Niigata Iwahara Ski Resort Lift Day Pass + Equipment & Wear Rental

A super-wide snowfield ski trip facing the Tanigawa mountain range, 1 hour and a half from Tokyo

Iwahara Ski Resort, located in Yuzawa, Niigata Prefecture, is a snow resort near Tokyo that can be easily accessed by taking the Joetsu Shinkansen from Tokyo to Echigo-Yuzawa Station in about 1 hour and 30 minutes, and then taking a free shuttle bus from the station. The characteristic of this ski resort is that the Tanigawa mountain range stretches out in front of you as soon as you stand on the slope, and there are almost no trees or buildings blocking your view, so you can feel a refreshing sense of openness as if the sky is wide open. The course configuration consists of a total of 20 courses with a ratio of 40% for beginners, 40% for intermediates, and 20% for advanced skiers, so a wide range of people from beginners and family travelers to advanced skiers can enjoy it. The super-wide main & grand burn located in the middle of the ski resort is a gentle slope with a maximum width of about 200m, making it ideal for practicing turns repeatedly without worrying too much about other people, and there are advanced courses with a maximum gradient of 35° and ungroomed areas near the summit, making it an attractive ski resort for advanced skiers who want to enjoy powder snow or steep slopes. At the bottom, there is a kids' park where children can play safely and a long sledding course with a length of about 634m, so even children who cannot ski properly can enjoy sledding and playing in the snow to their heart's content, and the fact that the main slope and the kids' zone are adjacent to each other makes it easy for parents to ski and then come down and join their children. This is also a unique advantage of Iwahara Ski Resort.

Area Introduction

Beginner & Family Course
These courses are mainly gentle slopes with wide widths, such as the Family Course, Beginner Course, and the lower part of the Grand Burn. In particular, the area around the Main & Grand Burn is a super-wide gentle slope with a maximum width of about 200m, making it ideal for practicing straight gliding, ploughing, and basic turns without worrying too much about the people next to you. It is most recommended for beginners learning to ski & snowboard for the first time, and families with children.

Intermediate Long Run & View Course
Intermediate courses are mainly composed of the upper part of the Main Burn, the Center Slope, and the West Course. The courses with moderate slopes and lengths extend to the middle and upper parts of the mountain, so you can enjoy long turns & carving while admiring the Tanigawa mountain range and the scenery of Yuzawa town spreading out in front of you. The West Course, located on the west side, is also attractive because you can ski while watching the scenery of the mountains and slopes being dyed in the sunset at dusk.

Advanced & Ungroomed Challenge Course
If you are an advanced skier who wants a more stimulating ride, you should aim for the advanced course near the summit. There are steep slopes with a maximum gradient of 35° and powder courses that are maintained as ungroomed depending on the weather and snowfall conditions, giving new fun to riders who are familiar with groomed gentle slopes. The difficulty level may vary greatly depending on the situation in the ungroomed area, so it is recommended that only advanced skiers use it.

Kids Park & Long Sledding Course
A dedicated kids' park and a long sledding course with a length of about 634m are available for children who cannot ski yet. You can use the conveyor lift (magic carpet) to ride the sled repeatedly without any effort, making it one of the most popular areas for children on family trips. Parents can ski on the gentle slope right next to it and join them from time to time, which is also an advantage of the convenient traffic line.