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

Kazawa

Tsumagoi Village, Gunma Prefecture

鹿沢スキー場　群馬県嬬恋村

Kazawa was a ski area located in the southern area of Tsumagoi Village in Gunma Prefecture. The full name of the ski area appears to have been Kokumin Kyukamura Kazawa 国民休暇村鹿沢スキー場. After the third ski lift was added, a ski tour course connected Kawawa with the nearby Yunomaru Ski Area. Kazawa opened in the early 1960s and closed in 1996. All of the lifts and facilities have been removed and trees planted on at least some of the old ski slopes.

Kazawa Ski Area（鹿沢スキー場・国民休暇村鹿沢スキー場）
Opened
開設		 Early 1960s
Closed
 閉設		 1996
Base elevation
標高最低		 1550m
Top elevation
標高最高		 1830m
Vertical
標高差		 280m
Steepest slope
最大斜度		 34°
Number of courses
コース本数		 7
Longest run
最長滑走距離		 2000m
Skill level
初級・中級・上級		 Unknown
Ski / board
スキー・ボード		 Closed before snowboarding became popular
Ski lifts
リフト本数		 3 lifts
Single 450m
Single 450m
Single 520m
Night skiing
ナイター設備		 There was no night skiing

Photographs

Taken in May 2021
写真撮影：2021年5月 

Kazawa Ski Area（鹿沢スキー場・国民休暇村鹿沢スキー場）
Kazawa Ski Area（鹿沢スキー場・国民休暇村鹿沢スキー場）
Kazawa Ski Area（鹿沢スキー場・国民休暇村鹿沢スキー場）
Kazawa Ski Area（鹿沢スキー場・国民休暇村鹿沢スキー場）
Kazawa Ski Area（鹿沢スキー場・国民休暇村鹿沢スキー場）
Kazawa Ski Area（鹿沢スキー場・国民休暇村鹿沢スキー場）
Kazawa Ski Area（鹿沢スキー場・国民休暇村鹿沢スキー場）
Kazawa Ski Area（鹿沢スキー場・国民休暇村鹿沢スキー場）
Kazawa Ski Area（鹿沢スキー場・国民休暇村鹿沢スキー場）
Kazawa Ski Area（鹿沢スキー場・国民休暇村鹿沢スキー場）
Kazawa Ski Area（鹿沢スキー場・国民休暇村鹿沢スキー場）
Kazawa Ski Area（鹿沢スキー場・国民休暇村鹿沢スキー場）
Kazawa Ski Area（鹿沢スキー場・国民休暇村鹿沢スキー場）
Kazawa Ski Area（鹿沢スキー場・国民休暇村鹿沢スキー場）
Kazawa Ski Area（鹿沢スキー場・国民休暇村鹿沢スキー場）
Kazawa Ski Area（鹿沢スキー場・国民休暇村鹿沢スキー場）
Kazawa Ski Area（鹿沢スキー場・国民休暇村鹿沢スキー場）
Kazawa Ski Area（鹿沢スキー場・国民休暇村鹿沢スキー場）
Kazawa Ski Area（鹿沢スキー場・国民休暇村鹿沢スキー場）
Kazawa Ski Area（鹿沢スキー場・国民休暇村鹿沢スキー場）
Kazawa Ski Area（鹿沢スキー場・国民休暇村鹿沢スキー場）
Kazawa Ski Area（鹿沢スキー場・国民休暇村鹿沢スキー場）
Kazawa Ski Area（鹿沢スキー場・国民休暇村鹿沢スキー場）
Kazawa Ski Area（鹿沢スキー場・国民休暇村鹿沢スキー場）
Kazawa Ski Area（鹿沢スキー場・国民休暇村鹿沢スキー場）
Kazawa Ski Area（鹿沢スキー場・国民休暇村鹿沢スキー場）
Kazawa Ski Area（鹿沢スキー場・国民休暇村鹿沢スキー場）

Further Information

  • Kazawa Ski Area was located in the southern region of Tsumagoi Village, close to the border with Nagano Prefecture
    　
  • It appears that the full name of the ski area was, at least at one time, Kokumin Kyukamura Kazawa Ski Area  国民休暇村鹿沢スキー場
    　
  • A old sign on Route 144 still refers to it as Kokumin Kyukamura Ski Area  国民休ヶ村スキー場
    　
  • Kazawa opened in the early 1960s with two single lifts
    　
  • The third lift was added at a later date
    　
  • There was a small car park by the side of the road at base
    　
  • A second car park was available in the central flat area between Number 1 and Number 3 lifts
    　
  • That area also featured the Yunomaru Lodge  湯ノ丸ロッジ  building, by the top of the Number 1 lift
    　
  • A wooden pavilion structure can now be found in that location
    　
  • The ski lifts and buildings have been completely removed and old ski runs are now covered in trees
    　
  • Yunomaru Ski Area  湯の丸スキー場  (still operating) is a few kilometres to the south of Kazawa
    　
  • There used to be a ski tour course connecting Yunomaru with the top of the Number 3 lift at Kazawa
    　
  • When Kazawa was open, Kazawa Highland Ski Area  鹿沢ハイランドスキー場  was also operating about 5km to the north
    　
  • That ski area is still open but since 2001 it has been known as Kazawa Snow Area  鹿沢スノーエリア
    　
  • A stone monument can be found by the side of the road, close to where the base lift used to be
    　
  • There is an engraving of the name of the ski area on the monument  鹿澤スキー場
    　
  • Curiously, the second kanji character used (澤) is different from the kanji in the official name of the ski area
    　
  • The Japanese language song Yukiyama Sanka  雪山讃歌  was inspired by a winter visit to the Kazawa Onsen area
    　
  • The song uses the melody of the American folk song Oh My Darling, Clementine
    　
  • A section of road near Kazawa has a Melody Line  メロディーライン (also known as Melody Road  メロディーロード) featuring the Oh My Darling, Clementine melody
    　
  • Grooves in the road surface with varying depth and spacing control sound and volume
    　
  • As a result, you can hear the melody as you drive along the road
    　
  • Be sure to drive at a constant speed to hear it in tune!

Google Earth

Kazawa Ski Area（鹿沢スキー場・国民休暇村鹿沢スキー場）

Google Street View

Google Maps

Location
所在地

About 16km from the Tobu Yunomaru IC exit of the Joshinetsu Expressway.
About 19km from the Komoro IC exit of the Joshinetsu Expressway.
About 16.5km from Manza Kazawaguchi Station on the Agatsuma line.
上信越自動車道　東部湯の丸ICから的16km　小諸ICから的19km
吾妻線　万座・鹿沢口駅から的16.5km

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

Yunomaru 　湯の丸スキー場　2.5km
Kazawa Snow Area 　鹿沢スノーエリア　5km
All currently operating ski areas in Gunma Prefecture

This page was created in May 2021
Last updated on 30th June 2021
2021年5月 作成 　2021年6月30日 更新