Niseko Kogen Hotel sold

Niseko Kogen Kanko, a subsidiary of Tokyu Land, announced that they will be selling the Niseko Kogen Hotel to an undisclosed buyer for just over 1 billion Yen. The buyer is said to be a fund based in Asia.

The Niseko Kogen Hotel will remain open until March, 2012, at which time the new buyer will take over the property. The hotel is aging, so it is expected that the new buyer will demolish and rebuild a high class international hotel on the site. The current 59 room, 4-storey hotel was built in 1975, and room rates start from 7,000 Yen/night (90 USD). In recent years, construction of new condominiums in the area have had a negative impact on the hotel's profitability. Read more


Japanese hotels being sold off due to lack of tourists

Emerald Hotel (left) and Kawasaki Grand Hotel (right)

The effects of the March 11 Tohoku disaster have had wide-reaching consequences with hotels as far away as Hokkaido being forced to close their doors and sell due to a faltering tourism industry.Read more


Sweden Hills, Hokkaido

sweden-hills-hokkaido-1

Planning of the Sweden Hills neighborhood began in 1979 and construction started in 1984. The idea began after the Swedish Ambassador visited Tobetsu Town and remarked how similar the atmosphere and scenery was to his native Sweden. Tobetsu Town's sister city is Leksand in Dalarna County, Sweden.Read more


[Foreclosed] Historic Hotel in Hakodate

Court Evaluated Price: 39,600,000 Yen (483,000 USD)

*Update: The winning bid was 43,695,000 Yen*

A historically listed hotel in Hokkaido’s Hakodate City is up for public auction.

“Auberge Kokian” was built in 1909 in the Wayo-Secchu style of architecture (a blend of Japanese and Western) and constructed from Japanese cypress. It was originally a seafood store called Watanabe Shoten. It was in operation as a restaurant and inn until the end of 2009.Read more