The first workshop on colors in the natural landscape was held on April 4. There were about 40 participants including 6 from the Kutchan town assembly, were are all apparently avid painters (just kidding). A second workshop will be held at Restaurant Payoka at the Niseko Kogen Hotel from 1 to 4pm on May 20th. The organizers are very keen for all of you busy Niseko-Hirafu types to attend, so simultaneous interpretation will be provided.

If you've made a recent Niseko property or real estate purchase, or are considering one, this is your opportunity to find out what colors the community and the local bureacracy consider acceptable.

Other mind blowing content

• Review of the 1st meeting.
• A sampling of colors found naturally in the Niseko-Hirafu and Kutchan landscape.
• A lecture on the psychology of colors.
• An explanation of the application procedures when you change the colors of your building.
• And finally: A discussion of Niseko-Hirafu as an international resort.
  • Some of the results from a survey of overseas ski tourists will be presented.
  • Discussions on "tourism resources" and "the future of the community."

To participate please contact Kumagai, Konishi, or Nishiguchi at the Town of Kutchan's Landscape Enhancement Divisions of the Residential and Urban Planning Section by e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it by the 19th of May.

From Press Release dated 15th April 2008 available here.
Renowned Ski Destination in Japan to be Paired with Top-Tier Luxury Resort as Capella Hotels and Resorts Announces Capella Niseko: Tadao Ando to Design Resort and Residences set to open in 2010

When the world's best ski "powder" meets the world's premier new hospitality brand, the result is: Capella Niseko. Annupuri-Niseko Mountain in Niseko, Japan is renowned among skiers for offering some of the world's very finest powder (a fine, dry powder snow that blows across from Siberia) and the new Capella Hotels and Resorts Brand, led by legendary hotelier Horst Schulze of Ritz-Carlton fame, has quickly earned a reputation for its commitment to personalized luxury. Annupuri Land L.P. and Capella Hotels and Resorts today announced plans for Capella Niseko, a luxury resort and residences set on 32 acres adjacent to Annupuri-Niseko Mountain in Niseko, Japan and scheduled to open in 2010. The announcement included the news that famed architect Tadao Ando will design Capella Niseko, which is located in Hokkaido, the northernmost of Japan's four main Islands. Hokkaido welcomes direct international flights to Sapporo's new Chitose Airport.

The new Capella Hotels and Resorts Brand, led by hotelier Horst Schulze of Ritz-Carlton fame, is coming to Niseko. Annupuri Land L.P. and Capella Hotels and Resorts has today announced plans for Capella Niseko, a luxury resort and residences set on 32 acres adjacent to Annupuri-Niseko Mountain in Niseko, Japan and scheduled to open in 2010.

The announcement included the news that famed architect Tadao Ando will design Capella Niseko, which is located in Hokkaido, the northernmost of Japan's four main Islands. Hokkaido welcomes direct international flights to Sapporo's new Chitose Airport.

Tadao Ando, born in 1941 in Osaka, Japan, has become one of the world's most respected architects. His work has been honored with nearly every major architecture award in the world including the Alvar Aalto Medal (Finland), Gold Medal of Architecture - Academie d'Architecture, Chevalier de l'Ordre National de la Legion d'Honneur (France), the Praemium Imperiale (Japan); and the Pritzker Architecture Prize, Gold Medal of the American Institute of Architects (USA) and Gold Medal of Union Internationale des Architectes. Despite never having received formal training in the field, Ando's work has influenced a generation of architects, and has emphasized a creative use of natural light and forms that follow the natural contour of the landscape. Today, Mr. Tadao Ando said, "We would like to respect the natural beauty of Niseko creating a symbiotic and comfortable relationship with the environment."

Horst Schulze, CEO of West Paces Hotel Group, which launched the Capella Hotels and Resorts brand, commented, "We're honored to have been selected by Annupuri Land to bring the vision of an intimate and exclusive resort and residences to life in such an extraordinary setting. We're equally honored," Schulze continued, "to work with an architect of Tadao Ando's stature. We know that Capella Niseko will perfectly embody the Capella philosophy - in which the guest determines the experience at all times. Here, guests may choose an atmosphere of serenity and renewal at one moment – or opt for the excitement of world-class outdoor recreation the next."

Ernest Tsang, General Partner of Annupuri Land, commented, "Our goal at Capella Niseko is to create a resort in which personalized service of the very highest level is delivered during every aspect of the guest's stay or the residential owner's experience. We know that in Tadao Ando Architects & Associates and Capella Hotels and Resorts we have selected the very best in their fields."

Set on 32 wooded acres including a stream, hot springs, and sweeping views of the valley below, Capella Niseko will feature an intimate 80-room resort. Each room will feature a private onsen (natural hot spring bath) and will be complemented by the finest luxury amenities. Beautiful outdoor spaces will be created, providing myriad vantage points to experience the landscape. The resort will surround a "village center" with facilities including an ice skating rink, Auriga spa, wellness center, pools, tennis courts, fine dining restaurant, an "apres ski," lounge, and retail venues.

Capella Niseko will also feature approximately 150 residences, including villas, townhouses and condominiums. Each villa and townhouse will have fireplaces, decks, outdoor spaces, and indoor/outdoor onsen. The residences will be provided with the impeccable services of Capella Hotels and Resorts, including access to all resort amenities, as well as special arrangements from a personal chef available to serve in- home to a ski valet and recreation concierge. The resort and residences are just 2 minutes from the ski mountain, with personalized luxury transport provided to guests and residents.

Though skiing has brought international acclaim to Niseko, the resort and residential property will have year-round appeal – as the region is renowned for its natural beauty and recreational opportunities, including golf, horseback riding, rafting, hiking, and more. The serene setting also provides the ideal ingredients for Capella Niseko's wellness center and Auriga Spa, which will welcome residents and visitors throughout the year.

Ben Wood Studio Shanghai is serving as the project's master planner. Ben Wood's design for Xintiandi, a cultural entertainment district in Shanghai, received the 2003 Award of Excellence from the Urban Land Institute. In the United States, Wood was Chief Architect of New Soldier Field in Chicago, home of the Chicago Bears. Co-designed with his former partner Carlos Zapata, New Soldier Field was named by the New York Times as one of the ten best buildings of 2003. Following the completion of the New Soldier Field, Wood set up a full time design studio in Shanghai. BenWood STUDIOSHANGHAI has helped transform the urban landscape of modern China, with current projects including the North Bund project, major mixed-use complexes in Chongqing, Wuhan, Hangzhou and three large residential communities: Cambridge WaterTown, Cambridge Forest, and Westwood Green.

Interior design for Capella Niseko will be provided by Peter Silling, Hotel Interior Design (HID). HID has offices in Cologne Germany and Hong Kong, and specializes in interior design for the international luxury hotel and restaurant market. Peter Silling is responsible for acclaimed interior design at several Capella Hotels and Resorts including Schloss Velden, a Capella Hotel, in Velden Austria and Capella Castlemartyr, in County Cork, Ireland.

The announcement of plans for Capella Niseko comes during a series of international openings and announcements for the Capella Hotels and Resorts brand. A total of nine Capella hotels worldwide have been announced, including Capella Singapore, set to open on Sentosa Island in the first quarter of 2009. Schloss Velden, a Capella Hotel, in Austria, and Capella Castlemartyr, located in Cork, Ireland became the first Capella Hotel and Resorts properties to open when they launched in 2007 and both hotels have earned superb reviews. Breidenbacher Hof, a Capella Hotel in Dusseldorf Germany, is scheduled to open on May 19th, 2008, and additional Capella Hotels and Resorts have been announced for Ireland, Mexico and the United States. More...