Hida Nagareha Ski Resort is located in Kamioka, Gifu Prefecture, a town that boasted the largest amount of mining in the Orient. It began as "Nishi Ski Resort" run by young people from the local Nishi Ward, and became a municipal facility in 1959. Since then, it has a history of over 60 years. It is
one of the most skilled ski resorts in Western Japan, having been ranked number one in numerous rankings, including "ski resorts where you can enjoy powder snow" and "ski resorts with interesting runs." We visited the resort to find out for ourselves the rumor that it offers a "luxurious skiing experience only available to those in the know."
The start of a long day
A cold wave said to occur once every 10 years has hit the area. Although there were concerns about the weather, the day of the interview, Wednesday, January 21st, was fortunately a beautiful sunny day. We followed the day of the event closely, with CEO Ryuji Shinya running around the site from early morning until snow-making work after closing time
Shinke's morning begins with posting information on social media. While serving as the representative, he also handles snowmaking, patrols, and managing the adjacent campground. On this day, a ski class was being held at a local elementary school, so the center house was bustling from the morning. It was impressive to see him answer the phone while greeting the children as they got ready and sending them off with a smile
M Plaza, located at the base of the ski resort, is the face of the resort and also a community center for the local community. It is used all year round and is a place where people of all ages and backgrounds gather. As part of the facility's 25th anniversary exhibition, there is a display of posters from the past, all with retro designs that evoke nostalgia
Visibly light snow
When I went outside, snow began to fall lightly as Yuming's nostalgic songs played in the background. The snow fell slowly, as if in slow motion. It was immediately obvious how light it was
While there are ski resorts in Gifu that don't get much snow, Hida Nagareha gets a lot of light, fluffy snow. The terrain is prone to snow accumulation, and apparently there have been times when 50cm fell in the morning, afternoon, and evening. Furthermore, if you're not wearing skis, the snow is "too soft to walk on," he says
"Just try skiing," I was told, and when I tried one run, the snow on the surface was so light that I could only feel the surface underneath. This is the quality of the snow, even though this season is said to be warmer than usual. My expectations rose all at once
Continue on to the middle of the mountain via a quad lift with a total length of approximately 1,000m. Once you reach the top, you'll find a great photo spot. On a clear day, you'll be rewarded with a panoramic view of 12 peaks, from Mt. Yakushi in the north to Mt. Ontake in the south. If the conditions are right, you may even be able to see a sea of clouds covering the Furukawa Basin
Fun that expands many times over the map
Honestly, the reputation of "the courses are interesting" doesn't really come across from the map alone. But that impression changes completely when you actually ski down it. The first, second and summit slopes are each large enough to feel like separate ski resorts. Even within a single course, there are many accents, such as variations in width, steepness and gradual changes in slope, and changes in snow quality, making it a very challenging ski experience
Although it is not depicted on the map, there are continuous waves set up on the side of the gentle slope in the base area, allowing even beginners to enjoy the scenery while having fun skiing
A mountaintop slope that feels like another world
After warming up, we took the pair lift to the summit. As expected of a place where you can see some of the most beautiful frost-covered trees in Gifu Prefecture, the frost-covered trees sparkled in the light not only while we were on the lift but all over the slopes
While enjoying the scenery, we arrived at the summit of Mt. Nagareha, at an altitude of 1,422m
The hidden mountaintop slope, also known as "another world," offers an open feeling reminiscent of an overseas resort. Just a chairlift connects the vast open slopes. The thought of being able to ski freely anywhere and on your own lines will make you look forward to getting off the chairlift
Powder on open runs, undulating bowl-shaped terrain, and dynamic steep slopes with ungroomed snow. If we were to compare it to neighboring Nagano, it would be the powder of Shiga Kogen, the terrain of Nozawa Onsen, and the views of Hakuba. This ski resort condenses the charms of each into a luxury that can be enjoyed at a more affordable price
While skiing down the course, I bumped into Shinya-san, who was patrolling the slopes. Having devoted himself to alpine skiing until high school, he moves efficiently and with a sharp demeanor while working on the snow. He is often greeted by regular customers, and the fact that the representative himself is always on-site contributes to the sense of security that is unique to this ski resort
A ski resort you can talk about
Along the way, we met a snowboarding couple who have been coming from Aichi for over 30 years, since they were in their twenties. The luxury of Hida Ryuha, as they spoke of it, is the "breathtaking views" and "powder." With the sole purpose of skiing here, they make no detours along the way. During the season, they sometimes settle for instant noodles in order to ski as much as possible in one day. Here, they find luxury that is worth forgoing the ski resort's famous slope food
"The best thing about it is being able to ski on a wide slope without any worries."
A man (let's call him Mr. A), who lives nearby and doesn't want to be photographed, stopped on the snow for nearly 10 minutes and spoke enthusiastically about the appeal of this ski resort
"Compared to other ski resorts in Gifu Prefecture, it's relatively empty on weekdays, so you can ski without worrying about others. There are serious runs that even host the National Athletic Meet, and the slopes change a lot, so it's great for practice. There are many runs for intermediate and above level skiers, so it's great for people who want to practice. It's a luxury to be able to enjoy this much snow to your heart's content."
Hida Nagareha is a ski resort that makes people want to talk about it after skiing
Thoroughly locally sourced food
We went to Mutton, a yakiniku restaurant at the bottom of the slope that is only open in winter and highly recommended by Mr. A, who gave us his passionate speech earlier. Unfortunately, it was closed, but there was an air of "sure" about it outside the restaurant.
The secret sauce, passed down from the previous owner, is characterized by its refreshing yet rich flavor, enhanced by the flavor of apples directly sourced from Nagano, and is said to be a taste that you will never forget once you have tried it.
Another feature of Hida Ryuha is the highly rated food. There are seven restaurants on the premises, each with its own unique character. The observation restaurant on the second floor of the base M Plaza is famous for the local soul food, "Kamioka Tonchan." This dish is made with beef offal and vegetables seasoned with a spicy miso sauce, and is apparently sourced from Takara-ya, the most popular restaurant in Kamioka
The mountaintop restaurant, Kamin, offers a menu of locally produced dishes, including handmade soba noodles made with buckwheat flour from the Yamanomura area and curry topped with sausages from a local farm
One of the most unique dishes is made with the traditional ingredient "kanboshi daikon radish." The radish is dried for about a month in the cold weather, then deep-fried and served with salt. This "kanboshi daikon radish fry" has a texture and sweetness that can only be enjoyed here
I heard from the restaurant staff that the "Monji Valley" course at the summit is popular among regulars. It's not on the map, so if you're interested, be sure to ask the staff there
Untouched slopes remain even in the afternoon
A victory of selflessness? Children in a ski class unintentionally win the battle for powder. They train gracefully in a line across the powder. Such scenes are not uncommon, and even in the afternoon, untouched slopes remain. You can enjoy the finest powder without rushing or being rushed. This "space" may be the greatest luxury at Hida Ryuha
"Natural" is the greatest attraction
Six years ago, when the management company withdrew, Mr. Yukio Araya, Mr. Araya's father, who had been in charge of the ski resort as a city employee for over 10 years, became involved in the management of the resort. He was encouraged to take over by local residents who said, "It would be sad to see it go."
While the Oku-Mino area has seen the expansion of artificial snow machines by major capital, Hida Ryuha has had to rely on natural snow. The courses have been left as they were, and the mountains have not been altered.
However, this "unavoidably natural" environment is now being reassessed as a value with the popularity of powder snow. Over time, the times have come to Hida Ryuha.
In the evening, I spotted Shinya getting on the mountaintop lift. He does this every day without fail, checking to see if the lift is closing and if the last skiers have left. Even after the lift had closed, there were young people sitting on the snow, reluctant to leave the other world bathed in the sunset
After closing time, I called out to Araya, who had returned to the office. He still seemed busy, saying, "We're going to start making snow now," and headed out again to the darkened slopes
"Even though large-scale capital investment is difficult, we want to continue doing what we can, such as making snow, maintaining the courses, and serving customers."
The future of this ski resort seemed to quietly overlap with his back
Photo: Tomohiro Watanabe
Editor: Mayumi Hatano
Information
Hida Ryuyo Ski Resort
150 Fusekata, Kamioka-cho, Hida City, Gifu Prefecture, 506-1154
Official website: https://hida-nagareha.com/
Official SNS: Instagram │ Facebook │ X