseko Village course, designed by The Japanese-style clubhouse is a feature in
Arnold Palmer, is at the base of a ski field, itself and a teppanyaki-style barbecue on the
with a top-notch Hilton hotel offering ext terrace at the end of the round is one of the
accommodation and facilities, including many pluses.
spa, onsen baths and four practice holes, For more information about Niseko visit
is another cracker. The challenge layout is www.niseko-ta.jp / www.town.niseko.lg.jp/
a par-73, thanks to a whopping 721-yard english / http://www.nisekotourism.com/en.
(659-metre) par 6 10th hole. For its golf courses, including stay and play
Its sister course known, as Fukui is as packages, visit www.yoteigolf.com.
dramatic as any in the region. With sharp
elevation changes, deep rough and out-of- Location and Climate
bounds on almost every hole it’s a tough Niseko is located in western Hokkaido, an
uphill/downhill walk, so a cart is advisable. island in northern Japan, surrounded by Mts.
Another ski resort, known as Rustsu has a Yotei, Niseko Annupuri and other mountains.
beautiful undulating course that starts on one The average annual temperature is as low
of its winter ski runs – a ski lift running up the as 6.3ºC. In winter, the northwest monsoon
left side of the opening hole. brings moisture from the sea, causing a lot
Although not as challenging as some of snowfalls upon hitting the mountains. This
others in the area, it compares favourably is a heavy snowfall area; the deepest snow
with resort courses in other locations and accumulation of the year is two meters. The
is especially enjoyable if combined with the melted snow flows into the Shiribetsu and
resort’s extensive facilities. other rivers running through the town. a
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escape
Getting there:
n From Tokyo
1h 30min from Haneda to Shin Chitose Airport and
1h and 12 min from the airport to the Otaru Station
by the JR line “Kaisoku Airport” (Rapid Service)
1h and 40min from Otaru to Niseko Station by JR
Hakodate Line.
n From Sapporo
3h from Sapporo to Niseko by local bus.
n From Hakodate
1h and 20min Hakodate to Oshamanbe Station by
JR line “Super Hokuto” (limited express) and 1h
and 30 min from Oshamanbe to Niseko Station by
local train
n Population An onsen or hot spring.
Niseko, a small town with a population of 4,685 (as
of February 28, 2011), welcomes as many as 1.5
million tourists annually. and lily bulbs, of which their potatoes and writers with connections with Niseko. Arishima,
asparagus are especially famous for their taste. upon inheriting his father’s farmland in Niseko,
n Origin of the town’s name allowed his tenant farmers to co-own their share
Niseko means “vertical cliff” in the language of It is also possible to make a sightseeing trip from of land without charge. In honour of his charitable
Hokkaido’s indigenous people, the Ainu. Niseko to the neighbouring towns of Kutchan and spirit, the Arishima Takeo Memorial Museum was
Rusutsu, both known as ski resorts like Niseko, and built on the former site of the Arishima’s farm.
n Industry to Otaru, which is famous for canals and sushi.
The mainstay industries of Niseko are agriculture n Landscape conservation
and tourism. The primary agricultural products n Culture Niseko’s magnificent landscape and clear-blue
include potatoes, rice, melons, asparagus, tomatoes Takeo Arishima (1878 to 1923) is one of the sky never fail to fascinate visitors and have
implemented regulatory
measures against
reckless development to
protect these splendid
views for years to come.
Community development
in an environmentally
friendly manner
Based on the Basic
Plan for Environmental
Conservation,
Niseko promotes
the conservation of
water and natural assets to achieve a good
balance between environmental protection and
economic development. They promote garbage
separation and recycling programs and improve
waste treatment plants to ensure community
development in an environmentally friendly
manner.
n Kira Street
When it was decided to improve the town’s
Hondori district, the local residents organized
a council to set the criteria for local landscape
conservation so that an orderly streetscape
befitting Niseko would be produced and Kira
Street is the outcome of that effort. (Source: NISEKO Town)
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