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

Kuriko Kokusai

Yonezawa City, Yamagata Prefecture

栗子国際スキー場　山形県米沢市

Kuriko Kokusai was a ski area located in the eastern region of Yonezawa City, close to the Yamagata and Fukushima Prefecture border. It is around 16km to the south west of Yonezawa City and 25km to the west of central Fukushima City. Kuriko Kokusai struggled in later years due to low snowfall and then a decrease in the number of visitors following the earthquake and Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant incident in March 2011. The lifts and facilities remain in place and the official status of Kuriko Kokusai is 'closed'.

Kuriko Kokusai Ski Area（栗子国際スキー場）
Opened
開設		 1967
Closed
 閉設		 Last open in 2016
Base elevation
標高最低		 350m
Top elevation
標高最高		 950m
Vertical
標高差		 600m
Steepest slope
最大斜度		 33°
Number of Courses
コース本数		 6
Longest course
最長滑走距離		 2,000m
Skill level
初級・中級・上級		 20% beginner
60% intermediate
20% advanced
Ski / board
スキー・ボード		 65% / 35% [2001]
Ski lifts
リフト本数		 5 lifts
Quad 850m
Pair 400m
Pair 627m
Single 625m
Single 650m
Facilities mostly remain in place
Night skiing
ナイター設備		 There was night skiing every day

 Photographs

Taken in June 2022
写真撮影：2022年6月 

Kuriko Kokusai Ski Area（栗子国際スキー場）
Kuriko Kokusai Ski Area（栗子国際スキー場）
Kuriko Kokusai Ski Area（栗子国際スキー場）
Kuriko Kokusai Ski Area（栗子国際スキー場）
Kuriko Kokusai Ski Area（栗子国際スキー場）
Kuriko Kokusai Ski Area（栗子国際スキー場）
Kuriko Kokusai Ski Area（栗子国際スキー場）
Kuriko Kokusai Ski Area（栗子国際スキー場）
Kuriko Kokusai Ski Area（栗子国際スキー場）
Kuriko Kokusai Ski Area（栗子国際スキー場）
Kuriko Kokusai Ski Area（栗子国際スキー場）
Kuriko Kokusai Ski Area（栗子国際スキー場）
Kuriko Kokusai Ski Area（栗子国際スキー場）
Kuriko Kokusai Ski Area（栗子国際スキー場）
Kuriko Kokusai Ski Area（栗子国際スキー場）
Kuriko Kokusai Ski Area（栗子国際スキー場）
Kuriko Kokusai Ski Area（栗子国際スキー場）
Kuriko Kokusai Ski Area（栗子国際スキー場）
Kuriko Kokusai Ski Area（栗子国際スキー場）
Kuriko Kokusai Ski Area（栗子国際スキー場）
Kuriko Kokusai Ski Area（栗子国際スキー場）

Further Information

  • Kuriko Kokusai Ski Area opened in 1967
    　
  • It is located on the south-western border with Fukushima Prefecture, less than 25km from central Fukushima City
    　
  • Kuriko Kokusai was often known as Crico
    　
  • The hotel at base opened in 1983
    　
  • The wide and steep slope by the base area was a popular feature of the ski area
    　
  • The ski area opened from 7:30am on weekends and holidays and was open until 9:00pm for night skiing daily
    　
  • In 1991 over 230,000 people visited the ski area in one season
    　
  • In the years before closing, that number was down to around 20,000 people
    　
  • An indoor heated pool and spa facility called DUO 栗子クアドームDUO opened in 1993 at the base of the ski area
    　
  • DUO had closed by 2004, and the large building was completely demolished and removed
    　
  • Management changed after a bankruptcy in 2003, but the ski area remained open
    　
  • The Tohoku earthquake and tsunami occurred at 2:46pm on 11th March 2011
    　
  • The epicentre of the powerful earthquake was in the Pacific Ocean east of the Tohoku region, causing significant damage to coastal areas of the region, including Fukushima
    　
  • Kuriko Kokusai was able to open again beyond that season
    　
  • The ski area struggled with snowfall during the 2015-2016 season, when there were only about 12,000 visitors
    　
  • The quad lift didn't operate during the later years
    　
  • Kuriko Kokusai has been closed since 2016, but the ski lifts remain in place

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  • Located by the side of Route 13 on the Yamagata Prefecture and Fukushima Prefecture border

  • About 17km from Yonezawa Chuo IC exit of the Tohoku Chuo Expressway

  • About 19.5km from the Fukushima Iizaka IC exit of the Tohoku Expressway

  • About 2.5km from Itaya Station on the Ou Honsen line

  • About 16.5km from Yonezawa Station and 25km from Fukushima Station on the Yamagata Shinkansen line

  • 東北中央自動車道　米沢中央ICから的17km

  • 東北自動車道　福島飯坂ICから的19.5km

  • 奥羽本線　板谷駅から的2.5km　

  • 山形新幹線　米沢駅から的16.5km　福島駅から的25km

This page was created in May 2020
Last updated on 13th July 2022
2020年5月 作成 　2022年7月13日 更新