Yuzawa area boasts one of the highest snowfalls in the prefecture. Ishiuchi Maruyama, located in one corner, is a ski resort where many locals gather, including snowboarders and skiers of all genres. However, one thing that everyone agrees on is that night games are fun. What is the appeal of Ishiuchi Maruyama night skiing, which is loved by all among a wide variety of skaters? I tried to find out why people keep coming back.
Photo＆Text: Daigo Onozuka
What kind of image comes to your mind when you hear the word Ishiuchi Maruyama? You'll probably have a variety of images of it, including slopes for advanced skiers, monster pipes, and a vast sliding area. Ishiuchi Maruyama is located in the south of Niigata Prefecture, near the prefectural border with Gunma Prefecture, and is larger than neighboring ski resorts in terms of skiing distance and size. There is a well-equipped snow park, and it is a place that is familiar to snowboarders.
This area is also known for its heavy snowfall, where heavy snow falls almost every day during the high season. Moist air flowing in from the Sea of Japan stagnates at the Tanigawa Mountain Range, bringing an abundance of snow to this area. The way the snow falls is truly worthy of the term "doka snow."
Why do people gather for the night game at Ishiuchi Maruyama?
Now, Ishiuchi Maruyama has many different images, but locals all say, ``When you think of Ishiuchi Maruyama, the night games are the most interesting.'' During night games, the temperature is lower than during the day, so the snow that falls is especially light. What's more, since it is an area with heavy snowfall, the way it falls is unusual. Once you start using it, reset powder is a given. Even with heavy snow, there is no problem with flotation on a snowboard. Rather, it will be a situation where you can enjoy the best feeling of floating.
There are three reasons why Ishiuchi Maruyama's night game is so interesting.
First is the scale. Ishiuchi Maruyama's night skiing has four lifts and gondolas and nine skiing courses, providing a wide area for skiing. There are many courses, so it's fun to think about how to connect the courses and come up with a routine.
The second is the richness of the natural topography. The potential appeal of Ishiuchi Maruyama is that it has a wide variety of course changes. The slopes are steep and smooth, and are dotted with undulations, undulations, and walls. It's okay to jump, it's okay to slide, it's okay to slide. You can play freely depending on your skill.
Thirdly, it is easy to access. Ishiuchi Maruyama is located along National Route 17, about XNUMX minutes from the Kanetsu Expressway's Shiozawa Ishiuchi Interchange, and is easily accessible by car. There is no need to climb mountain roads, and it is not far from the city. It's located in a place where you can easily visit it whenever you feel like it, so it's close to you both physically and mentally.
For these reasons, it is easy for people to gather and is popular among locals. There are fewer people during night skiing than during the day, so the slopes are slippery and there are almost no waits for lifts. If you're a skating enthusiast who wants to ski comfortably, you'll agree that night skiing is the most fun. Because such core skaters gather, there is a homely atmosphere.
We asked Takashi Sekiguchi and Kazuma to tell us about the charm of knowing the night powder at Ishiuchi Maruyama because they are locals.
There's a lot of terrain and the speed is perfect.
"The snow on Ishiuchi Maruyama loses moisture at night and becomes the finest powder. Locals know about it, but there are still many people who don't know about it. It snows a lot, and during the day the snow is deep and there is no visibility. There are days when you can't ski because of the weather, but those are the days when local riders gather for night skiing.We purposely save it until night.There are relatively few people at night, so you can ride as much as you want.At night. There are days when it's raining heavily, but the contrast is clear during the night games, so it's easy to see.Also, there are many steeper slopes than other areas, so the locals inevitably gather here. That's right.My skiing style is based on free running, so Ishiuchi Maruyama is a great fit because of the terrain and speed.So, of course, it's fun even without the powder.'' Kei Sekiguchi
Niigata's unique heavy snow turns into light powder
``All the courses at Ishiuchi Maruyama have slopes, so even when it snows heavily, you don't have to stop, and in fact, you get the best feeling of floating.On days when it snows, it's easier to play at night than during the day. I'm in good shape.There are many courses, so it's fun to ski while imagining where the best snow is.Even if it's not snowing, I often go to night games.On those days, the barns are closed. I imagine going there to practice edging and turns.At times like that, you won't be able to ski if you don't ride well!If it's sunny, the night view is beautiful, which is one of the great things about Ishiuchi Maruyama.I recommend skiing at night. It's a routine where you go up to the peak and then flow all the way to the bottom.There are many courses from top to bottom, so it's fun to ski while thinking about how to connect the courses." Kazuma Seta
A new lift ticket that lets you enjoy daytime and night skiing
A ticket type has been introduced that will make it easier to enjoy Ishiuchi Maruyama, which is not only fun during the day but also at night. These are the ``8.5-day pass (valid for 4 hours)'' and the ``11-hour pass.'' Up until now, there were only ticket types available for morning, afternoon, and night skiing, but with the introduction of this timed ticket, you can now ski from the time you pass through the lift gate until the day's validity, and you can only use it until ○○ o'clock, which was previously the case. There is no restriction that there is no such thing. For example, if you purchase a lift ticket at 30:20, you can use it until XNUMX:XNUMX p.m., when the night skiing ends, so you can enjoy both daytime and night skiing.
Even those who used to feel like they were somehow missing out by arriving at a half-time when driving from Tokyo should now be able to enjoy Ishiuchi Maruyama to the fullest. We recommend purchasing online in advance rather than at the counter on the day.(Purchase isplease use this form.）
I would like you to try Ishiuchi Maruyama's night game and night game powder, which are highly praised by locals.
SBN FREERUN Ishiuchi Maruyama pageplease use this form.
