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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

Wakabuna Kogen

Sekikawa Village, Niigata Prefecture

わかぶな高原スキー場　新潟県関川村

Wakabuna Kogen was a ski area located in Sekikawa Village, in the northern region of Niigata Prefecture and close to the border with Yamagata Prefecture. Wakabuna Kogen planned to be open for the 2019-2020 season but could not due to a severe lack of snow. The last day of operation at Wakabuna Kogen was 21st March 2019. The ski lifts have already been removed from the location, and a wind power generation project is planned for the location.

Opened
開設		 1987
Closed
 閉設		 Last open in 2019
Base elevation
標高最低		 150m
Top elevation
標高最高		 580m
Vertical
標高差		 430m
Steepest slope
最大斜度		 34°
Number of courses
コース本数		 9
Longest run
最長滑走距離		 2100m
Skill level
初級・中級・上級		 50% beginner
30% intermediate
20% advanced
Ski / board
スキー・ボード		 60% / 40% [2001]
Ski lifts
リフト本数		 4 lifts
Quad 1022m
Pair 672m
Pair 431m
Pair 590m
The lifts have been removed
Night skiing
ナイター設備		 There was no night skiing

Photographs

Taken in June 2022
写真撮影：2022年6月 

Wakabuna Kogen Ski Area（わかぶな高原スキー場）
Wakabuna Kogen Ski Area（わかぶな高原スキー場）
Wakabuna Kogen Ski Area（わかぶな高原スキー場）
Wakabuna Kogen Ski Area（わかぶな高原スキー場）
Wakabuna Kogen Ski Area（わかぶな高原スキー場）
Wakabuna Kogen Ski Area（わかぶな高原スキー場）
Wakabuna Kogen Ski Area（わかぶな高原スキー場）
Wakabuna Kogen Ski Area（わかぶな高原スキー場）
Wakabuna Kogen Ski Area（わかぶな高原スキー場）
Wakabuna Kogen Ski Area（わかぶな高原スキー場）
Wakabuna Kogen Ski Area（わかぶな高原スキー場）
Wakabuna Kogen Ski Area（わかぶな高原スキー場）
Wakabuna Kogen Ski Area（わかぶな高原スキー場）
Wakabuna Kogen Ski Area（わかぶな高原スキー場）
Wakabuna Kogen Ski Area（わかぶな高原スキー場）

Further Information

  • Wakabuna Kogen was in the northern part of Niigata Prefecture, close to the border with the southwestern region of Yamagata Prefecture
    　
  • The most people visiting Wakabuna Kogen in one year was 88,000 in 1996
    　
  • Into the 2000s, that had decreased to around 40,000-50,000 people and continued to fall
    　
  • In later years Wakabuna Kogen was dealing with various management issues as well as low snowfall
    　
  • The village supported the ski area, assisting with operating, construction and rent costs
    　
  • Financial support from the village ended in 2019 after the general situation failed to improve
    　
  • Wakabuna Kogen planned to open for the 2019-2020 season, but due to a severe lack of snowfall, it was not able to open at all - not even for one day
    　
  • During that season, the snow depth struggled to reach 30cm, even for short periods of time
    　
  • They reluctantly gave up on the idea of opening on 15th February 2020
    　
  • That meant that the last day of operation was 21st March 2019
    　
  • The ski area did not plan to open for the 2020-2021 season, and in January 2021, it was announced that it would be permanently closing
    　
  • At that time, it was announced that there were plans for the ski lifts to be removed and perhaps for some of the facilities to be retained
    　
  • By late October 2021, the ski lifts were already in the process of being removed
    　
  • All of the lifts have been removed as of June 2022
    　
  • The base building remains
    　
  • A wind power generation project by a private company with a total power output of up to 60,000 kW is now planned for the location
    　
  • If those plans are approved, construction should to start in 2025

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Location
所在地

Located just over 2km off Route 113 in Sekikawa Village.
About 23km from the Arakawa Tainai IC exit of the Nihonkai Tohoku Expressway.
About 3km from Echigo Katakai Station on the Yonesaka line.
日本海東北自動車道　荒川胎内ICから的23km
米坂線　越後片貝駅から的3km

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

Yokone (Yamagata Prefecture)　横根スキー場　8.5km
Tainai (Niigata Prefecture)　胎内スキー場　24km
All currently operating ski areas in Niigata Prefecture

This page was created in May 2022
Last updated on 20th June 2022
2022年5月 作成 　2022年6月20日 更新