--- title: Zuma Chooses Niseko for First Japan Opening as Hirafu’s Global Profile Grows date: 2026-08-22T08:21:00+09:00 author: Chris Pickering canonical_url: "https://uchijapan.com/news/zuma-chooses-niseko-for-first-japan-opening-as-hirafus-global-profile-grows" section: News --- [Resort News](https://uchijapan.com/news/resorts)# Zuma Chooses Niseko for First Japan Opening as Hirafu’s Global Profile Grows Aug 22, 2026 - [ ](mailto:?subject=Zuma%20Chooses%20Niseko%20for%20First%20Japan%20Opening%20as%20Hirafu%E2%80%99s%20Global%20Profile%20Grows%20on%20Uchi&body=https%3A%2F%2Fuchijapan.com%2Fnews%2Fzuma-chooses-niseko-for-first-japan-opening-as-hirafus-global-profile-grows "Share by Email") - [ ](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fuchijapan.com%2Fnews%2Fzuma-chooses-niseko-for-first-japan-opening-as-hirafus-global-profile-grows&title=Zuma%20Chooses%20Niseko%20for%20First%20Japan%20Opening%20as%20Hirafu%E2%80%99s%20Global%20Profile%20Grows&description=Zuma%20will%20make%20its%20Japan%20debut%20in%20Niseko%20this%20winter%2C%20adding%20another%20global%20luxury%20brand%20to%20Hirafu%20and%20strengthening%20the%20resort%E2%80%99s%20growing%20amenity%20base.&caption=Uchi) ![Zuma Niseko 1](https://d1g90p0r985xbs.cloudfront.net/general/_480x270_crop_center-center_60_line/Zuma_Niseko_1.jpg)One of the world’s best-known contemporary Japanese restaurant brands is coming to Japan for the first time—but rather than choosing Tokyo, Osaka or Kyoto, Zuma has selected Niseko. The London-born restaurant group will open a seasonal pop-up in Niseko-Hirafu on 1 December 2026, marking its first location in the country that originally inspired the concept. For Niseko, the significance goes beyond another high-profile restaurant opening. Zuma already operates across major global cities and luxury resort destinations, and its decision to make Niseko its first move into Japan provides another indication of how the resort is increasingly being positioned within the international luxury market. ## From London to Niseko Zuma was founded in London in 2002 by chef Rainer Becker and Arjun Waney, with the concept influenced by Becker’s years living and working in Tokyo. Since then, the brand has expanded internationally, with restaurants in cities including Hong Kong, Dubai, Miami, New York, Rome, Madrid and Bangkok. More relevant to Niseko is Zuma’s growing network of seasonal destinations. Its winter locations include Gstaad in Switzerland, Kitzbühel in Austria and Cortina d’Ampezzo in Italy, while it has also established a presence in Vail, Colorado. Summer venues include destinations such as Mykonos, Ibiza, Capri and St. Tropez. Niseko therefore fits into an existing strategy: bringing the Zuma concept to destinations with concentrated international luxury tourism and a strong second-home market. The new Niseko restaurant will accommodate up to 141 guests and operate seven days a week, combining afternoon drinks and après-ski with dinner service. Zuma is also explicitly targeting families and larger groups staying in Niseko’s villas and chalets, positioning the restaurant as an alternative to private dining at home. ## Part of the Yukoro redevelopment There is also a particularly interesting real estate story behind the location. Zuma’s announced address is the same Lower Hirafu site as the recently rebuilt Yukoro Onsen. The property was previously marketed as the “Yukoro Onsen Block”, an approximately 3,313-square-metre development site with an existing natural hot-spring source and road access on all four sides. The original Yukoro was a long-established local public bath before closing, but the site was subsequently acquired and redeveloped rather than simply replaced with another accommodation project. The new Yukoro Onsen opened in 2025, retaining the hot spring and incorporating it into a substantially upgraded building. Earlier plans for the project also included a high-end restaurant within the development, and Zuma now shares the same address while appearing alongside Yukoro within developer Takuyo’s portfolio. That makes the project particularly interesting in the context of Hirafu’s evolution. At a time when prime development land can command very high values, the Yukoro site could easily have become another condominium, hotel or luxury residence project. Instead, the redevelopment has created a combination of public onsen and international restaurant that adds directly to the amenity base of Lower Hirafu. ## Why amenities increasingly matter to Niseko real estate That amenity base is becoming an increasingly important part of Niseko’s property story. International buyers are no longer being asked simply to invest in a ski resort with exceptional snow. The market is increasingly competing with established global mountain destinations where restaurants, hotels, wellness facilities, retail, transport and year-round experiences form part of the overall proposition. The arrival of businesses such as Zuma therefore has an indirect real estate impact. Better restaurants and hospitality do not automatically increase property prices, but they make a destination more attractive to spend time in, strengthen the appeal of second-home ownership and help support the premium attached to well-located property. Zuma is initially opening in Niseko as a seasonal pop-up rather than committing to a permanent Japanese restaurant, so it should not be overstated. Nevertheless, the choice of Niseko for the brand’s first-ever Japanese location is notable. It places Hirafu alongside destinations such as Gstaad, Kitzbühel, Cortina and Vail within Zuma’s own resort strategy, while the redevelopment of the Yukoro site shows another side of how Niseko is maturing. The next stage of Hirafu’s development may ultimately be determined not only by the quality and value of the properties being built, but by what increasingly fills the spaces between them.