● This master plan clarifies the future image to be pursued in order to promote

the tourism of Kutchan in the medium to long term, and summarizes the
major paths for realizing it. The Niseko area, which includes Kutchan town,
is changing rapidly. Therefore, it is necessary to continuously discuss the
rolling of the master plan and how to proceed with the business at the
Tourism Destination Management Meeting (tentative name).

● The Kutchan Tourism Association will be the secretariat of the Tourism

Destination Management Council, and private companies will be the key Kutchan Town Tourism Master Plan
members. It is desirable that the mayor participate as an advisor and the
staff in charge of related departments participate as observers, as the
government is also a member who seeks consensus. 2020-2031 《Su m m ary》
Tourism Destination
Management Meeting Master plan progress management

+
① ② ③ Discussion of
Progress Performance Revision ongoing
management evaluation of plan considerations

Project Working Team Implementation of measures

Kutchan Town Tourism Master Plan

（Summary）
Published in March 2020
Created jointly by Kutchan Town, Kutchan Tourism Association,
and Niseko Hirafu Area Management
Cooperation : Niseko Promotion Board
Supervisors : Japan Travel Bureau Foundation,
Urban Design Institute Co., Ltd
 Introduction Lifestyle That Can Become a Purpose of Stay
● Kutchan Town has been started developing ski resorts in the ● It brings about “quality experience” in a region, which is the
beginning of high economic growth. In addition, since the 2000s, core of the brand of the tourist destination.
the town has attracted domestic tourists as well as internationally ● A proposal for Lifestyle as a purpose of stay:
known for ski powder resort.
“The center of year-round outdoor lifestyles in Asia”
● On the other hand, condominium investment is increasing in size,
and occurring problems such as the progress of sprawl and traffic At present, ski resorts are playing the central part in attracting tourists.
obstacles due to the increase in facilities and tourists. Besides from skiing, the residents enjoy and play in nature which Mt. Yotei
symbolized as the landmark of this region.
Moreover, the huge gap in attracting visitors between winter and
other seasons causes a decline in quality service and unrealistic High-income groups are increasingly paying attention to the environment
and their own health.
to make a year-round employment. Therefore it is necessary to
the area becomes a year-round resort.
● Based on the above issues, this master plan shows the mission
and vision we should aim for realizing to develop the area from
the medium- and long-term perspective, as well as the measures
required to achieve the goal. The course of action is organized in
accordancewith the Five Requirements for Globally Competitive
Resorts.
1. Lifestyle as a purpose of stay
2. Spatial design for comfortableness and liveliness
５ 3. Service integration to enhance visitor experience
Requirements 4. Systems to ensure sustainability
5. Environment to enhance the quality of local life Changing Needs of Visitors
1 ● For “globalization and borderless society” progress, the purpose
Lifestyle as a purpose of travel for digital natives is shifting; from basic desires of
of stay seeing and experiencing to more above desires and exceptional
experience that link to their self-actualization. And the digital
natives are the center of the growth in the number of overnight
2 3
stays in recent years.
Spatial design for Service integration
comfortableness to enhance visitor Generation Birthyear Ages as of 2020 Ages as of 2030
and liveliness experience
Generation Z Since 2000s 0 to 20 –30 Digital
natives
Millennials 1980 to 2000s 20 to 40 30 to 50
5
Generation X 1960s to 1980 40 to 60 50 to 70
Systems to ensure Environment to enhance
sustainability the quality of local life Baby Boomers 1946 to 1964 56 to 74 66 to 84
Digital
4 Silent Generation 1928 to 1945 75 to 92 85 to102 immigrants

Source: Project to establish development plans to create tourist destinations that attract the world The Great Generation Before 1928 75 to 92 102–

02 03
(Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, 2018)

KUTCHAN Town Tourism Master Plan KUTCHAN Town Tour ism Master Plan
 Services that Contributes to Improve the Value of Area

● Spending time on skiing, snowboarding and at accommodation facilities

such as lodging and condominiumssuch as condominiums is only part of The whole area ● Activities other than outdoor activities
the resort experience、 ● Facilities to support children
● Services for facilities other than skiing slopes and condominiums need ● Such as museums, ● Co-working spaces
to be improved in order to upgrade the value of experience in a resort. galleries, and halls ● Conference or community spaces
( Example using the Hirafu area development. ) ● Library
花園方面
To HANAZONO

トレイル
Trail
（ウォーキング &MTB) ）
( Walking & MTB

シンボルゲート
Symbol gate P エリア外駐車場との接続交通
P エリア外
Fringe
Traffic connection with fringe parking 駐車場
parking

P （シャトルバスー導入障壁：低
ゴンドラー導入障壁：高 （
Shuttleーdeployment difficulty:Low
Gondolaーdeployment difficulty:High Co-working space Theater

Shiribetsu
尻別川 riv.

Improve access to
新幹線開通に合わせて、
fringe parking as the
エリア外駐車場に係る
Shinkansen
アクセス向上 opens
Museum Library
ニセコビレッジ
To Niseko Village
Effective use of
アクティビティとしての
Shiribetsu River as a Flow of arrangement of vehicles
尻別川の有効活用
green season activity entering the area

Redevelopment Hirafu parking lot #1

(Symbol gate)
Core Area (Upper Hirafu) Networking Service

● Restaurants and Cafes ● Trail (Based on the above results )

● Bars and Pubs (Running & Walking) Consider Sun sportsland redevelopment
● Groceries ● Fringe parking
(local foodstuffs, etc.) ● Public transportation
● Daily commodity shops in the area (bus) ( Based on the above results)

● Hot springs and Spas ● Transportation to connect Consider fringe parking construction
● Activities counters Cafe Spa with fringe parking

04 05
(Hot spring that can be used with bathing suite)

KUTCHAN Town Tourism Master Plan KUTCHAN Town Tour ism Master Plan
 Induction of Quality Development

Induction of development and renovation

● To create a globally appreciated resort, rules to ensure
● To preserve the environment and landscape quality as a resort
quality spatial design and systems to discuss development
and increase brand value as an internationally valued region,
and designs are required.
and to have an appropriate control of development capacity
● In Kutchan Town, forming the rules and consultation systems especially in highly developed areas.
will secure the value of real estate and attract investors who ● To maintain a comfortable resort environment, the lift capacity
share the value. It makes the area “good real estate stock”. will be a key indicator. In addition, the sub-three concepts are
Create a virtuous cycle by inducing renovation without bias listed, and the upper limit of the total stock of the number of
toward new development, and contribute to the achievement beds in the accommodation facility is shown.
of sustainable tourism. ● Assuming the density concept according to the characteristics of
each area, various methods for realizing it are introduced.
Sustainably increase the value of resorts by inducing development
Planning system that is the basis for development to renovation.
projects and adjustment of outdoor advertising materials ＜Key indicators＞ ＜Sub indicator＞
（City Planning Act） ・To control from protecting the natural environment and hot
View point 1 View point 2 spring resources in the Niseko area.
・Hokkaido government is now considering how to control.
Quasi-City Planning Area Lift capacity Forest and hot spring
City Plan of Kutchan Town (March, 2018) Special use restriction districts
In Hirafu area digging hotspring resource is impossible due to
over used.
Three scenarios（Hirafu area）
・To control from protecting water resource.
Lift capacity 1.0 View point 3
A
Based on ・As development progresses, water supply is becoming more

Evidence planning （Landscape Act）

18,000 beds Water resources difficult with current facilities

Lift capacity 1.33

Landscape Plan（New formulation） B 24,000 beds View point 4
・Approach to avoid the occurrence of chronic traffic obstacles
due to the inflow of vehicles.
Lift capacity 4.94 ・The obligation to install parking lots will prevent congestion

C
Car traffic
in public parking lots and at the same time prevent traffic
●Philosophy of landscape creation, 89,000 beds obstruction by suppressing development itself.
Statement of goal
●Land use policy, Future scale etc. Based on
Scenario A（18,000 beds） Scenario B (24,000 beds)
Control and induct development according to lift capacity Extension of current development trends
Criteria for adjustment ●Ensure the number of beds in Scenario A ●By changing a part of the high-land area to low-land areas
within high-land and low-land areas. and strengthening the standard of minimum site area, a good
and ample space is formed, and the supply of the number of
①Landscape Districts Based on ②design guidelines beds is suppressed to avoid Scenario B.

（Based on landscape Act （Town set arbitrary High-land area(22ｍ） Low-land area（13ｍ） Conservation area
／To be revised） ／Create new） 22m
22ｍエリアの
22m area
22m
Reuse Control development
/ Renovation height control

Examples of consultation Based on 13m 13m

coordination methods
Consultation based on ordinance for the protection
and fostering of Kutchan's scenic landscapes ●Set up a conservation area to control
１）Consultation based on landscape district standards ●Promote renovation by limiting
high-land areas. ScenarioC (89,000 beds) development. In addition, scenario C
is avoided by suppressing the
２）Design adjustment by design review based on design ●Increase the presence of high-land
Development proceeds endlessly
development of low-land areas.
guidelines (Large development) areas by converting to high-quality stock. ※If the development increases more, inducting development in other area is also needed.
※Even in overseas ski resorts, it is common that the lift capacity and the number of beds are

06 07
almost equal.

KUTCHAN Town Tourism Master Plan KUTCHAN Town Tourism Master Plan
 Building a Symbolic Space
● Individual buildings, and streets in Niseko Hirafu area have ● Position Hirafu parking lot #1 as a “symbol gate” and
good spaces and designs. However, the area does not have maintain places and facilities that both guests and
a strong recognizable image that represents the whole Niseko residents can enjoy. The place aim to provide a
Hirafu area. To create a symbolic area needs to be referred memorable experience for guests by interacting with
infrastructures guideline designs. residents naturally.

※If the bus terminal is not built at the symbol gate, the open space will be larger
Policy 1 シンボル空間としての「広場」の整備
Maintenance of "open space" as symbol space Hirafu
● Maintenance of a comfortable open space where various
Open space Parking
Lot#2
●Event square, park
seasonal events and daily events can be held ●Outdoor hall Gゴ
● Maintenance as a viewpoint where you can take a
onン
Symbol dド
olラ
a-
Daily service gate 坂
Za
ka
commemorative photo with Mt. Yotei view ●Welcome Center・TIC n通A
ve
り
.
St
. 34
3
K公o園
e e
ut
Policy 2 Functional enhancement as a “transportation base” ●Food hall, restaurant Ro

● Improvement of “transportation space” and waiting space

●Park cafe
●Food and retail stores
Traffic function
for shuttle bus terminal. Hi
ra
ひ
●Bus・shuttle・

● Guest-priority traffic management by paying for parking space.

fu-
らZふ
ak Taxi boarding space
Community and culture 坂
aS
t. ●Parking
（Reducing congestion and improving comfort by separating ●Community space
(charges may apply)

employee parking lots） ●Cultural space

●Library function / space
Policy 3 Introducing new facilities both for guests and hosts Business support

● Introducing cultural functions to promote Nisekoʼs culture ●Coworking space

Sun Sports Land
●Meeting room
and enhance guest satisfaction
● Introduction of relaxation spaces and functions that can be Open space

used daily by local residents ●Event Square

● A mechanism that encourages interaction and a third place

08 09
for residents
KUTCHAN Town Tourism Master Plan KUTCHAN Town Tour ism Master Plan
 Realization of Smart Resort

・Real-time information about how

crowded the lift is, so customers Future image of smart resort
● By realizing smart resorts, it will enable seamless
can head to an available lift
Introducing the best
・Guests can get suggestions from course based on snow
the app using advanced
technology, such as skiing the
conditions, crowding
conditions and skiing skills experiences for visitors, real-time exchange between
same lines as good skiers and
snowboarders businesses and visitors, and tourism policies based on
Cashless payment
at various places
Snow Resort data, thereby improving the productivity of businesses
Symbol Gate and the value of tourists' experience.
Send notifications of Don't hesitate to use any
Snow Resort upcoming event info means of transportation
to tourists' smartphones to reach destination
Guests can reserve
and pay for parking
with smartphones*

Guests can see how

crowded the parking
area is
Guests get detailed resort
answers to their questions
on AI chatbots without having
to go to the tourist information
center
Data platform

Immediately catch
SNS posts about
customer dissatisfaction
You can check the crowdedness
of restaurants at the hotel, so
you can enjoy dinner without
DATABASE We do not create a new database
Ride with a smartphone or
lining up IC card without buying a ticket from the information that we obtain
Reroute buses to
meet demand Image of through QR, but we put it together
in tourism CRM of Regional
data combination Partnership DMO.

• Data of roads and

transportation
• Data related to construction
confirmation
Provides services that flexibly
respond to the diverse needs • Transportation data
of guests as the Shinkansen arrives including timetables
collected in a standard
Dashboard Tourism operators: such as DMO
form (e.g. GTFS)
Promote people who are Reducing front duties by
now based on real-time replacing smartphones
tourist information with front desk we carry out marketing
*Asume smart devices such as smartphones and smart watches
Smooth check-in at a based on data gathered
condominium where
you stay without going
to the front desk

Image of collecting data from visitors

● The data, which we collect from tourists and business
Activate cards, ・Scanning QR codes
operators, will be accumulated in conjunction with other
Accumulate guest ・Confirming validity of cards sightseeing information and in one database. We will build
information DATABASE ・Storing logs of
card scanning a system that enables us to integrate or link as necessary
Accommodation the customer data collected separately.
Example: We will link various data by having input a lift ticket number.

● From data platform, we will make a dashboard which

Providing CRM* cards Showing cards to shops

・Dates of check in/out

2025/10/11 ∼ enables us to intuitively grasp the real-time destination
2025/10/13
・Accommodation facility name
・Storing basic information such as HOTEL
Overnight
Guests
spot situation, allowing us to smoothly realize the
number of guests and personal
attributions
●● Providing privileges
such as discount
Restaurants, and
shops, etc.
tourism policy based on data.

10 11
*CRM:Customer Relationship Management

KUTCHAN Town Tourism Master Plan KUTCHAN Town Tour ism Master Plan
 Environment to Enhance the Quality of Local Life

● The aim is to promote the local understanding of tourism and

improve the quality of local life, allowing the residents by allowing the
residents as well as the tourists to enjoy the experience value of Proper Understanding of Tourism Economy
the resort's unique stay environment on weekdays and off-seasons.
Achieving Kutchan town hospitality among entire populations will ● The development of public spaces (e.g. undergrounding of
ultimately lead to increase the value of tourism destination. overhead cables) and providing various basic services
(e.g. supermarkets, DIY stores, drugstores, consumer
● For linking tourism with regional development, creating a desires living electronics store) that benefits satisfactory for residents.
environment both resort employees and returning local residents to
live for good and providing a place for classes and trainings ● These ripple effects are not clearly understood by residents
corresponding to various skills required at the resorts to foster of compared to the direct effect of tourism.
hospitality industry as well as to promote local consumption. ● Therefore, it is necessary to convey where and how the
vitalization of tourism have effects using tools such as
infographic.
Understanding
of tourism

Human Resource Development Approach

Further Exceptional
promotion of pleasures
local economy in resorts Tourism Management Human Resources

Top management
The purpose of setting
training is to develop
Enhancement Lifestyle
of branding acquisition
Middle and strengthen human
resources who will
management play a central role in
resort tourism.
● Environment where residents can enjoy Frontline staff
A service plan winter activities
where people ● Schooling or experience for various green season
fell joy while activities such as mountain biking and rafting
leaving in the
resort ● Events such as Restaurant Week, where you can
enjoy resort area facilities, services and gourmet

12 13
food during the off season

K UTCHAN Town Tourism M aster Pla n KUTCHAN Town Touris m Master Pl an

 Roles and Roadmap

● To establish systems for sustainable regional improvement, by

Possible projects
strengthening the tourism organizations such as DMOs by tax
mainly from tourism and lead to the influx of investment and First term Middle term Latter term

human resources from private sectors. 2020 - 2023 2024 - 2027 2028 - 2031

Resort Area Land Use Policy

● Regarding these systems, we will establish KPI by finding factors

Formulation of landscape plan

Examination of outdoor advertising regulations

which can represent each element and can be regularly measured. Formulation of rules Examination of a utility poleless plan

on land use and Rule formation to ensure

Apply rules
construction high quality space design

Examination of the
mechanism of development Apply the consultation mechanism
and design consultation
・It is important to monitor if the
improvement of the project leads to
Construction of trail (pedestrian / bicycle) network utilizing existing foot bath
the increase (royalty improvement
and consumption increase) of the
Construction of
Human resources customer to continuously take
Trail usage rule settings Trail network management

Finance and knowledge Projects Customer measures.

intra-regional traffic
Employee bus operation Sharing the hotel shuttle
Formation of intra-area traffic connecting
outside and inside the area (AI bus)
・Using benefits of digital age, we will
introduce a system which can monitor Consider fringe parking Build fringe parking
continuously about the number and
Clean and safety activities
type of visitors and their actions in Geological

the area.
/ Current Survey

Enhancing regional
Construction and
Symbol gateway operation Examination Formulation of Symbol gate operation
management operation of of business
Business
Design Construction symbol gate
Using grant money selection
organizations
Promoting regional symbol gate method operation plan Events holding
understanding Influx of
Improving regional
creative
image and QOL
Increase of Enhancing regional Promoting collaboration workers
investment funds DMOs among industries
Improving loyalty
Geological
Measuring KPI* (increasing demands)
(economic ripple effect, etc.)
Rebuilding / Current Survey Examination
Business Formulation of
Enhancing of business Design Construction
Increase of Sun Sports Land method
selection Sun Sports Land Sun Sports Land operation
regional Response to service Locating operation plan
accommodation tax Leveling (MICE and measures
partnership DMOs economy of existing creative
(+ residential tax for greenery season)
companies companies
and real estate tax)
Branding activities
Clean and safety Greening and beautification
Development of activities
smart resort Locating
Increasing Improve commercial KPI setting and Measurement of economic ripple effect
related
consumption services companies measurement
(Increasing demands) (attracting investment)
*KPI:Key Performance Index
Formulation of
strategies such Attracting MICE etc. based on data※
as MICE※
Leveling Formulation of ※Cooperation with other tourism association
■ Kutchan Town green season
strategy Green Content Development
Backing up DMOs, etc.
◎Infrastructure development Formulation of
◎Measures for housing Branding Niseko brand Unified promotion based on strategy
strategy
◎Measures for employment
◎Respond to tourism related matters
財源等後押し、
Financial supports Financial supports Demonstration experiment

バックアップ
and backups Policy proposal in each field from the viewpoints and backups
of visitor data acquisition Acquisition of visitor data
Financial supports system
of tourism (Scenery, limitation of development,
and backups Formulation of
employment, and infrastructure development) business digitalization Digitization of business data
Smart Resort strategy
■ Regional DMO Examination of open data strategy
Building a data
■ Area Management Organizations ■ Regional Partnership DMO platform
Tourism Development of Kutchan
Area management Environmental arrangement for marketing Introduction of tourism Construction of a Dissemination of information on intra-regional traffic by application
Individual ◎Promoting local understanding Niseko area CRM and AI guide regional traffic data
activities in each area and receiving visitors in Niseko area
area policy ◎Promoting collaboration between industries policy function acquisition system
◎Clean and safety activities ◎Leveling (MICE and measures for greenery season)
◎Measuring KPI (economic ripple effect, etc.)
◎Operating symbol gates ◎Branding activities Correct Understanding
◎Providing contents of events inviting visitors ◎Development of smart resort Expressing the economic effects of tourism using infographics, etc.
of Tourism Economy
◎Sorting our roles of each base
Involving business operators
Hearing opinions, Holding of restaurant week
Handling human resources ing
membership fee, etc. nd
Regional 地域良化
improvement development bra Measures for Residents
ra ted ,
ata , etc. Holding an activity experience class for residents
eg g d fee
Int ctin ship
■ Tourism Operators
Co 会費等
l l e r
e
地域良化
Regional improvement mb Measures for Housing Examining policies to
Guidance of housing supply
◎Developing businesses in line of me address housing supply issues
strategies proposed by DMOs 観光分野への
Involving other industries
into異業種巻き込み
tourism industry Measures of human Review human Acquisition and development of hospitality human resources
Economical effect into the town Collaboration and Involving other industries resources resources policies
Settlement of human resources participation in business into tourism industry
Other Business ◎Accept orders from tourism related operators
■ Core player︓ Kutchan Town Area Management
Regional DMO Regional Partnership
Operators ◎Collaboration with and participation in tourism, Making it 6th industry, etc. Organizations DMO

14 KUTCHAN Town Tourism Master Plan KUTCHAN Town Tour ism Master Plan
15