Alister

Kammui.com, the innovative Japanese experience platform, is a curated marketplace of delightful outdoor experiences that encompass a wide variety of carefully selected adventures, from private meditations in Kyoto to backcountry skiing in Hokkaido.

Originally launched in Japan only, the Kammui.com platform is now open to all international adventure enthusiasts, with Japan offering an incredibly rich and diverse set of nature-based activities that must be experienced at least once in a lifetime – but preferably, many times over!

Why is this important? Japan’s indigenous religion, Shinto, is characterized by a deep reverence for nature and the natural world, emphasizing the interconnectedness of humans and nature. Shinto teaches that humans are an integral part of the natural world and should strive to live in harmony with it, and the Kammui team believes that, in our modern, digitized and urbanized world, there is an increasing need to reassert our connection with nature. Scientific research continues to confirm that a connection with nature has important physical and mental health benefits, and so Kammui’s mission is simple: to create optimal pathways back to nature, leading to health, spirituality and sustainability.

Kammui was launched by Japanese-British entrepreneur Maximilian Mackee in 2022, inspired by Max’s love for backcountry snowboarding in the mountains of Japan.

The Kammui experience platform is the result, and provides its community with direct and seamless access to nature through its experienced guides and authentic nature based experiences, and with the pandemic now well behind us, seeing both domestic and international travel roaring back to life, people across the globe are seeking to reconnect with nature as never before.

Japan’s mesmerizing natural landscapes are amongst the world’s finest, and Kammui.com capitalizes on this in a genuinely authentic way, matching global adventure seekers with unforgettable experiences that are beautifully blended with Japanese culture.

For those seeking an even more curated and personalized experience, the company has given a sneak peek of Kammui+, which adds a new membership tier that even more discerning adventure seekers wanting the highest quality experiences will want to explore.

However, the Kammui.com platform is absolutely seeing the desire to reconnect with nature in passionately authentic ways, and we are excited to welcome not only our valued domestic users, but the global adventure seekers back to Japan to experience the best that Japan has to offer.

Not only does Kammui contribute to sustainability initiatives in partnership with Leave No Trace Japan, but Kammui is  working with a number of global ambassadors to help highlight Japan’s incredible nature. Kammui’s newest ambassador is the James Beard award winning Californian chef and author Stuart Brioza.

“Kammui takes adventure experiences to the next level, offering  deeper meaning and connection to a brilliant range of  Japanese nature experiences. Our upcoming Kammui+ service will enhance this even further, but we welcome you with open arms to see the Kammui experience platform for yourself, and to make sure you’re not missing out on the incredible world-class experiences Japan has to offer,” says Max Mackee,  Japanese-British founder of Kammui.

Kammui is proud to be backed by a number of influential individuals in the Japanese culture scene, including designer and artist Hiroshi Fujiwara, soccer star and investor Keisuke Honda, renowned product designer Ian Spalter, notable economist Jesper Koll and many more.

Kammui invites outdoor enthusiasts to visit the website at and for those interested in even more, to explore Kammui+.

About Kammui:

At Kammui, we believe in the transformative power of nature and the profound impact it can have on our well-being and spirituality. Launched in September 2022, Kammui partners with over 100 of the finest guides and operators across Japan to curate a diverse range of premium activities that allow people to connect with nature in memorable ways.

Kammui+ builds upon this solid foundation by offering access to a private concierge service, exclusive experiences and events and discounts from outdoor brands and other partners. Committed to environmental stewardship and responsible travel, Kammui+ aims to redefine outdoor experiences and foster a vibrant community while helping more people integrate nature into their lives.

Kammui+ members will also gain access to private members-only properties across Japan. These partner properties include Tokyo Classic Camp, Eat Play Works, Sunset Park Club, and Village Inc.

About the Founder

Maximilian Mackee

Max is a Japanese-British entrepreneur, lawyer and DJ who lived in Tokyo until the age 9 before moving to Europe. After graduating from the University of Nottingham, Max practiced as a lawyer in the U.K while running a music label and Djing.  Upon returning to Japan in 2006, he fell in love with the mountains of Japan through backcountry snowboarding. Max started Kammui.com in 2022, with the aim to connect more people to nature and positively impact health, spirituality and sustainability.

kammui.com 

For media inquiries, please contact:

Katia Shabanova

Public Relations Manager, Kammui+

Phone: +49(0)551-4886705 (Germany)

Email: [email protected]

The summer-long Niseko Hirafu Green Park is kicking off from Saturday, July 15th through Sunday, September 3rd, 2023.

You can enjoy local food, try out different activities including mountain bike, and special CINEMA CARAVAN from August 11th -13th.

Event Details:

Date: Saturday, July 15th – Sunday, September 3rd.

*CINEMA CARAVAN in Niseko from Friday, August 11th to Sunday, August 13th.

Time: 10:00 ~18:00 (Sunday – Friday); 11:00~21:00 (Saturday and special period: 7/15～7/17、8/6～8/13、9/1～9/3)

Location: Hirafu Central Park next to Hirafu #1 Parking

*The event schedule might change pending on weather.

For more details, please check HERE

This year Summerlife will be bilingual for the first time as Niseko businesses demand Japanese language information for customers.

Summerlife is the sister publication of Niseko’s popular Powderlife winter magazine.

During COVID publisher Niseko Media printed Powderlife in Japanese to help attract Japanese customers.

Now Summerlife follows suit, this time with English and Japanese together in the one bilingual magazine.

Summerlife Editor Kristian Lund said before COVID Powderlife was online in Japanese and Chinese, but the hardcopy only printed in English. 

“COVID allowed us an opportunity to focus on the Japanese market which has been fantastic for Niseko,” Mr Lund said. 

“While we printed the hardcopy Powderlife in Japanese, other businesses ramped up their Japanese language marketing material, and Niseko Tourism pivoted almost wholly towards targeting the domestic market.

“It was a demanding and difficult period, but now everyone in Niseko is benefitting from huge growth in domestic traveller numbers – it’s like a whole new market for us.

“This is especially important outside of winter with the boost in green season visitation leading to Summerlife’s evolution as a bilingual magazine.”

Niseko Tourism Chief Marketing Officer Acme Wu said Japanese visitor numbers had increased significantly since before COVID, and Summerlife was an important marketing tool to ensure this growth continued.

“Summerlife acts like an all-in-one marketing showcase for Niseko’s green season,” said Ms Wu. 

“The stunning photography and articles showcase the best of Niseko in one professionally produced package.

“With up-to-date information about events, restaurants and real estate listings, it is also the best local guide to summer for visitors when they are in Niseko.”

Mr Lund said Powderlife and Summerlife were the only professionally produced, independent magazines representing all businesses in Niseko:

• Editor – Kristian Lund is a former News Ltd newspaper journalist;
• Photo Editor – Aaron Jamieson is a National Geographic-published photographer;
• Editorial Manager – Chika Lund is a fourth-generation Niseko-resident working on several local tourism advisory boards;
• Japanese Editorial Advisor – Hiroki Yanagisawa is a journalist and media professional;
• Designer – Nobi Kashiwagi is the former Art Director for Vogue Magazine US.

Summerlife is also translated into traditional Chinese with 3,000 copies printed and distributed in Hong Kong and other Asian countries.

Media Inquiries:

Kristian Lund
[email protected]

080 4047 5615

Flywire is a payment platform for travel companies that provides customers with secure and streamlined ways to pay, so you can focus on what you do best–building unforgettable experiences, dedicated to international travels and businesses in Niseko.

We’re super excited to share our annual luxury travel report with you, What will define luxury travel in 2023. In our second annual report, we surveyed more than 600 luxury travelers from the United States to understand what they’re doing, where they’re going and how they will make their travel decisions in 2023.

We found that luxury travelers are ready to spend more time and money traveling in 2023–providing ample evidence of the resilience of the travel economy. Hybrid and flexible work, plus a level of comfort in stacking business and leisure travel, are giving space for longer and more frequent getaways, and making destinations that may be in their off-seasons appealing year-round.

This report is a must-read for agents and travel providers as it looks at the spending patterns, destination plans, and must-haves for luxury travelers in 2023.

In this interactive report, you can expect to learn:

• How much do luxury travelers plan to spend on their trips in 2023, and where do they want to travel to?
• How are flexible and hybrid work arrangements affecting luxury travel?
• How do luxury travelers view travel agents and advisors and what do they need in 2023?

How are luxury travelers looking at group travel, and what once-in-a-lifetime events are on their lists?

BANGKOK, Thailand — Organisers of the PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards have opened the call for entries for Greater Niseko at an opportune time for the world-renowned Japanese holiday property market.

The 5th PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards (Greater Niseko) are now accepting entries ahead of their presentation on Friday, 8 December 2023. The awards will be announced on an international stage at The Athenee Hotel, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Bangkok in Thailand, where the best of the best in the region’s real estate will gather to celebrate industry excellence. Submissions are accepted online via: asiapropertyawards.com/

The emergence of increasingly upscale communities and easy access for Asian tourists and second-home buyers continue to contribute to Niseko’s ascent, according to research from Property Report by PropertyGuru, the official magazine of the Awards.

With significant infrastructure developments in the pipeline, including a bullet-train route from Tokyo and a new regional highway, as well as a bid to host the 2030 Winter Olympics, Greater Niseko is bound for greater prominence in the coming years. While foreign families and individual investors continue to be the primary property buyers in the area, Greater Niseko is seeing renewed interest from Japanese individual and corporate buyers, many of whom are increasingly drawn to the area’s emerging enclaves.

Jules Kay, general manager of PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards and Events, said: “With its world-class hotels and hospitality projects, Greater Niseko continues to be a significant player in Asia’s property landscape, capturing the attention of investors, as well as the judges for the PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards. As cross-border travel resumes in Japan, we eagerly anticipate the rebound of tourism in Greater Niseko, and are pleased to recognise and award the development and design firms that are revitalising one of the world’s premier ski resort destinations.”

Key dates for the 2023 edition:
15 September 2023 – Entries Close
2-13 October 2023 – Site Inspections
18 October 2023 – Final Judging

8 December 2023 – Gala Event and Awards Ceremony in Bangkok, Thailand
8 December 2023 – Regional Grand Final Gala Presentation in Bangkok, Thailand

The public are encouraged to submit their nominations before the deadline of entries on 15 September 2023 here: asiapropertyawards.com/nominations

New chairperson elected

Experts in real estate consultancy, design, and other fields have been assembled to form a panel of judges who will participate in a fair, transparent process of selecting the award recipients. This year, Eddie Guillemette, CEO of Midori no Ki (MnK), will serve as the new chairperson of the independent panel of judges, succeeding Bill Barnett, founder and managing director of C9 Hotelworks, who will remain on the panel.

Eddie Guillemette said: “I’m delighted to announce the resumption of the search for outstanding developments, companies, and design practices in Greater Niseko through the PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards, in collaboration with an esteemed panel of independent judges. With the revitalisation of Japan’s tourism sector and its close association with the real estate industry, we hold a positive outlook for the Greater Niseko property market this year.”

Bill Barnett said: “Niseko is Asia’s leading alpine real estate market and on the cusp of even greater things with a pipeline of international hotel brands such as Six Senses and Capella adding traction to the branded residences sector. We are optimistic of a significant market uplift this year based on very strong fundamentals.”

The nominees shortlisted by the judges will be able to showcase their companies and projects to a wide network of property seekers, real estate agents, banks and valuers, and enterprises served by PropertyGuru Group (NYSE: PGRU), Southeast Asia’s leading property technology company.

Supervised by HLB, the global network of independent advisory and accounting firms, the awards programme makes full use of a professionally run judging system, with an established reputation for credibility and integrity.

Representation for Greater Niseko

Main winners of the PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards (Greater Niseko) will qualify to compete with the region’s best at the 18th PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards Grand Final, which will also be held in Bangkok, Thailand on 8 December 2023.

Greater Niseko was represented last year at the 17th PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards Grand Final with Andaru Collection Niseko by Blue Waves Group winning both the Best Completed Housing/Landed Development (Asia) and Best Housing/Landed Interior Design (Asia) awards. Also representing Greater Niseko, HakuVillas by H2 Group won the Best Completed Condo Development (Asia) award.

Established in 2005, the PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards continue to reward high-calibre work within the industry, encompassing property development, construction, architecture, interior design, and sustainable building practices. The series initially covered Southeast Asia and has expanded over the years to include the region’s dynamic property markets, including Australia, China, and India.

Organised by PropertyGuru Group, the 5th PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards (Greater Niseko) are supported by official magazine Property Report by PropertyGuru; media partner Powderlife; supporting association Niseko Tourism; and official supervisor HLB.

For more information, email [email protected] or visit the official website: AsiaPropertyAwards.com.

GPlusMedia Inc. is pleased to announce its recent admission to the Niseko Promotion Board! We are excited to help promote Niseko as Asia’s premiere year-round resort destination and to support businesses in Niseko.

GPlusMedia produces Japan’s most-used English-language employment, news and information websites, including GaijinPot, CareerEngine, JapanToday, Real Estate Japan and Savvy Tokyo.

GaijinPot, Japan’s number one website for foreigners living, working, and studying in Japan, has been a mainstay for over 25 years and has helped more than 8,000 companies advertise and hire foreign and bilingual staff across a wide range of industries.

Helping in Niseko since 2004

Over 2,150 active job seekers in Hokkaido are registered on GaijinPot. This number is growing at about seven percent a year and every month we deliver thousands of applications to businesses in Hokkaido.

Since 2004, GaijinPot has been helping Niseko businesses recruit bilingual Japanese and foreign job seekers currently in Japan and overseas.

Below are one-month application results averaged from 60 Niseko-based companies advertising job openings on GaijinPot and CareerEngine.

Hotel Guest Services 150 applications /mo

Reservation, Sales 120 applications /mo

International Marketing 120 applications /mo

Food and Beverage Staff 90 applications /mo

Bilingual Operations Staff 50 applications /mo

Real Estate Sales 40 applications /mo

Web Developer 35 applications /mo

Facility Maintenance 30 applications /mo

Experienced Ski Patrol 25 applications /mo

For more information, contact Ryan Nagle, [email protected], GaijinPot Jobs Manager

Niseko-based sports and lifestyle brand, Rhythm Japan, has announced the launch of year-round services at Rhythm Base – their flagship Niseko store – for the first time in its history.

Known for its winter offerings, Rhythm Japan is excited to expand its operations to include summer activities, expanded summer retail range, and bike rentals at the Rhythm Base Activity Centre in Niseko. Opening its doors for the season on June 3rd, 2023, the store will be open 7 days a week from 8am-6pm.

The Rhythm Base Activity Centre will offer a wide range of activities for visitors, including indoor bouldering complete with a kilter board, indoor skate mini ramp, outdoor skate park, outdoor pump track, outdoor trampoline, and outdoor slackline. The location will be a hub for the community with ongoing events throughout the summer, and will provide visiting outdoor enthusiasts with an array of exciting bike rental options, including E-bikes, Road Bikes, and Mountain Bikes, from leading bicycle brand Specialized.

The year-round location features various onsite facilities, including happy hours at Rhythm & Beans Coffee, retail shop, communal workspace, and Tunes bike workshop. Rhythm & Beans Coffee is a cozy spot to charge up before an active day, while the Summer retail shop offers the latest products from top outdoor brands. The communal workspace provides an opportunity for remote workers to catch up on emails or take a call, and the Tunes bike workshop techs are on hand for any repairs.

According to Rhythm Base Summer Manager, Sean Potts: “We are thrilled to offer our customers a year-round destination to enjoy the best of Niseko. Our team has worked hard to create a unique experience that caters to all ages and interests. We look forward to welcoming visitors to the new  Rhythm Base Activity Centre in Niseko this summer and beyond.”

Established in 2005, Rhythm Japan is a premier provider of year-round outdoor rental, retail, and lesson/guiding services in Japan’s top mountain resorts. Rhythm Japan’s extensive on-site facilities stock the world’s most reputable brands and include tuning workshops, boot fitting services, and cafes. The Rhythm Japan retail division offers year-round mountain wear, and their flagship store in Niseko is a community activity centre, featuring pump track, bouldering walls, trampolines, and more.

At Rhythm Japan, the passionate employees live and breathe the mountain lifestyle and strive to instil that same passion in all of their customers. Whether it’s skiing, snowboarding, hiking, or mountain biking, they provide everything visitors and the local community need to enjoy the ultimate mountain experience.

To learn more about Rhythm Japan and their latest offerings for all seasons, visit www.rhythmjapan.com. Sign up for the newsletter and follow them on Facebook and Instagram to stay up-to-date.

Press Contact 

Sherry Yen

[email protected]

General Inquiries

[email protected]

+81 136 23 0164 (JP)

+61 0 8002 0164 (AU)