This is a series introducing ski resorts that are members of the Sustainable Resort Alliance, initiated by POW, and are actively working to address climate change and sustainability. This time, we will be focusing on Tokyu Land Corporation, which owns seven ski resorts, including Niseko Tokyu Grand Hirafu and Hunter Mountain Shiobara. What actions and vision does this leading Japanese company have?
Tokyu Land provides "things essential for daily life"
Tokyu Land Corporation is one of Japan's leading companies, providing a wide range of services and infrastructure essential to people's lives, including housing and commercial facilities. Its business operations and scale are vast and diverse, spanning everything from urban development to real estate distribution, but Tokyu Snow Resorts, part of the Tokyu Fudosan Holdings Group, operates seven ski resorts, including Niseko Tokyu Grand Hirafu in Hokkaido and Hunter Mountain Shiobara in Tochigi Prefecture (Fujimi Panorama Resort is an affiliated ski resort)
We spoke to three people involved in the real estate and ski resort operations at Tokyu Snow Resort to find out what kind of sustainability initiatives the company is undertaking, and how it is involved in the local community as a leading company that supports people's lives and strives to create a sustainable society
Sense of crisis felt by those on the front lines
What is it like to experience the sense of crisis caused by climate change on the ground right now?
"This year in particular has been an extremely warm winter with little snow, and as of early February, there is only 60% of the usual amount of snow. Every year the opening date is getting later and the closing date is getting earlier. Last year, Hunter Mountain Shiobara was fully open for skiing on January 7th, the latest in the past 10 years, and this year it was even later, on January 27th. It really does feel like the days when you can ski on full slopes are getting shorter. If that happens, entry-level skiers won't be coming, and there is a sense of crisis that the ski market itself will shrink
"The surrounding accommodations, restaurants, souvenir shops, and other businesses that make a living from the ski resort will find themselves in financial difficulty. Furthermore, the area where the ski resort is located is mountainous, so forestry is thriving, and many forestry workers also work at the ski resort in the winter. With fewer business days, the employment problem of lost jobs will become more serious. Therefore, we believe that this will have a major impact on the entire region," says Yamazaki of Tokyu Resorts & Stay
Achieving a complete switch to 100% renewable energy
In this situation, Tokyu Land Corporation decided to switch not only its ski resorts but all of the buildings and commercial facilities it owns to 100% renewable energy in December 2022. What is the background and history behind this decision?
"Tokyu Fudosan Holdings has been promoting various environmental initiatives since around 1998, but in the company-wide policy formulated in 2022, we set out three major environmental management policies: 1) decarbonization, 2) a recycling-oriented society, and 3) biodiversity. This marked the right time to further promote these policies, and we have now completed the 100% switch
Our company is not only a consumer of electricity to operate large-scale facilities, but also started a renewable energy production business called "ReENE" in 2014. Currently,1,762MW (as of the end of January 2024, equivalent to the power consumption of approximately 816,000 average households)"We generate electricity from solar power plants, and the business background was to take advantage of this strength and switch to solar power," said Mochizuki of Tokyu Real Estate
It would be a big mistake to just dismiss Mochizuki's talk about "100% renewable energy" with a simple "huh." I want you to use your imagination to understand just how amazing it is to have all of your electricity consumed covered by naturally derived energy
ReENE generates electricity using solar and wind power, but at the ski resorts we visit, we are also grateful for the lights on the lifts and slopes we ride, and the warmth of the rest houses we take refuge in during heavy snowstorms
If you consider that all of these heaters are powered by energy generated by sunlight, wind, and microorganisms in the soil... skiers who love snowy mountains will surely feel warm and grateful to nature. And spending time at such an environmentally friendly ski resort is sure to be far more comfortable than at a ski resort that continues to emit carbon gases
Tokyu Fudosan Holdings generates its own renewable energy and uses it via a power company at its facilities, including seven ski resorts. This reduces CO2 emissions by approximately 156,000 tons per year (equivalent to the emissions of approximately 80,000 average households). It seems only because Tokyu Fudosan Holdings is a leading company committed to enriching people's lives and the future that it is able to undertake decarbonization efforts on such an enormous scale
Resort- based initiatives
What other initiatives are they working on besides switching to renewable energy? Komatsu from Tokyu Resorts & Stays told us,
"Because Tokyu Snow Resort has very strong ties with the local community, we are particularly confident in our work to reduce the burden on the natural environment together with the local community, and in our initiatives for the people who live in the area. We are working together with the local community on a variety of initiatives to ensure that the rich mountains, where people can enjoy snow forever, can be passed on to future generations. Specifically, there are two main themes: one is 'biodiversity' and the other is 'circular economy'."
Biodiversity Initiatives
Hunter Mountain Shiobara and other areas use national forests, so they focus on forest conservation activities. They plant trees to protect the forests and connect them to the future, and work with local residents to thin and spray chemicals to protect the tree growth process. This also includes preserving the ecosystem, and for example, they are carrying out activities such as eradicating harmful parasites that infest the wild foxes that live in Niseko
Initiatives for a recycling-oriented society
First of all, it is important to raise awareness of the environment, so they create opportunities for people to experience snowy mountains. They are also actively reaching out to the local community by giving lift tickets to local elementary and junior high schools to encourage them to visit the ski resort. Now that opportunities to experience snow are decreasing, the aim is to raise environmental awareness and make people aware of changes by providing opportunities for children to become familiar with snow from an early age
"MoriGurashi® " and "Sustainability for Snow"
Tokyu Resorts & Stay is promoting a movement to connect nature to the future through various conservation activities under the name "Mori-gurashi® . " With regard to ski resorts in particular, they are focusing on ski resorts as part of Mori-gurashi, and are undertaking various environmental initiatives centered on tourism and local experiences.
◆"Morigurashi® " official website https://morigurashi.com/
◆"Sustainability for Snow" official website : https://www.tokyu-snow-resort.com/sustainability/
"It's not just about decarbonization. We're also planning easy-to-do things to connect with the local community and increase the number of people enjoying snow sports. For example, we're collaborating with farmers at Tangram. We'll compost leftover food from the hotel and use it to grow corn on the farm, and then have guests experience harvesting the corn
"One of the goals of our environmental efforts is to pass on the ski resort to the next generation. We start by letting children come into contact with snow and experience the fun of snow, and hopefully they will naturally develop an interest in the environment over time, and even better if they grow up to enjoy skiing and snowboarding," says Mochizuki of Tokyu Real Estate
Why did you join the Sustainable Resorts Alliance ( SRA)
What was the reason behind Tokyu Snow Resort joining POW's Sustainable Resort Alliance (SRA)? According to Mochizuki..
"Announcement of our participation in this alliance and our commitment to promoting sustainable initiatives is not only outward-facing, but also has a major impact on raising awareness internally
Even if we were to complete the switch to 100% renewable energy in 2022, awareness was not widespread within the company, and some employees were unaware of the hard work we were doing. We recognized the issue of not getting the message across within the company and were wondering what to do about it when we met POW in the summer of 2023. We thought that by partnering with POW and making a public commitment, we could get the message across properly within the company
After that, we held an event with POW in Niseko Hirafu, and the participants said, "You were doing that? That's amazing!" I realized that this wasn't going to work, so I decided to use POW's communication power."
How is the partnership with POW communicated to staff and users? Yamazaki, who interacts with guests at the resort every day, reflected on the situation
"I think it has given the staff a sense of pride. Some customers have seen the 100% renewable energy sticker on the inside of the gondola and have come all the way to the counter to say, 'What an amazing thing you're doing.' Many customers know about POW. We also receive many messages saying, 'So you've teamed up with POW, that's great.'
I also sense a sense of expectation from customers that we will continue to make further efforts in the future. I think we need to increase the number of such highly conscious customers, and I think the best way to do this is to relax and not be too tense, and to have a feeling of "Let's do what we can."
Regarding the Sustainable Resorts Alliance, climate change and decarbonization require a major movement across the entire ski industry, and for this to happen, not just ski resorts but manufacturers, retailers, and everyone who makes their living from snowy mountains need to pay close attention and take action, so I hope the alliance will help promote this movement."
Role in people's lives and happiness
As a company that operates businesses that are directly connected to people's lives, what role do they think they can play in terms of people's lives, happiness, and the sustainability of the local community?
Mochizuki, who oversees the whole picture at Tokyu Land Corporation, has this to say:
"Ski resorts are a key industry in the region, and I believe they are part of the social infrastructure. If ski resorts were to cease operation, it would have a huge impact on the local economy. On the other hand, in places where overtourism is occurring, such as Niseko, it is creating social issues for the region, such as garbage problems and a lack of parking spaces. I believe we need to take action while keeping these issues in mind
The biggest challenge facing ski resorts right now is green season initiatives. Incidentally, Niseko Tokyu Grand Hirafu is also planning to turn its mountain bike courses into content and replace its gondola. On a slightly larger scale, there are also the housing shortages, traffic congestion, and rising prices in the areas surrounding Niseko. The reality is that Kutchan Town, where the population doubles in winter, does not have an adequate supply of housing. Utilizing the expertise that only Tokyu Real Estate can offer, and in cooperation with the government, we are launching various initiatives to increase the resident and productive populations, including circular transportation
What's important is QOL (Quality of Life), how happy you are in your home
"For Tokyu Real Estate, running a ski resort is not just a business; we place great importance on how we can solve local issues together with the local community. It's like it's in our company's DNA.
We connect the local government, tourist association, DMO and local residents, and achieve what only a private company can do. We are now working hard to do what only a company that supports people's rich lives should do, and we will continue to work together with the local community to move forward."
Ski resorts have great potential to support and develop the local community as part of social infrastructure. They look far beyond the pursuit of profit by corporations and focus on the happiness of the people who live there
the person who taught me
PROFILETakumi
MochizukiTokyu
Land CorporationWellness
Business UnitHotel
and Resort Development Planning DivisionHotel
and Resort Department 2Development Planning GroupGroup LeaderSection
ManagerJoined
Tokyu Land Corporation in 2005. Works on M&A of golf courses and ski resorts, business restructuring, hotel development, etc.
PROFILE
Mr. Shinya Yamazaki,
Manager
of the Ski Resort Management Department, Tokyu Resorts & Stay Co., Ltd. Joined Tokyu Resorts & Stay in 2010 and is currently in charge of ski resort management.
PROFILE
Yu Komatsu,
Tokyu Resorts & Stay Co., Ltd.
Ski Resort Management Division, Operations Management Department,
Corporate Planning Division, Public Relations Department.
Joined Tokyu Resorts & Stay in 2019 and is in charge of ski resort management.
Information Tokyu Real Estate Co., Ltd.
◆ Official website: https://www.tokyu-land.co.jp/
◆ Official SNS: Instagram | Facebook
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