Chefs and designers have discovered that this sleepy town on Japan’s northern Hokkaido island was is a lovely spot in itself, with family-owned inns and spectacular views of impossibly symmetrical Mount Yotei. The well-heeled are arriving on direct flights from all over Asia to Sapporo’s New Chitose Airport, creating the region’s answer to Aspen and Courchevel. Tourism is expected to intensify when a high-speed train line to Tokyo begin service in 2015.

 

Text: AMURA ± Photo: Ryan McGinty, Chi King, ©JNTO, Heraldeixample, Citypictures.