insights from frontier Japan

Test operation of a ‘Tomamu-Furano Bus’ service – a free, round-trip service that departs from JR Furano Station, stops at stations near tourist spots in the town of Minamifurano in central Hokkaido, before heading to Tomamu Station in the village of Shimukappu to the south of Minamifurano – began on July 31.

Hokkaido’s first ‘MUJI HOUSE’ complete with ‘MUJI’ brand furniture and miscellaneous goods, is to be established next April in the town of Kamishihoro in the Tokachi region.

It has been revealed that the UK hotel chain, IHG Hotels & Resorts, which develops the ‘InterContinetal’ brand in Japan, is planning a luxury brand hotel ‘Six Senses Hotel Resort and Spa’ in the town of Kutchan in the Niseko region. It is hoped the hotel will open in 2024 or ’25.

With the COVID-19 pandemic having wiped out inbound travel, some Hokkaido companies are seeking opportunities in China, the world’s second largest economy, which already seems to be recovering from the impact of the virus.

Farmer Hayashi Kenji (52), who runs hot spring facilities called "Kogane Onsen" in central Hokkaido's Rankoshi Town, will launch a delivery service in March of hot spring water attained at his own private home property. The water will be delivered in tanks by truck to vacation homes and lodging facilities in areas including the nearby Niseko region.

The coffee shop chain Starbucks Coffee Japan (Tokyo) opened a shop in Kitami City on November 2 of last year. This is their first shop in the Okhotsk region of eastern Hokkaido. The final motivational push for opening was survey research conducted in class by five Kitami Hokuto High School students two years ago in an attempt to attract Starbucks to their city.

A machinery parts maker in central Hokkaido, Japan's northernmost main island, is drawing attention at home and aboard with its "monster wolf" robot designed to scare away bears and other wild animals.

The new headquarters and factory of venture company Interstellar Technologies Inc. (IST) that was being built in the town of Taiki in the Tokachi region of Eastern Hokkaido, has been completed. The company’s new buildings will be used to accelerate rocket development, with the company announcing its entrance into the satellite development business on December 21 last year. Work will begin on Japan’s first integrated rocket and manmade satellite development, helping to accelerating competitiveness in the space industry.

A Spanish cuisine restaurant opened in front of JR Yoichi Station in central Hokkaido's Yoichi Town on September 16. The restaurant serves authentic Spanish cuisine using Yoichi ingredients.