Home Tour: Interior Designer Nikki Hunt's holiday home in Hakuba Valley, Japan

The Singapore-based interior designer and co-founder of Design Intervention, Nikki Hunt, has created a stunning alpine apartment home that perfectly balances luxury and authenticity in the pristine snowy region of Hakuba, Japan. This thoughtfully designed space showcases how contemporary Japanese interior design can harmoniously blend with Western comfort.

When Nikki Hunt first visited Hakuba in the Japanese Alps, she fell in love with the place immediately. The founder and principal of interior-design firm Design Intervention was captivated by this serene area within the Nagano prefecture, known for its world-class skiing and breathtaking mountain vistas. Her immediate connection to the region led her to make a significant investment in local property.

“We bought a tired old pension which had been a 13-bedroom small hotel, and restructured it to form a five-bedroom chalet,” says Hunt, a UK native based in Singapore. The success of this initial venture into the Japanese property market, particularly the positive response from luxury vacation rentals, inspired the family to expand their portfolio with an alpine apartment that exemplifies the best of contemporary Japanese interior design.

Luxury property ownership in Japan

Hunt’s approach to managing her Hakuba apartment demonstrates the practicality of luxury property ownership in Japan. When not enjoying the space with her family, she entrusts it to a local property management company, which she praises for their efficiency and reasonable fees. This hands-off approach allows the alpine apartment to serve as both a personal retreat and a smart investment.

“This gives us peace of mind,” says Hunt, highlighting the advantages of property ownership in Japan. “Besides, Japan is a safe nation, with a strong, well-organised legal system, so we are confident about the property contract we have purchased. The Japanese people here are lovely, kind, honest and reliable, and the properties have all been well maintained and any problems easily solved.”

The investment potential of this alpine apartment extends beyond its immediate rental appeal. Hunt and her husband see significant opportunity in the area’s developing market. “Japan has suffered from a huge recession in the property market over the last 20 years but prices have begun stabilising over the past two years. There is quite a bit of building activity going on in the area and a pickup in interest from foreign buyers. But values are still very cheap (though off their lows), both compared to those of international ski resorts as well as compared with Niseko in the north of Japan. We are quite optimistic that we will see price appreciation,” she explains.

“But of course the reason we have bought in the area is simply that we love going there,” she adds, emphasizing that passion, not just profit, drove their decision. 

Luxury alpine apartment

The interior design of the alpine apartment reflects Hunt’s expertise in creating welcoming spaces. A neutral palette, complemented by fur and leather finishes, brings warmth to the contemporary Japanese interior while honoring the property’s mountain setting. This thoughtful approach to design makes the Hakuba apartment a coveted destination in the Japanese Alps.

The apartment, designed by Hunt herself through Design Intervention, serves as both a family bolthole and a luxury rental property. Its design successfully marries Alpine luxury with Japanese aesthetics, creating a unique retreat that appeals to discriminating travelers seeking an authentic yet luxurious mountain experience.

Contemporary Japanese aesthetic

The attention to detail is evident in every corner. “I wanted the interiors to be imbued with a contemporary Japanese aesthetic, so the guests would feel they were in Japan but have all the luxury and comforts that the international traveller expects,” Hunt explains. This vision is realized through carefully chosen oriental elements such as wood panelling, traditional pillars and beams, and authentic Japanese-style ofuro (bathtub) in the bathrooms.

Shoji-style windows

The alpine apartment’s architectural features, including timber beams and 12 shoji-style windows, create a seamless connection between traditional Japanese design and modern luxury. These elements, combined with modern indulgences such as spacious, plush bedrooms and lavish furnishings, make this property a perfect hideaway in the Japanese Alps, exemplifying the best of contemporary Japanese interior design while maintaining its mountain charm.

This article by Wyn-Lyn Tan originally appeared in The Peak.