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Japan's Shinkansen network makes traveling between major cities remarkably convenient. Yet some of the country's most appealing destinations lie beyond its high-speed rail connections. A ski retreat in Hakuba, a second home in Myoko or a weekend in Niseko can involve several hours of onward travel from major international airports. For visitors with limited time in Japan, reaching the destination can become a significant part of the journey. Private aviation offers another po

Hokkaido’s seasonal ingredients will take centre stage at Ly, a new restaurant scheduled to open in mid-December 2026 inside the Aluna Villa Niseko clubhouse. Ly website screengrab. Announced by Tokyo-based operator Eat Creator on October 13, the restaurant will combine wood-fire cooking and fermentation with French culinary foundations. Located in Niseko’s Soga district, it aims to serve both villa guests and travellers seeking a dining destination. Hokkaido ingredients meet

The Golden Trail World Series came to Myoko for the first time on September 19-20, 2026, bringing around 700 runners from Japan and overseas to the resort. The Japanese news report below uses the event to look at a much bigger story: Myoko’s push to become a year-round international destination, the large-scale resort investment underway in the area, and how local residents are responding to the changes taking place around them. Patience Realty is a proud group-company of Pat

When Dr. Koichi Seki encountered a tree peony called “Hoki” at the opening of Tsukuba Peony Garden in 1989, he was captivated. “It was love at first sight,” he recalls. Then the plant began to weaken. Eventually, it died. Dr. Seki’s frustration prompted him to reconsider how he grew peonies. It also set him on a path that would gradually change the garden itself-from carefully arranged flower displays into a landscape where peonies, trees and the surrounding countryside could

ONE HANAZONO VILLAS will contain just 13 homes, but each is planned at approximately 700 to 1,000 square meters. The project will barely change Niseko’s residential supply. Its significance lies instead in what is being built at the very top of the market. Site exterior CG rendering courtesy of the developer. Pacific Century Premium Developments (PCPD) and Hyatt announced the project in September as Japan’s first Park Hyatt-branded villa development. Designed by Kengo Kuma wi

A mature landscape is easy to see. The decades of work beneath it are not. At Peony Garden Tokyo in Tsukuba, Director Koichi Seki has spent 37 years working with the land. His experience suggests that the plants, trees and scenery visible above ground tell only part of the story. When the garden opened, it was a more artificially divided peony garden. Over decades of planting, tree growth, pruning, replanting and soil management, it gradually evolved into a landscape where pe

Kugenuma, a residential neighborhood in Fujisawa near the Shonan coast southwest of Tokyo, has topped Recruit’s 2026 ranking of Greater Tokyo station areas where existing residents most want to continue living, beating a top 10 otherwise dominated by Tokyo’s 23 wards. Nearby Enoshima at sunset .Photo by natsuki on Unsplash The ranking is published by SUUMO, Recruit’s major Japanese residential property portal. Kugenuma, served by the Enoshima Electric Railway, scored 87.86 ou

For vacation homes, resorts and other properties where the land itself is part of the experience, a beautiful landscape is not simply something to look at. How the soil is managed, what is planted and how the outdoor environment develops over time can all shape the experience of owning and enjoying the property. Peony Garden Tokyo in Tsukuba offers an unusually long-running example of that relationship between land, landscape and everyday life. Located in Tsukuba City, Ibarak

Aman Niseko is scheduled to open in 2030 with 31 private residences and a 30-suite resort on Mount Moiwa, adding a new branded-residence option to Hokkaido’s international ski property market. The residences are planned as freestanding, two-story homes rather than units in a condominium building. Aman says they will have one to three bedrooms, loft-style mezzanine space, terraces and dedicated ski rooms, with customization available for individual owners. Residence CG renderi

Full race YouTube embed at the bottom of the article. Myoko is set to join the global trail running circuit in 2026, as Patience Capital Group moves to position the Niigata mountain resort area as a year-round outdoor sports destination. Singapore-based Patience Capital Group announced on May 20th that Myoko City will host MYOKO TRAIL, race number 6 in the GOLDEN TRAIL WORLD SERIES, on September 19th and 20th, 2026. The event will be held at Myoko Suginohara Ski Resort, with

From humble beginnings in Japan to building a global empire, Nobu Matsuhisa’s story is one of resilience, creativity, and partnership. After overcoming personal tragedy and business setbacks, the acclaimed chef joined forces with actor Robert De Niro to create Nobu Restaurants, a name now synonymous with modern Japanese cuisine and refined hospitality. Their collaboration has since expanded into Nobu Hotels and Nobu Residences, redefining luxury living and dining across major

SOHO HOUSE, the global members’ club for creative professionals, will open its first Japanese location in early 2026 as part of Mitsui Fudosan’s new Omotesando Grid Tower in Minami-Aoyama. Exterior CG rendering courtesy of ImpressWatch. The 160-meter, 38-story mixed-use tower will combine luxury rental apartments, office space, retail, and the club, reflecting a major transformation of the Aoyama corridor. Luxury Residences and SOHO HOUSE Floors 16 to 38 will feature 109 high

In the town of Minakami in Gunma Prefecture, a project is underway to revitalize a once-thriving hot spring district now marked by abandoned hotels and shuttered inns. Since 2021, the town government, Gunma Bank, major housing developer Open House Group, and the University of Tokyo Graduate School have partnered to restore the area under a rare collaboration spanning government, academia, finance, and industry. From Bustling Getaway to Abandoned Relics Once known as the "ba

Japan-based adventure tourism firm Canyons Founder Mike Harris recorded a video call with Adam German earlier in June for a wide-ranging discussion covering Canyons humble beginnings to the trailblazing, all-season adventure tourism company it is today. Learn more about Canyons by clicking here. Property Adjacent by Patience Realty is a podcast dedicated to zooming out from the confines of just residential real estate to see a general view of the economy to give property buye

Luxury buyers encounter dilemmas amid expansion of branded residences, akin to choosing top-tier brands amid increasing global options.