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

Iwappara Gondola

Yuzawa Town, Niigata Prefecture

岩原ゴンドラスキー場　新潟県湯沢町

Iwappara is a popular ski area in Yuzawa Town with a long history dating back to 1931. And don’t worry - it’s still open! But from 1987 there were actually two independent ski areas operating in the same space and they shared some ski runs. The second was known as Iwappara Gondola Ski Area and it operated a 2813m gondola lift along with two pair lifts. At one time there were plans to connect the Iwappara side of the mountain with nearby Maiko Snow Resort. More on this somewhat complicated story below…

Iwappara Gondola Ski Area（岩原ゴンドラスキー場）
Opened
開設		 1987
Closed
 閉設		 2007
Base elevation
標高最低		 410m
Top elevation
標高最高		 940m
Vertical
標高差		 530m
Steepest slope
最大斜度		 30°
Number of courses
コース本数		 6
Longest run
最長滑走距離		 3,000m
Skill level
初級・中級・上級		 30% beginner
50% intermediate
20% advanced
Ski / board
スキー・ボード		 Unknown
Ski lifts
リフト本数		 3 lifts
Gondola 2,813m
Pair 655m
Pair 991m
The lifts all remain in place
The Number 1 pair lift is still operating
Night skiing
ナイター設備		 There was no night skiing at Iwappara Gondola
(There is night skiing at Iwappara)

Photographs

Taken in January 2021
写真撮影：2021年1月

Iwappara Gondola Ski Area（岩原ゴンドラスキー場）
Iwappara Gondola Ski Area（岩原ゴンドラスキー場）
Iwappara Gondola Ski Area（岩原ゴンドラスキー場）
Iwappara Gondola Ski Area（岩原ゴンドラスキー場）
Iwappara Gondola Ski Area（岩原ゴンドラスキー場）
Iwappara Gondola Ski Area（岩原ゴンドラスキー場）
Iwappara Gondola Ski Area（岩原ゴンドラスキー場）
Iwappara Gondola Ski Area（岩原ゴンドラスキー場）
Iwappara Gondola Ski Area（岩原ゴンドラスキー場）
Iwappara Gondola Ski Area（岩原ゴンドラスキー場）
Iwappara Gondola Ski Area（岩原ゴンドラスキー場）
Iwappara Gondola Ski Area（岩原ゴンドラスキー場）
Iwappara Gondola Ski Area（岩原ゴンドラスキー場）
Iwappara Gondola Ski Area（岩原ゴンドラスキー場）
Iwappara Gondola Ski Area（岩原ゴンドラスキー場）
Iwappara Gondola Ski Area（岩原ゴンドラスキー場）
Iwappara Gondola Ski Area（岩原ゴンドラスキー場）
Iwappara Gondola Ski Area（岩原ゴンドラスキー場）

 The 4km road behind Iwappara Gondola goes up to an area between Iwappara and the nearby Maiko Snow Resort. At one time there were plans to develop this area. The development plans to connect Iwappara with Maiko apparently included a new ski lift, ski runs and other facilities.

Taken in May 2021
写真撮影：2021年5月

Iwappara Gondola Ski Area（岩原ゴンドラスキー場）
Iwappara Gondola Ski Area（岩原ゴンドラスキー場）
Iwappara Gondola Ski Area（岩原ゴンドラスキー場）
Iwappara Gondola Ski Area（岩原ゴンドラスキー場）
Iwappara Gondola Ski Area（岩原ゴンドラスキー場）
Iwappara Gondola Ski Area（岩原ゴンドラスキー場）
Iwappara Gondola Ski Area（岩原ゴンドラスキー場）
Iwappara Gondola Ski Area（岩原ゴンドラスキー場）
Iwappara Gondola Ski Area（岩原ゴンドラスキー場）
Iwappara Gondola Ski Area（岩原ゴンドラスキー場）
Iwappara Gondola Ski Area（岩原ゴンドラスキー場）
Iwappara Gondola Ski Area（岩原ゴンドラスキー場）
Iwappara Gondola Ski Area（岩原ゴンドラスキー場）
Iwappara Gondola Ski Area（岩原ゴンドラスキー場）
Iwappara Gondola Ski Area（岩原ゴンドラスキー場）

Further Information

  • Iwappara Ski Area  岩原スキー場  is one of the famous ski areas in Yuzawa Town
    　
  • Iwappara opened in 1931 and is located on the southern slopes of Iijisan  飯士山
    　
  • Don't worry... it's still open!
    　
  • When a gondola lift was built in 1987, about 800m east of the main Iwappara base, many people thought it was part of Iwappara
    　
  • However it was actually a separate ski area, officially known as Iwappara Gondola Ski Area  岩原ゴンドラスキー場
    　
  • Iwappara Gondola Ski Area was owned by Kokudo  国土, then-parent company of Prince Hotels
    　
  • The 2,813m six-person gondola was officially known as the Iwappara Higashiyama Gondola  岩原東山ゴンドラ
    　
  • It rose from the base area to a location about 300m from the top of the existing summit quad lift at Iwappara
    　
  • Two pair lifts were also added in the top area to make up the rest of Iwappara Gondola Ski Area
    　
  • The 655m Iwappara Gondola Number 1 Romance lift  岩原ゴンドラ第1ロマンスリフト  opened in December 1991
    　
  • The 991m Iwappara Gondola Number 2 Romance lift  岩原ゴンドラ第1ロマンスリフト  opened in December 1992
    　
  • The gentle ski runs in the central area were shared with Iwappara Ski Area
    　
  • Iwappara and Iwappara Gondola initially had separate lift tickets but later on there was a more expensive 'shared' ticked that covered all the lifts at both ski areas
    　
  • In 1997 the Kokudo-owned Iwappara Gondola closed as a separate ski area
    　
  • The owners of the main Iwappara Ski Area took over the gondola and pair lifts and for some time they were operated with one shared lift ticket
    　
  • The Number 2 Romance pair lift disappeared from ski guide maps around 2006
    　
  • The Gondola itself was closed for the 2007 winter season
    　
  • At the time it was announced as being a temporary closure, but it has not opened since then
    　
  • The Number 1 Romance pair lift has remained in operation since but has had a somewhat complicated on-off history
    　
  • It was part of the plans for the 2020-2021 season, though it was not operating on a January 2021 visit due to covid-19 downscaling
    　
  • It is currently known by the name Number 1 Romance lift  第1ロマンスリフト
    　
  • The Gondola and the Number 2 Romance pair lift facilities still remain in place
    　
  • Lift ticket and naming confusion aside, most visitors to the mountain probably did not realise that Iwappara and Iwappara Gondola were actually separate operations
    　
  • The Iwappara Gondola side was never as busy as the main ski area
    　
  • Maiko Snow Resort  舞子スノーリゾート is the ski area on the north and east slopes of the same mountain
    　
  • Back then it was known as Maiko Kogen Korakuen  舞子高原子楽園スキー場
    　
  • There is only a short distance between the top area of Iwappara and the top (Okusoeji) area of Maiko
    　
  • At one time there were plans to connect the two ski areas with one additional ski lift and new courses
    　
  • The owners of the nearby Yuzawa Park Ski Area  湯沢パークスキー場  were going to be involved in the development of that space
    　
  • The planned development explains the road that goes from behind Iwappara Gondola up to the area behind Okusoeji (see photos above)
    　
  • Full details of the project remain a mystery, but there are signs that there was some kind of initial development up there, including flattened land on either side of the road - apparently for parking and a base 'ski centre' building
    　
  • The project never happened and the two ski areas remain separate
    　
  • Iwappara, Maiko Snow Resort and Yuzawa Park are all still operating in 2021
    　

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  • Located about 4-5km to the east of the main central area of Yuzawa Town

  • About 4km from the Yuzawa IC exit of the Kanetsu Expressway

  • About 2km from Iwappara Ski-jo Eki Mae Station on the Joetsu line

  • About 4.5km from Echigo Yuzawa Station on the Joetsu Shinkansen and Joetsu line

  • 関越自動車道　湯沢ICから的4km

  • 上越線　岩原スキー場前駅から的2km

  • 上越新幹線　上越線　越後湯沢駅から的4.5km

This page was created in January 2021
Last updated on 11th August 2022
2021年1月 作成 　2022年8月11日 更新