Kasara Niseko Village hotel - Niseko, Japan

At the base of Mount Niseko Annapuri, on Japan’s Hokkaido island, Malaysian hospitality group, YTL Hotels has launched its Kasara luxury brand with a clutch of exclusive townhouses in the Niseko village ski resort. Interiors are by Singaporean firm Design Intervention, who conceived the Edo era-style houses with the Japanese philosophy of Shibui – the practice of restraint to achieve subdued elegance – in mind. Western comfort meets Japanese aesthetics with sliding Shoji screens, exterior latticework and tatami floor mats. Leather curtains and furs imbue an undercurrent of luxury, while contrasting dark timbers and light wood stains add warmth. Limbs wearied after a day carving trails through the mountain’s famously light powder, can relish in the many après-ski options, including soothing geothermal hot springs and a restaurant which serves up regional fare, paired with locally produced sake and Hokkaido wines.