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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

Manza Ropeway


(Manza Onsen)

Tsumagoi Village, Gunma Prefecture

万座ロープウェイ（万座温泉スキー場）　群馬県嬬恋村

Manza Onsen is a ski area in Tsumagoi Village in the western region of Gunma Prefecture. It opened in 1956 and is still operating in 2024, though it is now on a smaller scale than it used to be, with a few sections closing over the years. Five years after the ski area opened, Manza Ropeway opened near the top of the Asahiyama Number 1 pair lift. The Ropeway was open throughout the year, but with the opening of Route 292 in 1970, the number of people using it during the summer months quickly decreased. After 10 years of operation, Manza Ropeway closed in 1971. The Asahiyama section of Manza Onsen is also now closed.

Opened
開設		 19th December 1961
Closed
 閉設		 1971
Base elevation
標高最低		 About 2,020m
Top elevation
標高最高		 About 2,060m
Length
傾斜長		 548m

Photographs

Taken in May 2024
写真撮影：2024年5月

[Manza Ropeway] Manza Onsen Ski Area (Tsumagoi, Gunma)　万座ロープウェイ・万座温泉スキー場（群馬県嬬恋村）
[Manza Ropeway] Manza Onsen Ski Area (Tsumagoi, Gunma)　万座ロープウェイ・万座温泉スキー場（群馬県嬬恋村）
[Manza Ropeway] Manza Onsen Ski Area (Tsumagoi, Gunma)　万座ロープウェイ・万座温泉スキー場（群馬県嬬恋村）
[Manza Ropeway] Manza Onsen Ski Area (Tsumagoi, Gunma)　万座ロープウェイ・万座温泉スキー場（群馬県嬬恋村）
[Manza Ropeway] Manza Onsen Ski Area (Tsumagoi, Gunma)　万座ロープウェイ・万座温泉スキー場（群馬県嬬恋村）
[Manza Ropeway] Manza Onsen Ski Area (Tsumagoi, Gunma)　万座ロープウェイ・万座温泉スキー場（群馬県嬬恋村）
[Manza Ropeway] Manza Onsen Ski Area (Tsumagoi, Gunma)　万座ロープウェイ・万座温泉スキー場（群馬県嬬恋村）
[Manza Ropeway] Manza Onsen Ski Area (Tsumagoi, Gunma)　万座ロープウェイ・万座温泉スキー場（群馬県嬬恋村）
[Manza Ropeway] Manza Onsen Ski Area (Tsumagoi, Gunma)　万座ロープウェイ・万座温泉スキー場（群馬県嬬恋村）

Further Information

  • Manza Onsen is the highest onsen hot spring in Japan that can be reached by car throughout the year
    　
  • Manza Onsen is also the name of the ski area that opened in 1956
    　
  • Manza Ropeway opened five years after the ski area in December 1961
    　
  • The station on the Manza Onsen ski area side was about a 200m walk from the top of the (now removed) Asahiyama Number 1 Romance lift 朝日山第１
    　
  • It was called Manza Eki 万座駅
    　
  • The other station, close to the famous Mt Shirane Yugama 湯釜 volcano crater, was called Shirane Tenbo Eki 白根展望駅
    　
  • A guidebook from when it was still operating called the ski run from the Shirane Tenbo Eki as Manza Shirane Ski Area 万座白根スキー場, but the facility seems to have been generally considered part of Manza Onsen ski area rather than a separate entity
    　
  • The Ropeway had cabins with a capacity of 21 people, spanned about 550m, and the journey took 4 minutes
    　
  • It was open year-round for sightseeing as well as for skiers in the winter
    　
  • The section of Route 292 connecting Shiga Kogen 志賀高原 in Nagano Prefecture with Tsumagoi Village and Kusatsu Town in Gunma opened in 1970
    　
  • After that road opened, there was a significant reduction in the number of people using Manza Ropeway outside of the winter months
    　
  • The Ropeway subsequently closed in 1971
    　
  • When Manza Ropeway was in operation, it was realistic to ski from Manza Onsen Ski Area to Kusatsu Kokusai Ski Area (with some walking/touring)
    　
  • The closing of the Ropeway made the connection less convenient, and effectively, the area between the two became the territory of specialised off-piste ski tours
    　
  • Both of the stations of the Ropeway were removed
    　
  • Apparently, a few traces of foundations remain on the small hill where the Manza Eki Station was located
    　
  • There are more significant remains of the old Shirane Tenbo Eki on the Shirane Tenbo side
    　
  • Unfortunately, due to ongoing worries of volcano activity, car parking and walking close to Yugama and Motoshirane are currently not permitted, so it was not possible to get close to those remains on a visit in May 2024
    　
  • The photos above show the area where the ropeway spanned along with remains of the Shirane Tenbo Eki station, taken from close to where the Manza Eki was located (the last photo is taken from the road new Yugama)
    　
  • The Asahiyama 朝日山ゲレンデ gelande of Manza Onsen Ski Area closed in 2011, and the lifts have been removed
    　
  • More information on the current Manza Onsen can be found on SnowJapan here
    　
  • Please also see the related resources on SnowJapanHistory:
    　
  • Asahiyama Gelande (Manza Onsen)
    　
  • Kumaike Gelande (Manza Onsen)
    　
  • Motoshirane & Shirane Kazan Ropeway (Kusatsu Onsen)

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Location
所在地

Close to Route 292 near the border of Tsumagoi Village and Kusatsu Town in western Gunma Prefecture.
The section of road is closed during the winter months.
When it was operating, the Manza Ropeway was accessed via the top of the Asahiyama Number 1 lift of Manza Onsen Ski Area.

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 May 2024
Last updated on 27th May 2024
2024年5月 作成 　2024年5月27日 更新