Skiing Areas

Skiing is possible from end of November to mid-April, but most of the stations will open around mid-December. Some years, snow conditions are very poor and some stations just start their activities beginning of January. Hopefully, for this 2002-2003 ski season, the first snow felt around mid-November.

There are three notable areas for skiing:

• Minakami
• Numata
• Echigo Yuzawa

Ski stations in Minakami area.

There are nine ski stations in the Minakami area, all relatively at a close range from Minakami Interchange (Minakami I.C.).

The Minakami Town Tourist Association is publishing an excellent brochure in Japanese, titled "Minakami Winter Resort 2002!, which can be obtained at the Tourist Office in Minakami and in many other tourist places such as"onsens", hotels, rentals shops, etc. The same information is available on the Web at http://www.minakami-onsen.com. It includes a map of all ski stations and we have made a link to the corresponding stations in the table below. Snow depth information can be consulted on the same site.

We have a slight preference for Minakami-Houdaigi, then Norn-Minakami, then Minakami-Okutone because of the convenience of access, variety of ski courses and quality of infrastructure.

Tanigawadake-Tenjindaira is opened from beginning of November to the first week of May (Golden Week) and is the only choice for early or spring ski.

Ka-no-Sawa is an ideal slidding place for kids.

Ski stations in Numata area

The are several ski stations in the Numata area, easily accessible from Numata Interchange (Numata I.C.), that we recommend. More specific information on these stations can be obtained by consulting their Web pages (in Japanese, link in the table below), which are produced by the Gunma Prefectural Government at http://www.pref.gunma.jp. An excellent printed brochure, "Gunma Ski Resort 2003", is also available at most tourist places.

Tambara is one of our favorite and can be reached from Kamimoku by taking the so called Sayama-Numata Rindosen. Consult the Tambara Ski Park Web site at http://www.tambara.co.jp/skipark/index-j.php3 for detailed information on the station.

Ski stations in Echigo Yuzawa area

The Yuzawa area is accessible either by crossing the Kan-etsudo Tunnel, from Yuzawa Interchange (Yuzawa I.C.) or by using the National Road or Kokudo 17 (Tsukiyono - Sarugakyo - Mitsumine Tunnel). The kan-etsu tunnel can be very congested and it is highly advisable to listen to NHK traffic report (594 kHz) a few minutes before the hour, or High Way Radio (1,620 kHz). Both transmissions are in Japanese. Telephone information is also available at 0257-84-4811 for the Kan-etsu Tunnel road information and at 0257-84-2218 for the National Road - Mikuni Peak Tunnel Information.

Please also be advised that you should always bring your chains when entering in the area as this is already Niigata Prefecture, which enjoys much severe snow conditions than Gunma.

There are 19 stations in the area: You can pick up a brochure on the ski stations in the area at the Yuzawa Tourist Information Office inside Echigo Yuzawa Railway station in Yuzawa. You also will find there a table on snowth depth at stations. This information can also be obtained by calling 0257-84-4000, or fax 0257-85-5333 (24 hours push button service), or by browsing the web at http://www.iijnet.or.jp/yuzawa/ski/snow.htm.

If you turn left from Yuzawa I.C.

If you turn right from Yuzawa I.C.

We have a marked preference for Kagura-Mitsumata, which offers a wide variety of ski courses, and is connected to Kagura-Tashiro. The Gondola from the parking is quite fast and other lifts too. We also appreciate Naeba but it can be very congested.

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