Hakuba’s hotel shortage may hinder tourism potential
The rise in inbound tourism is outpacing Hakuba’s supply of hotels, leading to a shortage of beds this ski season. Hotels opened up their winter reservations a month earlier this year and were quickly inundated with bookings from international guests. Many of the village’s hotels are now fully booked for this upcoming season.Read more
Banyan Tree hotel to open in Hakuba
In an interesting shift in plans, Banyan Tree’s first ski resort hotel in Japan will now be located in Hakuba instead of Niseko. A 156-room hotel across six buildings is planned for a 33,000 sqm site adjoining the Happo-One ski slopes in Hakuba, with opening tentatively scheduled for 2026.Read more
Quick real estate news summary for the week
Tokyo apartment prices continue to reach new highs, Hakuba sees 30% jump in land prices, and Japan loses ground in global real estate transparency ranking. Below is a quick weekly summary of some of the recent goings-on in the Japanese real estate market.
Hakuba to create database of real estate owned by foreigners
The town of Hakuba in Nagano Prefecture is about to start keeping track of real estate owned by foreigners. This database will be the first of its kind in the prefecture.
Local groups seek ban on unlicensed short-term letting in Hakuba
Hakuba’s local tourism associations are seeking a ban on short-term Airbnb-type accommodation because it could threaten the already-low operational rates of the village’s existing inns and hotels.
Hakuba’s Kirikubo and Shinden districts at the foot of the Hakuba Iwatake Ski Resort have 68 licensed lodgings that have operating ratios of around 15 ~ 20%, as reported by the Iwatake Tourism Association. The president of the Association says the village already has enough accommodation options for foreign and domestic tourists and believes that the new model of short-term Airbnb-type lettings is something more suited to a large city.