Information about Skiing in Japan
Information about Skiing in Japan
The Shizukuishi region is located in the central part of the Iwate prefecture and is easily accessible from Morioka City. It hosts several large ski resorts, such as the Shizukuishi resort and the Iwate Kogen Snow Park.
Shizukuishi Ski resort
The Shizukuishi ski resort is particularly famous, having been the venue for the Alpine Ski World Championships. The Prince Hotel Shizukuishi is located in front of the ski slopes, allowing one to enjoy the ski-in-ski-out style accomodation. Another option is to stay in Morioka City and visit the ski resorts on day trips. Visitors can then enjoy sightseeing, gourmet dining, and shopping in the city, while also have access to the slopes.
| Resort | Vertical | Course | Lift | Longest | Level | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Max | Min | Beginner | Inter-m | Advanced | ||||
| Shizukuisi | 1304m | 684m | 13 | 21 | 5500m | 30% | 40% | 30% |
| Iwate Kogen Snow Park | 1213m | 630m | 10 | 7 | 2600m | 30% | 40% | 30% |
(Left)Tohoku Shinkansen (Right)Akita Shinkansen
The most popular way to reach the Shizukuishi region from Tokyo is by train and bus. Two bullet train lines are available, the Akita Shinkansen and the Tohoku Shinkansen. The nearest station is Shizukuishi on the Akita Shinkansen line. The journey from Tokyo to Shizukuishi takes approximately 2.5 hours on the Akita Shinkansen "Komachi." After that, a hotel shuttle bus to the ski resort takes around 20 minutes. The journey on the Tohoku Shinkansen "Hayabusa" takes about 2 hours and 20 minutes from Tokyo to Morioka station, followed by a 50 minute bus ride to the resort. Whichever route is chosen, the journey times are nearly similar.
The Shizukuishi ski resort is served by the Shizukuishi Prince, a sophisticated western style hotel that offers perfect ski-in, ski-out accomodation. Prince Hotels is a famous luxury hotel chain in Japan. Shizukuishi is also not far from Morioka City. Visitors have the option of renting a car to reach the resort on a day trip from Morioka City or of taking a free shuttle bus from Morioka station.
