Niseko's main ski sector, Grand Hirafu, is to get a new gondola next winter.
The new Hirafu gondola will replace the famous Japanese resort's Ace Quad Lift #2 Center 4 quad chairlift, which is the resort's oldest and would have turned 40 in 2025.
The gondola serves an increasingly busy area of the slopes above a growing area of ski-in/out accommodation so should cut down queuing in the sector at busy times.
The new gondola, Grand Hirafu's third, will seat 10, and with a faster uplift speed than the quad as well, it will increase hourly capacity on the route from 1800 to 2800 people per hour.
A closing down ceremony was held near the end of the 23-24 season last weekend for the old chairlift with individual chairs also auctioned off, some fetching in excess of £750.
Image credit: Grand Hirafu