Ski areas from Japan’s past 過去の日本のスキー場を懐かしむ

Wakkanai Koen

Wakkanai City, Hokkaido

稚内公園スキー場　北海道稚内市

Wakkanai Koen (or Wakkanai-shi Koen) was a ski area close to the centre of Wakkanai City in the northern region of Hokkaido. It was the most northerly ski area in Japan. People used to get to the ski area using the Wakkanai Koen Ropeway - Japan’s most northern and shortest Ropeway lift. The ski area and the Ropeway both closed in 2006, and all the facilities were removed.

Opened
開設		 1978
Closed
 閉設		 21st March 2006
Base elevation
標高最低		 100m (base of pair lift)
Top elevation
標高最高		 160m
Vertical
標高差		 About 60m
Steepest slope
最大斜度		 25°(35°at one time)
Number of courses
コース本数		 3 (5 at one time)
Longest run
最長滑走距離		 About 400m
Skill level
初級・中級・上級		 50% beginner
40% intermediate
10% advanced
Ski / board
スキー・ボード		 Unconfirmed
Ski lifts
リフト本数
Pair 325m
Single 720m (closed in later years)
Ropeway 130m
The lifts and the ropeway have been removed
Night skiing
ナイター設備		 There was night skiing at Wakkanai Koen

Further Information

  • Wakkanai Koen Ski Area was the most northerly ski area in Japan
    　
  • A guidebook from 1986 has it listed as Wakkanai Shimin Ski Area 稚内市民スキー場
    　
  • It was also known as Wakkanai-shi Koen Ski Area 稚内市公園スキー場
    　
  • Students from local schools took ski lessons at this ski area
    　
  • The roads up to the location of the ski area were closed during the winter months, and so the only way to get to the ski area was using the Wakkanai Koen Ropeway 稚内公園ロープウェイ
    　
  • The Ropeway opened in August 1975
    　
  • It was the most northerly Ropeway in Japan and also the shortest at just 130m in length
    　
  • It climbed up 70m from behind the Hokumon Jinja 北門神社 in Wakkanai and held 15 people
    　
  • One of the cable cars was known as Taro タロ while the other was known as Jiro ジロ
    　
  • In the early days there were two ski lifts at this ski area
    　
  • The closest lift was a 5 minutes walk from the top of the Ropeway
    　
  • Initially, it appears they were both single lifts
    　
  • The shorter lift was replaced by a pair lift in 1989
    　
  • The other 720m ski lift was not operating in later years
    　
  • When the two lifts were open, there were 5 courses and a max gradient of 35 degrees
    　
  • When only the pair lift was open, there were 3 courses and a max gradient of 25
    　
  • Night skiing at this ski area was until 9pm and only on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays
    　
  • From 2003, all night skiing was stopped
    　
  • The ski area closed in March 2006
    　
  • Since Wakkanai Koen closed, the nearby Wakkanai Komadori 稚内こまどりスキー場 is now the most northerly ski area in Japan (details on SnowJapan here)
    　
  • All facilities (ski area and ropeway) had been removed by 2009
    　
  • When the weather was clear, Rishiri Island  利尻島 and Rebun Island  礼文島 could be seen from the top
    　
  • The 80m tall Wakkanai Centennial Memorial Tower was 開基百年記念塔 by the top of the pair lift
    　
  • That facility opened in the same year as the ski area (1978)

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  • The base of the Wakkanai Koen Ropeway was less than 1km from Wakkanai Station on the Soya Honsen line

  • 宗谷本線　稚内駅から的1km

This page was created in May 2022
Last updated on 24th June 2022
2022年5月 作成　2022年6月24日 更新