The man who created the Kagura BC (backcountry) environment | Minoru Nakazawa | Up close to THE MAN

Composition: Tomoyo Nakagawa (Editorial Department) Photos: Minoru Nakazawa, Takahito Mizutani, Daigo Onozuka, Hiroshi Owada

Prologue

The backcountry environment has changed dramatically over the past decade.
It is no longer uncommon to see avid backcountry skiers wearing safety gear such as helmets and beacons. One area that
has been attracting a lot of attention in recent years is Kagura in the Yuzawa area of ​​Niigata Prefecture.

At Kagura, during peak season in January, the 5th Romance Lift at the top of the ski resort opens, and a whole new world unfolds beyond the top of the slopes

Nicknamed "Goroma" by regular skiers, the gate set up just beyond the lift leads to the vast snowfield of the Kaguramine mountain range, which continues on to Mount Naeba. When fresh snow falls, it naturally transforms into a superb powder land. With a guided tour, even powder beginners can experience the vast world of backcountry, making it a frequent destination for many powder lovers

Kagura used to be known as a ski resort for its early season skiing and spring skiing. However, former Kagura manager Minoru Nakazawa has dramatically changed the resort's atmosphere, saying, "The powder snow in the peak season is exciting."

Nakazawa was involved in ski resort management as the general manager of Kagura Ski Resort (Prince Hotels Co., Ltd.) from 2005 until his retirement in 2016. Even after reaching retirement age, he remained at the ski resort as the sales manager under special treatment, working to further develop the backcountry environment, but retired from the company permanently in June 2020.

During his 15 years at the helm, Nakazawa has undertaken countless innovative initiatives. Wanting to learn more about them, we spoke to Nakazawa about the evolution of Kagura Backcountry to date. We

learned about the path of "the man who created Kagura."
(Interview recorded in August 2020)

When the ski boom ended and hardcore skiers became the main customers,
we thought about what we could do in Kagura.

What started it all

Kagura has now become a hugely popular field that attracts everyone from backcountry beginners to experts. But what was the background behind Kagura becoming a place that has attracted the devotees of freeskiers, to the point that it can be called a mecca for backcountry and powder snow?

"Before powder snow became popular, the local Mitsumata Tourism Association ran ski tours in this area. They also did heli-skiing. I used to participate every year when I was still in Naeba, and I thought the scenery was beautiful and Kagura was a great mountain. Looking at the northern slope, I thought, 'It would be amazing to ski here.'

Since then, Kagura is great in the spring because the snow and weather are stable, but I've been thinking about how to make it better in the winter. I became the manager of Kagura in 2005, which was around my second year."

The beginning of the scheme

"One of the things that gave me the push I needed was meeting Hideo Yoshizawa, who runs a shop called BLACK DIAMOND. In 2006, Yoshizawa told me he wanted to spread the word about Kagura's powder snow and open a shop in Kagura.

At the time, Yoshizawa had been on many powder snow tours in the Canadian backcountry. One day, he brought a foreigner who wanted to try a powder snow tour in Kagura. I still vividly remember the four of us going to the northern slope together.

I heard that there would definitely be a powder snow boom in Japan in the future, and that various goods were being sold overseas, so I thought, 'That might be a good idea too.'" At the

time, Nakazawa was thinking about introducing fat skis into the rental service at the ski resort. Yoshizawa approached him with the idea of ​​opening a shop with the concept of renting fat skis and experiencing the joys of powder snow. The two men shared the same vision, and the two men agreed. Yoshizawa opened Kagura Powder Station in 2006.

From that season onwards, Nakazawa, along with freestyle skier Yoshizawa Hideo, skied down Kagura's forest slope, commonly known as the "north slope," and the vast open run known as the "reflector," rediscovering the profound charm of Kagura's backcountry

Actually, there are three reasons

"There are actually three reasons why I consciously decided to take up backcountry skiing. The second reason, following my meeting with Yoshizawa, is that I love mountains and powder snow, and I'm the type of person who likes to go out before others and ski hard, so it's also a hobby of mine (laughs). I thought it would be fun for me, and that it would be great

The third reason is the nature of Kagura. The weather in Kagura is usually bad until the end of February. We get a lot of snow, but there are very few customers during the peak season. If anything, we are a ski resort that starts its season in December and spring from March onwards, so we thought a lot about how to attract customers in January and February.

As a result, we thought that since there is a lot of powder and the snow conditions are good at that time, we could keep the grounds open and allow people to ski in the powder at the top as well. It was just a random idea, but that's how it all started."

Goloma

When talking about Kagura's backcountry, one thing that always comes up is "Goroma." Goroma is the No. 5 Romance Lift that takes you to the top of the slope at 1,845 meters above sea level, heading towards the summit of Kagura-ga-mine at 2,020 meters above sea level

"Goloma opened on April 1, 2006. We had tour skiing and such. Then, in 2007, we started operating from the beginning of March, and the following year we started a little earlier, gradually opening earlier

Goloma was actually built in 1988, but the lifts stopped operating after about two years due to heavy snowfall and avalanches.

Back then, not many people were into powder skiing. The lifts started operating again in 2006, fat skiing became popular, and from around 2011, powder lovers started heading to the top of the mountain.

When Goroma reopened in 2006, it opened in late March to avoid peak season. Over the next few years, the opening date was gradually brought forward, from late February, to early February, to January, and so on, until finally, in 2015, it was opened on New Year's Day, which was entirely at Nakazawa's discretion

Around the Gate

Since Goroma began operating on New Year's Day in 2015, gates have been installed at the entrances to the backcountry and staff have been stationed there

"The gate itself was first installed in 2012. We announced it to customers on our website, but the police gave us some advice. They said we couldn't let people do that on their own, as it was like inviting people onto the mountain.

As a result, we closed the gate and put the rope back in the following year. But customers still kept going in. At the time, people were just slipping through the ropes on their own to get in."

Perhaps in light of this situation, since 2013 it has been made mandatory to submit a mountain climbing report when entering the backcountry, and to contact the office upon returning from the mountain

"Even so, there were still a lot of accidents in the backcountry in 2014, some fatal. This made the media aware of the dangers and accidents in the backcountry, and whenever someone got lost skiing in the mountains, the TV stations would follow up and make a fuss about it, making it into the news. It

was a time when we were facing headwinds, but the deputy chief of Minamiuonuma Police Station at the time was very supportive, saying, 'It's easy to stop, but let's discuss whether we can do something about it.' So we held repeated discussions with the relevant parties, came up with various ideas, and came up with the current system, where gates are built again and people are stationed there to check who is coming in and out. It took about two years, but we finally reached that goal in January 2015."

Unstoppable evolution

Starting with the installation of gates and staff in 2015, backcountry skiing initiatives began to accelerate after Nakazawa was promoted from general manager to sales manager.

The following year, with the cooperation of K2 Japan, BCA beacon checkers were installed at the gates, a BCA beacon training area was set up on the slopes, and training sessions on how to use the beacons were also held.

Furthermore, he has promoted a series of safety awareness initiatives, including patrolling the backcountry area, setting up signs to warn people against risks, installing poles and guide ribbons to prevent accidents along the Kagura Peak ridgeline, and starting the rental of TREK TRAK, a GPS device for responding to accidents. Kagura's backcountry has steadily expanded and evolved under Nakazawa's guidance

"Thanks to K2 using Kagura for test rides and events, I was able to get to know many experts, including Yuichiro Miura and Akio Shintani of Niseko (※1), and receive advice and support from them.

At first, we started with no gates or anything, and used ropes to keep people from going outside, but everyone was going through the ropes, so we realized we had to do something. At the time, customers were slipping through the ropes and entering the backcountry at their own risk. But gradually, the awareness of backcountry skiing spread to the general public, and things started to change."

You should do it more and more

Even so, for a well-known company like Prince Hotels, and one that is directly connected to Japan's top ski resort, Mt. Naeba, to actively develop backcountry areas off the slopes would generally be met with warnings to "stop," but was there no opposition from management at the time?

"Strangely enough, no one has ever said anything to me about it (laughs). The president at the time actually said, 'You should just go ahead and do it.' Of course, that wasn't the case from the beginning; it was only after we had installed gates and were able to manage safety

Naeba is a tough place with many slopes where you could get caught in an avalanche if you stray from the course, but Kagura is relatively less dangerous than Naeba, so perhaps they thought it was okay to ski there. That may have been a factor, but either way, the patrols wouldn't be able to make it in time. Once one person gets in, everyone else gets in, so it's impossible to keep an eye on them

If that's the case, then just leave it alone and don't bother telling customers that they go in at their own risk. If there's a rescue request, just go out then. Your cell phone will work, after all. Just make sure to get the rescue costs from the person who makes the request. After

all, anything off the slopes is outside the ski resort's control. No matter how many times you warn them, people who like to go will still go, and if you nag them too much, many customers will end up rebelling and the situation will escalate, so just ski at your own risk.

In other words, our stance is to tell our customers, "It's okay to go, but please follow the rules to ensure your safety." It's like we're guiding them in the direction of "protect yourself." This is a unique approach, but we've created a situation where customers have to submit a proper climbing plan and enjoy skiing at their own risk."

as a matter of fact

"Even now, there are still a fair number of accidents, but the police and fire department haven't said anything and are supporting us. I don't know if they've given up yet (laughs). If

there is an accident, it's a life-saving measure, so a rescue helicopter will come right away. The police also say that it's best to have no accidents, but accidents do happen in the mountains, whether in winter or summer. I think it's fine if we all communicate with each other and do everything we can to reduce the number of accidents.

I think it's a good thing that Niseko has established rules that emphasize safety. The most important thing is to strictly warn people about places they shouldn't go.

Kagura doesn't have as high avalanche risk as Niseko, but unlike Niseko, the mountain is so large that people are more likely to get lost. Over 90% of accidents are due to getting lost. We're currently installing poles and doing other things, but we need to be a bit more strict in that area.

However, I don't think we should be overprotective. We should make it clearer where people shouldn't go, and then encourage them to enjoy themselves with a sense of safety. Just like with summer mountain climbing, I think it's best to choose a mountain that suits your skill level and ski.

Also, joining a tour with a guide and skiing safely is the basis of backcountry skiing. Kagura does not require a license to operate as a guide, so many backcountry ski guides have come here. Basically, anyone is welcome, so I hope that people can ski safely and freely in Kagura's wonderful backcountry skiing

The Kagura BC environment has been revitalized

In 2005, even when the weather was good, there were only one or two people skiing in the mountains. But now, when conditions are good, over 100 people can be found skiing outside the gates. What does Nakazawa, the creator of Kagura, think of the current situation?

"Looking back, I think you can't see results until you actually try things. In that sense, we are where we are today because of all the various initiatives we have undertaken. We're still not at 100%, but the number of visitors has certainly increased. The number of visitors has steadily increased, especially from the New Year to February.

Since installing the gates, we have been checking all the hiking itineraries and counting the number of people entering the mountain, and in recent years, the total number of visitors going up the mountain for the season has been around 6,000 to 7,000. When the number exceeded 7,000, we imposed restrictions requiring visitors to wear beacons, and since then the number has settled down to around the early to mid-6,000 range.

But I think it would be great if more people could enjoy the mountains. People who are serious about mountain skiing don't go to the backcountry, which starts at the ski resort like Kagura does, but go directly up the mountain. I think that's the style of advanced skiers, so I hope that people who want to enjoy skiing on the slopes and powder snow will come to Kagura and go all the way to the top

When the weather is good, especially from late February to the end of March, Mt. Naeba is so beautiful covered in snow, so just looking at the mountain and coming home feels really good. It's completely different. Of course, skiing is a good goal, but I think it's also nice to enjoy skiing while looking at all the different views in the majestic natural scenery of the mountains, and then when you get home, say with a smile, "I had so much fun today!" and have a lively conversation

Work done

Recently, Nakazawa was presented with a letter of appreciation from the Niigata Prefectural Police for his contributions to safety education in the Kagura backcountry and rescue efforts, as well as his contributions to preventing mountain accidents

"I don't deserve such an award. I love backcountry skiing myself, so I've spread the word about it, and if I hadn't spread it, the number of people going up the mountains wouldn't have increased, and the accident might not have happened. More people mean more accidents. It's strange that someone who advocates backcountry skiing is being awarded for rescue efforts after an accident."

Nakazawa says with a wry smile, "But in fact, over the 15 years from 2005 to 2020, he has implemented a wide variety of innovative initiatives to liven up Kagura's backcountry."

In addition to the initiatives mentioned above, they installed fat ski racks on the gondola and renovated Wadagoya, which had few guests staying overnight in the winter. They also offered fast-track service to guests, transforming Wadagoya into an extremely popular powder lodge that is hard to book on weekends. They also actively recruited backcountry guide clubs, creating jobs in the guide industry

He has appeared as a skier model in brochures and posters for Kagura Ski Resort, showcasing his photogenic powder riding. His image has sent a powerful message that has influenced the industry and general skiers. He has expanded Kagura's snow business with his various skills

"That may be one way of looking at it, but I was just having fun half the time (laughs). In fact, backcountry skiing isn't my main job, so it was just one way to make the most of Kagura Ski Resort.

Other than that, I took on a variety of other projects, such as building a new rest house, replacing the lifts, creating a summer slope using piste lab mats, and renovating the parking lot and changing rooms.

In that respect, skiing with the top executives of Seibu Holdings and being involved outside of work gave me the opportunity to freely talk about my ideas and thoughts about what I wanted the ski resort to be like. I think I was very fortunate in realizing many of these things

I think that these efforts have contributed more to the ski resort as a whole than the backcountry."

The future landscape

Nakazawa has achieved a variety of innovative things in an era where it is difficult to do new things, and what kind of world will he see in the future as he draws to a close after 15 intense years?

"I'm troubled when people say, 'When Nakazawa-san retires, there won't be any models to skate with,' (laughs), but I think that once he retires and his position changes, it would be fine if he could just look after Mount Kagura safely. I'm not saying that I want to do this to anyone, but..

Yes, I think it would be a good idea to have people wear helmets, as there are still people out in the backcountry without helmets

What's next? I'll just work casually (laughs). Yes, the Myoko mountains are great. The altitude is high, and I think it'll be fun if you do it properly. The backcountry movement is becoming quite popular these days, and I'm interested."

The number of people interested in powder snow and backcountry skiing in Kagura is sure to continue to grow. I hope that the reforms made so far will continue to evolve without stopping, and that the safe skiing environment will be maintained

This is not the end for Nakazawa, and we can't help but hope that he will continue to make use of his experience in his activities

Finally, I'll tell you a secret: the best place

Finally, we asked Nakazawa, who knows Kagura's backcountry better than anyone, about the most comfortable and best place

"If the conditions are right, everything is great. The north slope is good, and you can ski long distances in the Sankaku area. Everyone says "north, north," but the north slope is a bit difficult to traverse back, so I think it's best for skilled, advanced skiers. It has steep slopes and tree runs, so advanced skiers can enjoy it

For intermediate skiers, I think it would be fun to ski down the wide, reflective slope for a long time, and then escape to the upper part of Tashiro's 8th Romance without following the stream.

There are lots of fun spots, but the one I think is the best is... well, I can't really say in detail. There are a lot of fun spots, but you have to hike for about an hour, and there's a really good slope with a climb back up. It's a spot that only those in the know will know about, but I won't tell you.

If the weather's good, it's fun anywhere!

*1) A mountaineer living in Niseko, Hokkaido. Director of the Niseko Avalanche Research Center of the Avalanche Prevention Council

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[ Nakazawa's journey into BC ]　

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