[Utopia Gelande] Ushidake Onsen Ski Area (Toyama, Toyama)　牛岳温泉スキー場・ユートピアゲレンデ（富山県富山市）

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

Utopia Gelande (Ushidake Onsen)

Toyama City, Toyama Prefecture

牛岳温泉スキー場・ユートピアゲレンデ　富山県富山市

Ushidake Onsen is a ski area in what used to be Yamada Village, now part of Toyama City in Toyama Prefecture. While Ushidake Onsen remains open, between 1981 and 2006, there was a now-closed section called Utopia Gelande. Utopia could only be reached via a valley-spanning ropeway lift, and the three ski runs were suitable for intermediates and above. The Utopia section closed due to a combination of ageing facilities and low visitor numbers. For details on the still-open ski area, see the Ushidake Onsen information pages on SnowJapan.

Historic Aerial Photograph

Information on photographs and images used on this page can be found here

Utopia Gelande, Ushidake Onsen Ski Area（牛岳温泉スキー場・ユートピアゲレンデ）

	
		Opened

		開設
		1971 (Ushidake 
		Onsen)

		1981 (Ropeway & Utopia Gelande)
	
		Closed

		閉設
		2006 
		(Ropeway & Utopia Gelande)

		Ushidake Onsen is still open
	
		Base elevation

		標高最低
		About 480m 
		(Utopia)
	
		Top elevation

		標高最高
		850m
	
		Vertical

		標高差
		About 370m
	
		Steepest slope

		最大斜度
		35°
	
		Number of courses

		コース本数
		3
	
		Longest run

		最長滑走距離
		1,600m
	
		Skill level

		初級・中級・上級
		Utopia: 
		intermediate to advanced
	
		Ski / board

		スキー・ボード
		Utopia was 
		skiers-only (see below)
	
		Ski lifts

		リフト本数
		3 lifts 
		(Utopia area)
	
		Ropeway
		1,121m
	
		Single
		730m
	
		Single
		530m
	
		Night skiing

		ナイター設備
		There was no 
		night skiing in the Utopia section of Ushidake Onsen

Photographs

Taken in June 2023

Ushidake Onsen

The top of the ski area, which remains open

Ushidake Onsen

The top of the current ski area, the abandoned Ropeway station, and views looking over the valley towards the old Utopia area

Utopia Gelande

The base of the old Utopia Gelande section

Further Information

Ushidake Ski Area 牛岳スキー場 opened on 19th December 1971
　
It was located in Yamada Village 山田村 (now part of Toyama City 富山市)
　
At the time of opening, there were three ski lifts
　
At one time, there were ten ski lifts in operation at the ski area
　
On 17th December 1981, a 30-person 1,121m ropeway lift opened, taking skiers over to a newly-opened area suited to intermediates and above called Utopia Gelande ユートピアゲレンデ
　
The original section of the ski area, primarily suited to beginners, became known as Central Gelande セントラルゲレンデ
　
The ski area changed its name from Ushidake Ski Area 牛岳スキー場 to Ushisake Onsen Ski Area 牛岳温泉スキー場 in 1989
　
The Utopia Gelande was entirely separate from the Central Gelande and only accessible via the valley-crossing ropeway
　
There were no ski runs connecting the two sections
　
Utopia Gelande featured two single lifts (730m and 530m)
　
The three courses - Dynamic ダイナミック (1,200m), Downhill ダウンヒル (1,000m) and Challenge チャレンジ (600m) - formed a figure-of-eight shape
　
They were not suitable for beginners, and snowboarders were not allowed
　
Apparently, less than 10% of visitors to the ski area made their way over to the Utopia Gelande
　
It seems that in the last year of the Utopia area being open, the runs were left ungroomed on Tuesdays, and snowboarders were finally allowed (just on that one day), perhaps in an effort to increase visitor numbers
　
The ropeway and Utopia Gelande were last open during the 2005-2006 winter season
　
The reasons for closing were ageing facilities on top of the low usage numbers
　
The unused Ropeway building on the main Central side remains, but other than that, all of the facilities and buildings on the Utopia side have been removed
　
Apart from a small flat area that used to be the base, the whole Utopia section is now covered in trees and thick undergrowth, as can be seen in the above photos
　
Ushidake Onsen Ski Area remains open in 2023 with one quad lift and two pair lifts operating (information on SnowJapan here)
　
Various road signs leading up to the ski area show the name in English as the part-translated Ushidake Spa Skiing Grounds
　
...and the official website calls it Ushidake Ski-Board & Spa Resort
　
Trying to translate ski area names, either in part or wholly, often seems to create all sorts of confusion; as such, it is SnowJapan and SnowJapanHistory policy to keep original/official Japanese ski area names

Google Earth

Google Street View

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Location
所在地

Located south of Tomami City and Toyama City in what used to be Yamada Village.
About 23km from the Toyama IC exit of the Hokuriku Expressway.
About 24km from the Tonami IC exit of the Hokuriku Expressway.
About 23km from Tonami Station on the Johana line.
About 26km from Toyama Station on the Hokuriku Shinkansen line.
北陸自動車道　富山ICから的23km　砺波ICから的24km
城端線　砺波駅から的23km　
北陸新幹線　富山駅から的26km

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 Toyama Prefecture

This page was created in June 2023
Last updated on 29th June 2023
2023年6月作成　2023年6月29日更新

Opened 開設	1971 (Ushidake Onsen) 1981 (Ropeway & Utopia Gelande)
Closed 閉設	2006 (Ropeway & Utopia Gelande) Ushidake Onsen is still open
Base elevation 標高最低	About 480m (Utopia)
Top elevation 標高最高	850m
Vertical 標高差	About 370m
Steepest slope 最大斜度	35°
Number of courses コース本数	3
Longest run 最長滑走距離	1,600m
Skill level 初級・中級・上級	Utopia: intermediate to advanced
Ski / board スキー・ボード	Utopia was skiers-only (see below)
Ski lifts リフト本数	3 lifts (Utopia area)
	Ropeway	1,121m
	Single	730m
	Single	530m
Night skiing ナイター設備	There was no night skiing in the Utopia section of Ushidake Onsen