Snowball Chalet owner Dan Solo discusses Madarao and his plans for the future.
We have a lot of admiration for the family team behind Snowball Chalet, a gorgeous lodge in Madarao, Japan with a seemingly endless line of smitten past guests. So when the property picked up the award for Japan’s Best Ski Lodge in this year’s Ski Asia Awards, we saw it as the perfect opportunity to find out more about their journey in Madarao and plans for the future.
As it turns out, Dan and the whole Solo team have been incredibly busy through the pandemic, although you’d be forgiven for thinking that they’d spent the whole time riding powder, based on a very impressive social media feed!
Dan and Andy Solo
How did Snowball Chalet come to be and why Madarao?
Snowball Chalet was the realisation of a lifelong dream to own a ski lodge in snowy Japan. Andy and I were about to buy a lodge in Niseko way back in 2002 when we got pregnant by mistake. Everything went on hold then and it was another 14 years before we felt like we could do it. We are really committed to providing amazing experiences for people and just didn’t think we could do that with a really young kiddo.
Snowball Chalet’s luxury suite (a yurt!), with designer log fire, traditional Japanese bath and analog sound system
When our son, Akira got to 14 he was already super independent and we decided to start looking for a lodge somewhere other than Niseko. It is a long way from Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka and also is now really busy and the empty powder filled runs that we loved just didn’t exist anymore with the gazillions of people travelling there.
We were looking for a ski resort that had brilliant powder, a flexible policy to riding in the trees and also had easy access to Tokyo and the cultural hubs of Japan like Kyoto and Osaka. The year before we bought Snowball Chalet a brand new shinkansen (bullet train) started operating to the bottom of Madarao Mountain. It ticked all the boxes and at just 101 minutes from Tokyo it was an easy decision.
Madarao was still off the map but with the bullet train and a GM of the ski resort steadily opening up more and more of the mountain to tree skiing, we knew it had legs. Plus, we stumbled across Snowball Chalet (previously called Pension Clover) and we were instantly head over heels in love. It needed a lot of work but was simply dripping with potential.
What were the biggest challenges in setting up a business in Madarao?
Banking in Japan really messes with your head. I have lost countless hours navigating the system. That said, the opportunities far outweigh the downside. It is true that the bureaucracy is complicated and difficult to navigate but the flip side is that the Japanese system is geared at embracing investment and innovative ideas.
The opportunities that have come along have been totally amazing and with the right team behind you there is so much opportunity. We have also really loved doing business in Japan because it has been such an amazing window into the culture of Japan that so few people have the privilege of experiencing.
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Karaoke with our construction team at Manilla san’s in the little town of Kijimadaira, celebratory meals with our new chef friends at the brilliant Waremokou in Iiyama and meet and greets with other villagers at Maroudo Pension’s restaurant have been highlights for us. Despite the complexities, Japanese people are incredibly generous with their time, friendships and they love sharing their culture with people who have a genuine interest.
“We have also really loved doing business in Japan because it has been such an amazing window into the culture of Japan that so few people have the privilege of experiencing.”
Would you encourage others to take the same path?
Definitely. The journey has been a highlight of our lives. To do it like we did it requires a huge amount of work and commitment though so running a ski lodge here is not for everyone.
“We were looking for a ski resort that had brilliant powder, a flexible policy to riding in the trees and also had easy access to Tokyo and the cultural hubs of Japan like Kyoto and Osaka”
We have started offering opportunities to others who are interested in investing but don’t have the time or the desire to dedicate themselves to running such an intensive business. We can solve the problem of finding the right place to buy, organise and managing the asset. It has been so fun working with our customers to watch their dreams come true as well. There isn’t much that is more exciting than owning your own ski property. Especially when it gives great returns and becomes a part of a ski lifestyle.
How do you find the local community at the resort?
We are really lucky in Madarao. The resort of Madarao embraced us with open arms. The village and resort owners know how much hard work we put into marketing and service delivery and at Snowball Chalet we give a lot back to the community.
Every Snowball Chalet guest dines at numerous Japanese owned businesses and we are committed to supporting the local community in other ways as well. We love being a part of the community and that means helping to set up tennis courts for summer, joining the local organisations and also doing our bit in the not so fun things like helping make sure garbage collection is being done correctly.
What does your day look like during a normal season?
I have a great life during the season… I wake up early at around 5:30 and make it into the lounge by 6. I light the fire so it is roaring by the time the guests are up and then respond to all my emails. Guests start to trickle into the Snowball Chalet lounge and I make sure I chat to everyone. Our guests are such interesting people and when there is a metre of fresh snow from overnight falls there is a buzz in the air. I help the team with making the espresso, lattes and cappuccinos and also make sure everyone knows where they are booked in for dinner that night. Rena Tekenoshita, our completely wonderful Chalet Manager also does this stuff but we love working together and make a great team.
At 8am I suit up in my snowboard gear and do a quick safety briefing for the guests who are ready to roll. I then strap in to my Jones Mind Expander or Storm Chaser (dependant on how deep the snow will be) and get on first lifts with guests who are early birds and staff and friends who are lucky enough to have the morning off. I normally ride till about lunchtime or early afternoon.
I then head back to Snowball Chalet, hop onto emails again, do a little software development on the Snowball website (I was a software engineer in a past life) or just chat with guests who are having lovely lazy days and are hanging out in front of the fire.
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By the time all that is done Apres in the lounge is kicking off. I love this part of the day. Guests start returning from the hill. Many of them will have had their best snow day of their lives. It is such a joy experiencing it through their stories over a martini or two. There is a great buzz. Snowball never feels more alive than at Apres.
People start to slowly head off to dinner around 6 or 7 and I then head off to one of Madarao’s restaurants to get my own dinner with Andy and friends and sometimes guests. Pop back to Snowball around 8 or 9, make sure everyone is happy and trot off to bed falling in a heap so I am ready to do it all again the next day.
It snowed 50cm overnight. Where’s the first place in the resort (or outside) that you hit?
Firstly you are under estimating Madarao. It probably snowed 80cm!
Off first lifts I always drop River Run. It is a brilliant, steep, fall line ungroomed tree run right under the main chairlift of Madarao. It is the perfect kick starter for an epic riding day and is an incredible piece of terrain. There is nothing quite like first tracks down it. Look back and you will see your own rooster tails wafting 100 feet in the air off the back of your board. Woot woot!
Dan on Madarao’s River run
Best thing to do off the slopes in Madarao?
Eat of course. There are 25 lovely restaurants dotted around the village. We love the food here and the friendly locals who put their heart and soul into their restaurants making it all the more special.
What are the plans from here?
Andy and I have so many things going on. We are having so much fun.
We are developing the land next door to Snowball Chalet. It is going to be Snowman Apartments. Four apartments are sold already and there are only two left. The first stage will be ready this coming season for guests and the new owners will also be spending their first holidays in them as well. It is just so exciting.
Snowman Apartments. Learn more
We have also bought land at the bottom of Tangram Mountain right in the middle of the golf course and we are building a gorgeous guesthouse in the architectural style of a Japanese farm house. It is going to be stunning. Construction will be starting in the next few weeks but it won’t open until the summer. It will be year round accommodation which is new for us but it is the perfect winter and summer combination so it makes sense.
Tangram land
We have also created a 50/50 partnership with Rena, our Chalet Manager. Together we have bought a traditional tea house right near the Snow Monkeys. We will also be running it year round. In the beginning it will open with the lovely attached residence but we are also turning the Kura (rice store) and the warehouse into accommodation during the next couple of summers. It is wonderfully rustic and will be an incredible cultural experience for guests. It is right at the bottom of the Shiga ski resort just a couple of minutes from the famous Snow Monkeys so will also be a brilliant year round stay for people.
We have also just finished a stunning renovation in an existing apartment block in Madarao. We have fallen in love with it but have decided to sell it. and do another one. It is so amazing watching a tired apartment come back to life. Check out the red walls done in the ancient render style of Japan. It is a warm haven after a big day in the snow of Madarao. We can’t wait to see what people think of it. It is a bit special.
Snowball Studios. Learn more
