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

Sennosaka

Tokamachi City, Niigata Prefecture

千の坂スキー場　新潟県十日町市

Sennosaka was a small ski area located close to the Matsunoyama onsen hot springs area of Tokamachi City in Niigata Prefecture. Very little information can be found about this old ski area - even the correct pronunciation of the name is unclear! It appears to have closed once the larger Matsunoyama Onsen Ski Area opened nearby in the 1980s.

Sennosaka Ski Area（千の坂スキー場）
Opened
開設		 1964
Closed
 閉設		 Unconfirmed
Base elevation
標高最低		 About 380m
Top elevation
標高最高		 About 420m
Vertical
標高差		 About 40m
Steepest slope
最大斜度		 Unconfirmed
Number of courses
コース本数		 Unconfirmed
Longest run
最長滑走距離		 About 400m
Skill level
初級・中級・上級		 Mostly beginners
Ski / board
スキー・ボード		 100% skiers
Ski lifts
リフト本数		 1 lift
Rope tow 　
The lift remains has been removed
Night skiing
ナイター設備		 No record of night skiing can be found

Photographs

Taken in April 2020
写真撮影：2020年4月

Sennosaka Ski Area（千の坂スキー場）
Sennosaka Ski Area（千の坂スキー場）
Sennosaka Ski Area（千の坂スキー場）
Sennosaka Ski Area（千の坂スキー場）
Sennosaka Ski Area（千の坂スキー場）
Sennosaka Ski Area（千の坂スキー場）
Sennosaka Ski Area（千の坂スキー場）
Sennosaka Ski Area（千の坂スキー場）
Sennosaka Ski Area（千の坂スキー場）
Sennosaka Ski Area（千の坂スキー場）
Sennosaka Ski Area（千の坂スキー場）
Sennosaka Ski Area（千の坂スキー場）
Sennosaka Ski Area（千の坂スキー場）
Sennosaka Ski Area（千の坂スキー場）
Sennosaka Ski Area（千の坂スキー場）
Sennosaka Ski Area（千の坂スキー場）
Sennosaka Ski Area（千の坂スキー場）
Sennosaka Ski Area（千の坂スキー場）
Sennosaka Ski Area（千の坂スキー場）
Sennosaka Ski Area（千の坂スキー場）
Sennosaka Ski Area（千の坂スキー場）

Further Information

  • This ski area opened in Matsunoyama Town  松之山町  in 1964
    　
  • The name of the ski area was  千の坂スキー場  but the pronunciation is unconfirmed - most likely Sennosaka or Sennozaka
    　
  • A few locals gave conflicting answers to the question and no written record can be found
    　
  • The base was located less than 1km from the main entrance to the Matsunoyama Onsen, close to the side of Prefecture Road 80
    　
  • The upper part of the ski area was about 10-15 minutes’ walk from the top of the main Matsunoyama Onsen hot spring road
    　
  • Nothing remains of the ski area and it is now difficult to imagine where the ski run was
    　
  • It seems to have been by the side of the outdoor swimming pool that is next to the traditional accommodation Echigo Matsunoyama Onsen Ryounkaku  越後松之山温泉 凌雲閣
    　
  • Apparently the rope tow lift that was used here had previously been used somewhere in nearby Tsunan Town
    　
  • The ski slope was about 400m in length
    　
  • Matsunoyama Onsen Ski Area  松之山温泉スキー場  opened in 1983
    　
  • That ski area is about 1.5km to the south of the onsen hot spring town area, so unlike Sennosaka it is not within walking distance
    　
  • However, it is a larger operation with two proper ski lifts
    　
  • It remains open in 2021 (information here on SnowJapan.com)
    　
  • No information can be found confirming the closing date of Sannosaka
    　
  • Matsunoyama Town merged with Matsudai Town  松代町, Kawanishi Town  川西町  and Nakasato Village  中里村  to become part of Tokamachi City  十日町市  in April 2005
    　
  • Matsunoyama is famous for traditionally large amounts of snowfall and the onsen hot springs
    　
  • It is home to one of the three medicinal hot springs of Japan – the others being Kusatsu in Gunma and Arima Onsen in Hyogo
    　
  • It is also famous for an annual festival on 15th January called Mukonage & Suminuri  むこ投げすみ塗り
    　
  • That translates as 'Groom Tossing & Ash Smearing'!
    　
  • Here is how the Tokamachi Tourism Association explains it:
    　
  • 'In this curious festival held in the Matsunoyama region of Tokamachi City,newlywed grooms are thrown from the grounds of a shrine into the deep snow on the ground below. The mukonage is thought to have originated in the Edoperiod, where it was conducted as a way for the locals to even the score with the man who had taken away one of the village daughters in marriage. Today however, the meaning of the festival has changed, and it is simply a ritual to pray for a happy marriage and to strengthen the bonds between husband and wife. After the mukonage has concluded, the villagers and visitors gather around a sai no kami bonfire which burns until the ground is covered in black ash. Mixing these ashes with the snow, everyone smears the mixture on each other’s faces shouting “Omedetou!” which means “Congratulations!”. This is done in celebration of the new year. Anyone can participate in this part of the event!'

Google Earth

Sennosaka Ski Area（千の坂スキー場）

Google Street View

Google Maps

Location
所在地

Located close to the Matsunoyama Onsen onsen town area of Tokamachi City.
About 34km from the Shiozawa Ishiuchi IC exit of the Hokuriku Expressway.
About 11km from Matsudai Station on the Hokuhoku line.
関越自動車道　塩沢石打ICから的34km
ほくほく線　松代駅から的11km

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

Matsunoyama Onsen 　松之山温泉スキー場　1km
Matsudai Family 　松代ファミリースキー場　10km
All currently operating ski areas in Niigata Prefecture

This page was created in June 2020
Last updated on 8th August 2021
2020年6月 作成　2021年8月8日 更新