Heated leather seats, individual suspension, panoramic views, and French hoods? Whatever the ski-bum aesthetic is, Hanazono Ski Resort is the opposite.
On Dec. 4, Hanazono Ski Resort in Niseko, Japan, opened for the 2021-2022 season. Hanazono’s inimitable location and accommodations have drawn powder crowds from around the world for years.
But after almost 30 seasons, ever-growing patronage, and god knows how many butts, the world-class ski resort needed some new lifts — and more of them.
Resort operators landed on two solutions: revamp Lift 1 — the resort’s main artery — and build a brand-new luxury gondola system.
“There is no higher-spec chair or gondola in the world,” Hanazono President Colin Hackworth said at the unveiling last month. “We optioned up as much as we could.”
Here’s what max options look like in the niche world of chairlifts.
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‘Ferrari of Chairlifts’
The rebuilt Lift 1 uses ultra-quiet tech from engineering firm POMA and luxury aspects designed by legendary automaker Pininfarina, out of Italy.
The six-seated lift features a detachable French hood system, heated leather seats with detailed embroidery, and personal suspension gurneys.
Symphony Gondola
![Gondola cabin (photo Niseko Hanazono Resort) Gondola cabin (photo Niseko Hanazono Resort)](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.gearjunkie.com/uploads/2021/12/Gondola-cabin-photo-Niseko-Hanazono-Resort.jpg)
![gondola_seat (photo Niseko Hanazono Resort) gondola_seat (photo Niseko Hanazono Resort)](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.gearjunkie.com/uploads/2021/12/gondola_seat-photo-Niseko-Hanazono-Resort.jpg)