“Every continent in the world has a signature ski destination for the ultra-high-net-worth guest. In Asia, that will be Niseko,” says Michael Chen, co-CEO and founder of HakuLife, which manages luxury properties and curates exclusive experiences for the elite who visit the town. He’s also the developer of award-winning properties Hakuchōzan and HakuVillas.
Chen first visited Niseko in 2010 with his three children. “It was my first holiday with them as a single dad,” he says. “We fell in love with the place, and continued to visit Niseko at least once or twice a year after that.”
During one of those visits, with an hour to kill before heading to the airport, Chen asked a friend who worked in real estate to drive him around. “He showed me a piece of land, and I made an offer on the spot. By the time I
