challenging backcountry terrain. Near the lower half of Hanazono is a forest route called Strawberry Fields, which is perhaps the most famous run in Niseko. Mount Yōtei is also a popular mountain for backcountry skiing expeditions. For the first time, in March 2008, Niseko was voted into the world's top 10 ski resorts. Coming in at No. 6 it was the highest ranked of the new entries in the poll. Originally known primarily for winter sports, Niseko has gradually gained a reputation as a center for a wide variety of summer activities, including golf, tennis, fishing, horseback riding, sea kayaking, white water rafting, trekking, and bicycling. Niseko has also become well known for its hot springs (onsen), diverse culinary choices, and exceptional whiskeys. Weather Because of its northern location, Niseko is fed more by weather fronts that come from Siberia than from Eastern Japan, although all of Japan, especially the west coast of the main island (see Yukiguni), experiences northwest-to-southeast Siberian winds in the winter. The resort is internationally renowned for its consistently good falls of light powder snow and its long ski season which runs from late November until early May. The snow is not as dry as other areas in Hokkaido, but the volume is high, with the average snow depth in March reaching . Niseko was named as the world's No. 2 snowiest resort in December 2007 with annual average snow fall of . First place went to the Mt. Baker Ski Area in Washington State with . Infrastructure and development Niseko, although a growing area, does lack public and private infrastructure in certain areas. Simple public items such as street lighting and winter footpath clearing are left wanting in comparison to other international ski resorts (though this is common in rural Japan). Private infrastructure includes shopping and retail areas from which both are still in growth phase. These facilities are now available in Shiki building in central Hirafu where there is a supermarket, restaurants, a cafe and tour desk. Significant infrastructure development – initially focused on the road heating and redevelopment of the main street "Hirafu-zaka" – has now been completed as well as removing the overhead power lines and relocating them underground. Counteracting this lack of infrastructure is the high demand for real estate. Foreign-owned companies are developing in the area along with Japanese companies. Purchase demand has expanded from Australian markets to include Hong