TRAVEL
deep in comfortably hot water while snowflakes float gently down on your hair and tickle your face. It is a great synergy of yin and yang energy to boost your wellbeing. But be warned - it is traditional etiquette to bathe in an onsen in your birthday suit, so if you are of shy disposition, it may be a bit bashful at first. Tere are separate onsens for males and females, and Greenleaf Niseko has excellent onsens both indoors and outdoors. The Greenleaf is auspiciously located at the base of the mountain in a northerly orientation in relation to the resort, and north is the seat of “career” ruled by the Water element. It is in perfect harmony to snow, water in a solid form, and it is snow that brings wealth to the establishment during the ski season. Moreover, the resort also benefits from the location of the mountain behind the building acting as a “black turtle hill” support for the hotel. Tere is an expansive ming tang at the entrance gathering vital chi into the building. Te activities of the skiers on the ski slopes generate the atmospheric energy as the chi traverses down into the resort below. Niseko Village is more than just a ski resort. There are small towns
48 FENGSHUIWORLD | MARCH 2014
and villages to be explored nearby. I was offered a delicious cream puff for tea when I first arrived at the resort and was told about this ranch with a famous Milk Kobo, a dairy studio that makes the best cream puffs, cakes and ice cream in the region. I meet up with Mr Takahashi, the owner of Takahashi Ranch that owns the Milk Kobo and a lovely fusion eatery called Restaurant Prativo. Takahashi is also the town’s congressman. He owns 25 hectares of land in Niseko Village with a stock of 250 Holstein cattle. He supplies top grade milk to most milk distributors in Japan and produces over 1000 tonnes of milk per year. Te ice cream from his Milk Kobo is as good as its reputation. In the spirit of exploring further
afield from Niseko, a visit to Nikka Whisky Distillery beckons. Whisky is one of Japan’s favourite tipples and this top brand is produced in Yochi Town, about an hour’s drive from my base. Te museum and showroom showcase its fascinating history and range of product. It was founded by Masataka Taketsuru, the first Japanese to study the techniques of whisky making in Scotland in 1918, at a time when the method was a closely-guarded secret. At first, the Scottish were
bewildered at the outlandish ambition of this Oriental foreigner to grapple the secret of the brew from them. His passion for whisky and his persistence soon won their respect and they were willing to impart their knowledge to him. While in Scotland, he met and fell in love with Rita Cowan, a local Scottish girl. She married him and they returned to Japan to pursue his dream of making authentic whisky. Rita embraced the Japanese way of life faithfully and supported her husband’s dream of starting a distillery. Teirs was a romantic and touching story of two people from different worlds and cultures fighting against prejudice from both sides. Masataka went on to become a very successful whisky distiller in Japan and today, Nikka Whisky is still thriving using the same technique that the founder had introduced in 1934. A feature film is in production in Japan to tell this amazing love story and the history of whisky distillery in Japan. Te region is blessed with fertile
volcanic soil and its agriculture and dairy products are known for its top grade quality in Japan. In the summer, the land is transformed into green expanse of maize, wheat, potato, vegetable and fruit farms as the earth releases its yang energy to give life to nature. Wild flowers and cherry blossoms burst into bloom while the verdant forest of bamboo, alpine and deciduous plants clad the mountains and valleys in summer colour. The “green season” as the summer is called, attracts a different crowd of visitors. Hikers, trekkers, golfers, bikers and nature lovers come to Niseko to enjoy the beautiful countryside of this unspoilt corner of Japan. Te white face of winter and green heart of summer in Niseko is worth visiting in all seasons.
The Greenleaf Niseko Village (
www.thegreenleafhotel.com) and Hilton Niseko Village (
www.niseko.hilton.com) are part of YTL Hotels in Malaysia. Greenleaf Niseko is open only in the white season from 1 December till 31 March yearly. Hilton Niseko is open all year round.
www.fswmag.com
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