SnowJapanHistory　スノージャパン ヒストリー
A look back at ski areas from Japan’s past 過去の日本のスキー場を懐かしむ

Ashinomaki Onsen

Aizu Wakamatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture

芦ノ牧温泉スキー場　福島県会津若松市

Ashinomaki Onsen was a small ski area in Aizu Wakamatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture. It was close to the central onsen hot springs town area of the same name. The 300m slope featured one lift and a slope suited to beginners. Dates of operation for Ashinomaki Onsen cannot be confirmed, but a large nursing home facility opened at this location in 2000. The nearby train station is famous for being staffed by… cats. More information below.

Ashinomaki Onsen Ski Area（芦ノ牧温泉スキー場）
Opened
開設		 Unknown
Closed
 閉設		 Unknown
But before 2000
Base elevation
標高最低		 About 375m
Top elevation
標高最高		 About 425m
Vertical
標高差		 About 50m
Steepest slope
最大斜度		 20°
Number of courses
コース本数		 1
Longest run
最長滑走距離		 300m
Skill level
初級・中級・上級		 Beginner
Ski / board
スキー・ボード		 100% / 0%
Ski lifts
リフト本数		 1 lifts
Unconfirmed 200m
The lift has been removed
Night skiing
ナイター設備		 There was no night skiing


Photographs

Taken in July 2022
写真撮影：2022年7月  

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Further Information

  • Ashinomaki Onsen is an onsen hot springs town area of Aizu Wakamatsu City
    　
  • It is often known as Aizu Ashinomaki Onsen  会津芦ノ牧温泉  and has a long history, dating back over 1200 years
    　
  • Ashinomaki Onsen was also the name of a small ski area which was a short walk from the main town area
    　
  • The exact opening and closing dates for the ski area cannot be confirmed but was included in a 1976 ski guidebook
    　
  • Ashinomaki Onsen was a simple slope suited to beginners and used mainly by visitors to the onsen hot springs
    　
  • There was one 200m lift at Ashinomaki Onsen - lift type unconfirmed, but it was probably a simple rope tow
    　
  • What might be the ski lift can be seen in the above aerial image from 1976
    　
  • The nursing home facility that can now be found around what used to be the base of the ski area opened in 2000, so the ski area had closed before then
    　
  • There are now no signs left of the old ski area, but there is a pathway up the slope behind the nursing home facility
    　
  • Ashinomaki Snow Park  芦ノ牧スノーパーク  is a recent attraction about 1km from the location of the old ski area and open for a limited time in mid-winter
    　
  • It is a flat area and primarily for 'playing-in-the-snow' activities, including sledging, snow sliders, banana boats and kamakura igloos
    　
  • Unrelated to ski areas, the local train station, Ashinomaki Onsen Station  芦ノ牧温泉駅, is famous for its 'station master cats' 「ねこ駅長」.... and proudly calls itself 'the station where cats work' 「ねこが働く駅」
    　
  • From Wikipedia:
    　
  • Ashinomaki Onsen Station is home to Bus (ばす, Basu), a long-haired cat who acts as the station master in a manner similar to Tama of Kishi Station. Bus was named after the Catbus from My Neighbor Totoro. Bus had been a resident of the station since June, 2000. She was appointed as the honorary stationmaster in April 2008. She had worked with a human station master and retired in December 2015. Love (らぶ, Rabu) succeeded the honorary stationmaster. He started working with them from July, 2014. Bus stayed in the station also after retirement with the title of honorary stationmaster of admirable longevity. She died on April 22, 2016. On October 14, 2017, Peach (ぴーち, Pichi), who is Love's younger brother, was appointed as the rail manager (Head of facilities management). He retired in March 2020. Sakura (さくら, Sakura), who is a younger sister of Love and Peach, began to work as an apprentice station staff in the spring 2020
    　
  • On a visit in late July 2022, Rabu was on a 'business trip', and Sakura was on duty
    　
  • Well... sleeping, actually
    　
  • There is a lot of cat theming in the station building, but visitors are asked to not take photos of the cats on duty
    　
  • The train station is about 4.5km from the location of the old ski area

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Location
所在地

Located close to the centre of the Ashinomaki Onsen hot spring town area of Aizu Wakamatsu City.
About 22km from the Aizu Wakamatsu IC exit of the Banetsu Expressway.
About 4.5km from Ashinomaki Onsen Station on the Aizu Railway Aizu Line.
磐越自動車道　会津若松ICから的22km
会津線　芦ノ牧温泉駅から的4.5km

Currently operating ski & snowboard resorts in the region
近隣の運営中のスキー場

All currently operating ski areas in Fukushima Prefecture

This page was created in September 2020
Last updated on 5th August 2022
2020年5月 作成 　2022年8月5日 更新