MICHIKO TAMTO
GENERAL MANAGER
Interview} Ken Waller
Location} Hokkaido, Japan
- What does earning a Michelin Key mean for Setsu’s identity?
A One MICHELIN Key means that we provide a very special stay that has personality and a service that goes the extra mile – and that is exactly what we envision for Setsu Niseko to be to our guests. To be more than just a place to sleep, but to be a destination in its own right.
While Niseko is a destination worth traveling to, we want our guests’ stay at Setsu Niseko to be an experience worth traveling for. Through consistently outstanding service and warm, heartfelt hospitality, we strive to create moments that feel truly special to every guest. It is this dedication that has led to our recognition as a One MICHELIN Key Hotel for the second year in a row — an honor for which we are deeply grateful.
- What makes Setsu Niseko distinct within the Niseko luxury landscape?
What makes Setsu Niseko distinct within the Niseko luxury landscape is the stay experience our guests have with us. From its architecture to the thoughtful service we provide, everything is carefully designed for our guests to have special experiences as soon as they enter our doors.
A defining part of this experience lies in the hotel’s architecture and design. Taking advantage of Niseko being flanked between two mountains and its central location in the village, the hotel was conceived as a perimeter block centered around a landscaped courtyard garden. In doing so, our guests are treated to either a view of the famous Mt. Yotei, the much-loved Mt. Annupuri, the bustling Hirafu Village, or the serene private garden within our walls, no matter which room they end up staying in.
Simon Cheong, Founder and Chairman of SC Global Developments and the developer of Setsu Niseko, envisioned the hotel to be built with a strong sense of place. He wanted to avoid a generic luxury hotel design that could be found anywhere in the world. From the offset, his ambition was to create a hotel that felt so inherently Japanese that even if you didn’t know Setsu’s location, one would instinctively know they were in Japan.
Beyond design, we always look for ways to create these magical moments for our guests throughout their stay. From our annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony to mark the start of winter, to the Niseko Jazz Festival we host in the summer, these events are designed to be both meaningful and memorable. What makes these events so special is it brings people together where we not only welcome our guests, but also the local community. These occasions let us create special moments of community and discovery among our guests and locals which we hope to do more of in the future.
- How much of an importance does wellness play in shaping the stay experience at Setsu?
Wellness is fundamental to the Setsu experience, shaped by Niseko’s natural beauty and relaxed pace of life. Across the seasons, guests may arrive for skiing and snowboarding in winter or cycling and mountain biking in summer, yet the enduring appeal lies in the opportunity to unwind, restore and immerse oneself in the rhythm of the landscape.
Wellness lies at the heart of the hotel’s design philosophy. The result is one of the largest wellness centers in the area consisting of a 24-hour gym, public and private onsens, a yoga studio, and a spa. Guests are welcome to use our gym and onsen facilities at their leisure. Our yoga studio, Studio En, offers an array of yoga and reformer pilates classes from relaxing to more dynamic styles, while Rikka Spa provides signature treatments designed to relax and heal the body, along with a variety of body conditioning and facial treatments centered on Eastern medicine.
This way, wellness is not simply an add-on but a natural extension of the Setsu experience, an essential counterbalance to Niseko’s adventurous spirit, allowing guests to slow down, reset, and fully embrace each season with renewed energy.
- Why do skiers and snowboarders travel from around the world specifically for Niseko’s snow?
Niseko is known for receiving massive amounts of fluffy, light, dry and fine snow that feels like you’re riding through powder – a dream come true for most skiers and snowboarders. They say that once you’ve experienced Niseko’s powder, you just have to keep coming back for more.
But for some, more than the snow, they come for the food. A hearty meal or a quick bite complements a great ski day, and with Hokkaido having one of the best regional cuisines in the country, having delicious food to fill you up at the end of the day just makes the whole ski experience complete and is what makes Niseko such a great skiing destination.
- How does Setsu curate its culinary program, and what role does local Hokkaido produce play in shaping the dining experience?
An island surrounded by both sea and ocean, with vast farmlands possessing nutrient-rich soil – Hokkaido is blessed with some of the country’s best produce of vegetables, meat, and seafood. Having such natural treasure accessible to us, we want to champion local Hokkaido ingredients while still letting our restaurants showcase culinary traditions from different parts of the world.
From the likes of AFURI and Sushi Kato INORI serving Japanese classics of ramen and sushi with ingredients sourced from local farmers and nearby towns, to Luke’s Alpine Club dishing up timeless American dishes with Hokkaido specialties like Akkeshi oysters and Shiraoi wagyu beef. Meanwhile, under the guidance of Michelin-starred chefs, Tempura Araki and méli mélo -Yuki No Koe- ‘s menu offerings vary with the finest local ingredients available each season. A reflection of the Japanese word, shun (旬), which refers to the harvesting and eating ingredients at its freshest and most flavorful. This gives our guests an opportunity to enjoy a different dining experience every time while still presenting the best flavors and produce of Hokkaido for the season.
- Niseko has become a global destination. How does Setsu balance international expectations with the authenticity of Japanese culture and traditions?
Our team at Setsu Niseko is a diverse group composed of both Japanese and international staff – with most of its full-time staff having experience in hospitality both in Japan and abroad. This diversity in our team and our experiences have allowed us to anticipate the expectations of our international guests while still maintaining our sense of place and rootedness.
We have always strived to be a hotel that has a strong connection with Niseko and with the local community that we are a part of. You could see this with our room interiors – reminiscent of a traditional Japanese house from the tatami space, the shoji screens, and the window daybed – or the curated art pieces displayed throughout our hotel which are all creations of Hokkaido artists, including unique pieces from the indigenous Ainu tribe.
Recognizing that we are in a unique position to be a bridge between Japan and the world, we use special events as a great avenue to introduce Japanese culture and traditions to our international guests while allowing our Japanese guests to celebrate familiar traditions even on a holiday. On New Year’s Day, we organize interactive events such as the rice pounding – called mochitsuki – ceremony, a traditional mochi-making practice done during the New Year. For the Lunar New Year, we would celebrate the day with a traditional Japanese lion dance called shishimai. Traditional taiko performances would be done throughout the year, and even simple customs such as writing one’s wishes on paper during the Star Festival (Tanabata) would be prepared inside our kids’ playroom.
Ultimately, this balance is what defines the Setsu experience. By pairing international standards of comfort and service with authentic expressions of Japanese culture, we create a place that feels both welcoming and deeply rooted. Whether through thoughtful design, meaningful cultural encounters, or moments shared with the local community, Setsu Niseko offers guests a genuine connection to Japan—one that feels natural, immersive, and quietly memorable long after their stay.
As we are now accepting bookings for summer and the upcoming winter season, I always feel that Niseko is something that can’t be fully described, you have to come and experience it for yourself and when you do we will be ready to welcome you.