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

Akagisan Dai 1

Maebashi City, Gunma Prefecture

赤城山第１スキー場　群馬県前橋市

Akagisan Dai 1 (Akagisan Number 1) is a ski area located on the north-eastern slopes of the 1,674m Jizodake, by the side of Lake Onuma in Maebashi City in Gunma Prefecture. At one time there were three ski areas by the lake. Akagisan Dai 2 and Akagisan Dai 3 are now both closed, but Akagisan Dai 1 remains in operation. However, the current ski area is a greatly scaled-down version of what it used to be and in recent years it has boasted of being the ‘self-proclaimed smallest ski area in Japan’! At one time Akagisan Dai 1 was known as ‘the closest ski area to Tokyo'. An introduction of the interesting story behind the old ski area seems appropriate for SnowJapanHistory...

Akagisan Dai 1 Ski Area（赤城山第１スキー場）
Opened
開設		 Ropeway opened in 1957
Closed
 閉設		 Ropeway closed in 1998;
Lower area remains open
Base elevation
標高最低		 1,350m
Top elevation
標高最高		 1,674m
Vertical
標高差		 324m
Steepest slope
最大斜度		 32°
Number of courses
コース本数		 2
Longest run
最長滑走距離		 3,000m
Skill level
初級・中級・上級		 30% beginners
70% intermediate
Ski / board
スキー・ボード		 100% skiing
Ski lifts
リフト本数		 3 lifts (at one time)
Ropeway 586m
Single About 250m
Single About 850m
Current setup 　
Snow escalator 60m
Night skiing
ナイター設備		 There was no night skiing

Photographs

Taken in October 2020
写真撮影：2020年10月

These first photographs are from the base area by Lake Onuma and show the snow escalator that remains in operation to this day.

Akagisan Dai 1 Ski Area（赤城山第１スキー場）
Akagisan Dai 1 Ski Area（赤城山第１スキー場）
Akagisan Dai 1 Ski Area（赤城山第１スキー場）
Akagisan Dai 1 Ski Area（赤城山第１スキー場）
Akagisan Dai 1 Ski Area（赤城山第１スキー場）
Akagisan Dai 1 Ski Area（赤城山第１スキー場）
Akagisan Dai 1 Ski Area（赤城山第１スキー場）
Akagisan Dai 1 Ski Area（赤城山第１スキー場）
Akagisan Dai 1 Ski Area（赤城山第１スキー場）
Akagisan Dai 1 Ski Area（赤城山第１スキー場）
Akagisan Dai 1 Ski Area（赤城山第１スキー場）
Akagisan Dai 1 Ski Area（赤城山第１スキー場）
 

Old Rope Tow

A rope tow style lift remains in the base area, though it does not appear to have been used in recent years and is not mentioned on the information by the base building. At one time there was a single ski lift in this location. That lift opened in 1958 and was called the Akagidaira Ski Lift. It went from the base of the ski area to the base station of the Akagisan Ropeway. A second lift to the top area used to be on the left side of the area, starting from where the snow escalator currently is. The last photograph in this section shows the view looking up from that position.

Akagisan Dai 1 Ski Area（赤城山第１スキー場）
Akagisan Dai 1 Ski Area（赤城山第１スキー場）
Akagisan Dai 1 Ski Area（赤城山第１スキー場）
Akagisan Dai 1 Ski Area（赤城山第１スキー場）
Akagisan Dai 1 Ski Area（赤城山第１スキー場）
Akagisan Dai 1 Ski Area（赤城山第１スキー場）
Akagisan Dai 1 Ski Area（赤城山第１スキー場）
Akagisan Dai 1 Ski Area（赤城山第１スキー場）
Akagisan Dai 1 Ski Area（赤城山第１スキー場）
 

Akagisan Ropeway Memorial

The Akagisan Ropeway opened in 1957 and closed in 1998. There is a stone memorial by the side of the road near the ski area. The word ‘memories’ 想い出 is etched onto the stone.

Akagisan Dai 1 Ski Area（赤城山第１スキー場）
Akagisan Dai 1 Ski Area（赤城山第１スキー場）
Akagisan Dai 1 Ski Area（赤城山第１スキー場）
 

Old Ski Lift

The Onuma Lift, also known as Hacho Toge Ski Lift, opened in 1966 and went from the base area to an elevation of 1,498m. The remains of the top tower of the lift can still be found close to the Jizo Toge road.

Akagisan Dai 1 Ski Area（赤城山第１スキー場）
Akagisan Dai 1 Ski Area（赤城山第１スキー場）
Akagisan Dai 1 Ski Area（赤城山第１スキー場）
Akagisan Dai 1 Ski Area（赤城山第１スキー場）
Akagisan Dai 1 Ski Area（赤城山第１スキー場）
Akagisan Dai 1 Ski Area（赤城山第１スキー場）
Akagisan Dai 1 Ski Area（赤城山第１スキー場）
Akagisan Dai 1 Ski Area（赤城山第１スキー場）
Akagisan Dai 1 Ski Area（赤城山第１スキー場）
 

Jizodake Course

The slope from the top of the Onuma Lift up to the summit of Jizodake apparently used to be a ski course. Beautiful views of Lake Konuma, the Kanto Plain and Mt Fuji in the distance can be seen from this area.

Akagisan Dai 1 Ski Area（赤城山第１スキー場）
Akagisan Dai 1 Ski Area（赤城山第１スキー場）
Akagisan Dai 1 Ski Area（赤城山第１スキー場）
Akagisan Dai 1 Ski Area（赤城山第１スキー場）
Akagisan Dai 1 Ski Area（赤城山第１スキー場）
Akagisan Dai 1 Ski Area（赤城山第１スキー場）
Akagisan Dai 1 Ski Area（赤城山第１スキー場）
Akagisan Dai 1 Ski Area（赤城山第１スキー場）
Akagisan Dai 1 Ski Area（赤城山第１スキー場）
Akagisan Dai 1 Ski Area（赤城山第１スキー場）
Akagisan Dai 1 Ski Area（赤城山第１スキー場）
Akagisan Dai 1 Ski Area（赤城山第１スキー場）
Akagisan Dai 1 Ski Area（赤城山第１スキー場）
Akagisan Dai 1 Ski Area（赤城山第１スキー場）
Akagisan Dai 1 Ski Area（赤城山第１スキー場）
 

Jizodake Summit

Lake Onuma can be seen from the top of Jizodake. This is also where the top Akagisan Ropeway Station used to be. It was called Jizodake Tenbodai Eki.

Akagisan Dai 1 Ski Area（赤城山第１スキー場）
Akagisan Dai 1 Ski Area（赤城山第１スキー場）
Akagisan Dai 1 Ski Area（赤城山第１スキー場）
Akagisan Dai 1 Ski Area（赤城山第１スキー場）
Akagisan Dai 1 Ski Area（赤城山第１スキー場）
Akagisan Dai 1 Ski Area（赤城山第１スキー場）

Further Information

  • Mount Akagi, known in Japanese as Akagisan or Akagiyama, is a stratovolcano located to the north of central Maebashi City
    　
  • The name is of one large volcanic body - there is no peak called Akagi
    　
  • Akagisan 'Dai 1' basically means Akagisan 'Number 1'
    　
  • The Jizodake Ski Jump  地蔵岳ジャンプ台  opened in 1928
    　
  • It hosted the first ever international ski jump competition in Japan
    　
  • No record can be found of exactly where the jump was located, though some information sources indicate it was close to the top of Jizodake
    　
  • The 21 person capacity Akagisan Ropeway  赤城山ロープウェイ  (586m) opened in June 1957
    　
  • At that time this location was part of Fujimi Village  富士見村
    　
  • The Akagisan Ropeway operated throughout the year for sightseeing
    　
  • The base station was called Akagidaira Eki  赤城平駅  and the top station was called Jizodake Tenbodai Eki  地蔵岳展望台駅
    　
  • According to a local tourist guide, thanks to the opening of the Ropeway there was a 3km long downhill ski course available  地蔵岳滑走コース
    　
  • At that time Akagisan was known as 'the closest ski area to Tokyo'  東京から最も近いスキー場
    　
  • The Akagidaira Ski Lift  赤城平スキーリフト  opened in 1958
    　
  • That single lift connected the base area by the road with the lower Ropeway station [see above old aerial photo]
    　
  • A second single ski lift was opened in 1966
    　
  • One record shows the name of that second lift to be Hacho Toge Ski Lift  八丁峠スキーリフト
    　
  • However, the name Onuma Lift  小沼リフト is actually written on the top (18th) tower of the lift that remains to this day [see above photo]
    　
  • It appears that the slope between the top Ropeway Station and the top of the Onuma lift was a ski course, which then continued on down to the base
    　
  • Unfortunately no ski course map for Akagisan Dai 1 can be found
    　
  • The Ropeway closed in 1998 and a memorial with the word 'memories'  想い出  can now be found by the side of the road near the ski area [see above photos]
    　
  • The ski area closed at that same time
    　
  • The exact timeline of changes beyond the Ropeway closing is unclear, but the following happened...
    　
  • The Ropeway was removed sometime between 2001 and 2008
    　
  • The lower Akagidaira lift was removed
    　
  • The single Onuma Lift was also removed, though the top pillar remains in place [see above photos]
    　
  • A rope tow was placed in the lower area where the Akagidaira lift used to be
    　
  • While that rope tow lift still remains in place, it apparently has not been used in recent seasons
    　
  • A 60m snow escalator opened in December 2013
    　
  • The area now calls itself a 'Family Skiing Ground' offering beginner skiing, an area for sledding and playing in the snow
    　
  • The snow escalator is generally only open on weekends and holidays
    　
  • On a previous visit to Akagisan, a sign could be found by the base area that said 'the self-proclaimed smallest ski area in Japan'  自称日本一小さいスキー場
    　
  • That sign could not be seen in October 2020
    　
  • The Mt Akagi region is still popular for hiking, walking and sightseeing
    　
  • There are official hiking routes on the old Jizodake course [see above photos] as well as the route down from the old Onuma lift to base
    　
  • Fujimi Village became part of Maebashi City in May 2009

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Location
所在地

Located by the side of Lake Onuma in Gunma Prefecture.
About 25km from the Akagi IC exit of the Kanetsu Expressway.
About 28km from Shibukawa Station on the Joetsu line.
関越自動車道　赤城ICから的25km
上越線　渋川駅から的28km

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 Gunma Prefecture

This page was created in October 2020
Last updated on 11th August 2022
2020年10月 作成 　2022年8月11日 更新