Director of Mountain Operations
Jeon Heunggoo

"Kiroro Resort offers the best environment in the world."

- Could you start by telling us about your background?

Mr.John: I was born in Seoul, South Korea, and after graduating from university, I have worked at various ski resorts abroad.

- When did you join Kiroro Resort?

Mr.John: I came here eight years ago. Before that, I worked at a ski resort in China.

- What brought you to Kiroro Resort?

Mr.John: I was invited by a friend who worked here. But even before that, I had spent four seasons as a ski instructor in Hokkaido. I was so impressed by the snow quality here that I always wanted to return and work in Hokkaido.

- You've seen many ski resorts around the world. What do you find most appealing about Kiroro Resort?

Mr.John: First of all, you can enjoy skiing for a long season here. And I truly believe that the snow quality here is the best in the world. There are plenty of ski resorts around Sapporo and Otaru, but people take the time to come here because the snow quality is vastly superior. You can experience the finest powder snow.

- It’s also conveniently accessible from New Chitose Airport, right?

Mr.John: Yes, it's just about an hour from Sapporo and 30 minutes from Otaru, making it an excellent location. Guests from outside Hokkaido and overseas can easily get here and start skiing with minimal travel time. Hokkaido is vast, so there's no stress from traffic jams or crowds.

- How long is the ski season at Kiroro Resort?

Mr.John: We usually open around November 23rd and the season lasts until around Golden Week in early May, which is about 160 days.
International visitors are often amazed that all the snow during this period is natural, with no artificial snowmaking.

- That’s impressive, especially since it's all natural snow.

Mr.John: Kiroro Resort started in 1991, and I’ve heard that when they were looking for a location to build the resort, they used helicopters to find the area with the most remaining snow. That's how they chose this spot.

The location and terrain of Kiroro Resort are unique. Are there any other notable features?

Mr.John: People often think Hokkaido is extremely cold, and it is by Japanese standards. However, at my previous ski resort job, winter temperatures averaged around minus 20 degrees Celsius. Here, it’s warmer, typically around minus 12 degrees Celsius, which is more comfortable.
In places like Colorado, which is home to some of the world's most famous resorts, the snow quality is good but the altitude is around 2,500 meters. European resorts are similar, with thin air that can cause fatigue and altitude sickness.
Kiroro Resort offers excellent snow quality and quantity, with a base elevation of 570 meters and a peak of 1,180 meters, so there’s no issue with altitude.

"There's More Than Just Snowboarding."

- Today (early March 2023), we see many visitors enjoying here.

Mr.John: The base of Kiroro Resort is in a valley, so it might seem crowded, but we have lifts and gondolas going in four directions up the mountain. This helps disperse our guests, allowing them to ski without feeling crowded.
We can accommodate up to around 10,000 visitors.

- Do you have many international visitors?

Mr.John: About 60% of our guests are Japanese, and 40% are from overseas.

- What do visitors typically do when they come to Kiroro Resort?

Mr.John: Ten years ago, many guests bought day passes and tried to ski all day to get their money's worth.
Nowadays, it's more about enjoying a winter vacation. Many people ski for just an hour in the morning to enjoy the fresh powder, then spend the rest of the day enjoying the resort's dining options, having coffee at the café, shopping at the on-site stores, and maybe skiing again in the evening. It's a shift from the old image of skiing all day and grabbing a quick meal to a more relaxed and varied experience.

- It sounds like Kiroro Resort is more of a multi-faceted facility centered around skiing.

Mr.John: Exactly.

- Do the restaurants offer special meals?

Mr.John: Previously, the restaurants were managed by our company, but now they are run by a specialist company.
They focus on using locally sourced ingredients from Akaigawa Village. Whether it's meat, fish, or casual dining, everything is top-notch.

- Are there any other notable facilities?

Mr.John: We have a quiet lounge, much like an airport lounge, perfect for remote work, enjoying a coffee, or reading. There’s also an adjacent shop, not very large but it offers ski gear, apparel, and accessories.

- Thank you. It seems that Kiroro Resort truly has the best snow quality in the world.

Mr.John: I can confidently say that. Niseko has a strong brand value, but we get 20-30% more snowfall than Niseko. Compared to places like Tomamu or Sahoro, we get more than twice the amount of snow. As I mentioned earlier, during our 160-day season, it snows on average about 105 days.
There are very few days without snowfall, and those are typically in April or May. From December to March, the slopes are almost reset with fresh snow daily.
We hope more people will come to Kiroro Resort to experience this amazing powder snow.