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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

Mt Jeans Nasu

Nasu Town, Tochigi Prefecture

マウントジーンズ那須スキー場　栃木県那須町

Mt Jeans Nasu, also officially known as Mt Jeans Nasu Ski Resort and affectionately known as Jeepan, was a ski area in the northern region of Nasu Town in Tochigi Prefecture, close to the border with Fukushima Prefecture. It opened in December 1994 and closed on 10th March 2024. At one time, up to 6 ski lifts operated at the ski area, including a 1,846m gondola. The ski area's name came from the English words 'Joyful, Exciting, Adventure, Nature, Sporting'. (Obviously!)

Opened
開設		 December 1994
Closed
 閉設		 10th March 2024
Base elevation
標高最低		 950m
Top elevation
標高最高		 1,450m
Vertical
標高差		 500m
Steepest slope
最大斜度		 30°
Number of courses
コース本数		 10 (at one time)
Longest run
最長滑走距離		 2,500m
Skill level
初級・中級・上級		 30% beginner
50% intermediate
20% advanced
Ski / board
スキー・ボード		 50% / 50% [2022]
Ski lifts
リフト本数		 6 lifts (at one time)
Gondola 1,845m
Quad 992m
Pair 561m
Pair 1,127m
Pair 360m
Pair 267m
The lifts remain in place
Night skiing
ナイター設備		 There was no night skiing at Mt Jeans

Photographs

Taken in May 2025
写真撮影：2024年5月

Mt Jeans Nasu (Nasu, Tochigi) 　マウントジーンズ那須スキー場（栃木県那須町）
Mt Jeans Nasu (Nasu, Tochigi) 　マウントジーンズ那須スキー場（栃木県那須町）
Mt Jeans Nasu (Nasu, Tochigi) 　マウントジーンズ那須スキー場（栃木県那須町）
Mt Jeans Nasu (Nasu, Tochigi) 　マウントジーンズ那須スキー場（栃木県那須町）
Mt Jeans Nasu (Nasu, Tochigi) 　マウントジーンズ那須スキー場（栃木県那須町）
Mt Jeans Nasu (Nasu, Tochigi) 　マウントジーンズ那須スキー場（栃木県那須町）
Mt Jeans Nasu (Nasu, Tochigi) 　マウントジーンズ那須スキー場（栃木県那須町）
Mt Jeans Nasu (Nasu, Tochigi) 　マウントジーンズ那須スキー場（栃木県那須町）
Mt Jeans Nasu (Nasu, Tochigi) 　マウントジーンズ那須スキー場（栃木県那須町）
Mt Jeans Nasu (Nasu, Tochigi) 　マウントジーンズ那須スキー場（栃木県那須町）
Mt Jeans Nasu (Nasu, Tochigi) 　マウントジーンズ那須スキー場（栃木県那須町）
Mt Jeans Nasu (Nasu, Tochigi) 　マウントジーンズ那須スキー場（栃木県那須町）

Further Information

  • This ski area opened in December 1994
    　
  • It was known as Mt Jeans Ski Resort Nasu マウントジーンズスキーリゾート那須 for most of its operational lifetime
    　
  • It was often known as just Mt Jeans or 'Jeepan' (jeans)
    　
  • The name apparently comes from the English words Joyful, Exciting, Adventure, Nature, Sporting
    　
  • The ski runs of Mt Jeans were on the eastern slopes of Mt Nasu (Nasudake) 那須岳
    　
  • The location was good for lots of sunlight but less so for reliable snowfall
    　
  • In recent years, the ski area sometimes struggled with natural snowfall and warmer temperatures
    　
  • A 1995 guidebook notes how the ski area uses artificial snow-making machines, providing consistent conditions
    　
  • A 2000 guidebook further mentions that the machines were used on all 10 of the (then available) ski runs
    　
  • Mt Jeans was popular on weekends with people visiting from the capital region
    　
  • As well as skiing and snowboarding, it offered snowshoe tours, fat bikes, a large kids park and pets were allowed on the gondola (in later years)
    　
  • When the ski area opened, there was an 8-person gondola, one quad lift and three pair lifts
    　
  • The Number 4 pair lift (shown in pink in the above image) was added later
    　
  • The top Number 3 pair lift (shown in yellow in the above image) disappeared from course maps in guidebooks for the 2015-2016 season
    　
  • The Number 2 pair lift (shown in blue in the above image) and Number 4 lift had been closed since the 2020-2021 season
    　
  • However, the Number 4 pair lift (pink) re-opened for the 2023-2024 season
    　
  • Outside of winter, the gondola operated for sightseeing and hiking, and people visited to see the rhododendrons and daffodils on the lower slopes
    　
  • In December 2023, it was announced that the 2023-2024 season would be the final season for the resort and that it would close permanently
    　
  • The last day of operation was Sunday 10th March 2024
    　
  • At its peak popularity in 2009-2010, the ski area was visited by 150,000 people
    　
  • Visitor numbers were down to about 65,000 people during the 2022-2023 season
    　
  • During a visit to the location in May 2024, there were clear 'No Entry' signs around the facility, so it was not possible to enter
    　
  • The car park was being used as an overflow car park for the nearby Nasu Animal Kingdom attraction 那須どうぶつ王国 (originally operated by the same company as the ski area)
    　
  • There used to be three ski areas in this region, with Nasu Onsen Family about 7km to the west and Shirakawa Kogen (Fukushima Prefecture) about 4.5km to the north
    　
  • Sadly, all three ski areas are now closed
    　
  • More information: Nasu Onsen Family
    　
  • More information: Shirakawa Kogen

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Location
所在地

Located by Prefecture Road 290, to the north of the Nasu Onsen hot spring area.
About 16km from the Shirakawa IC exit of the Tohoku Expressway.
About 22km from Shin-Shirakawa Station on the Tohoku Shinkansen line.
東北自動車道　白河ICから的16km
東北新幹線　新白河駅から的18km

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 Tochigi Prefecture

This page was created in June 2024
Last updated on 22nd July 2024
2024年6月 作成　2024年7月22日 更新