This series will explain various aspects of Japanese ski resorts from different perspectives, giving you a more detailed and in-depth understanding. This time, we'll focus on "cableways," something every skier and snowboarder uses. Reading the first part will deepen your understanding
Only those who can talk about cable car trivia can be called advanced skiers
In the first part , we summarized the three specialized classifications of cableways and their details. In this second part, we will organize the history and characteristics of each using the more common classifications of chairlifts, gondolas, and ropeways. If you're an advanced skier, you can annoy your friends by persistently spouting the cableway trivia written here.
[Ropeway] The instantaneous mobility is overwhelming! Its existence itself is a tourist attraction
As mentioned in the previous article, there are facilities that call ordinary circular cableways, commonly known as "gondola," "ropeways," but here we will refer to those that transport medium to large box-shaped carriers in a cross-type manner as "ropeways."
The history of facilities calling themselves ropeways is surprisingly long. They existed as far back as the Meiji period. However, they were simple structures consisting of a single small carriage that went back and forth
According to this website's research, the first ropeway to appear at a Japanese ski resort was built in 1956 at what is now Zao Onsen. Currently, major ski resorts with ropeways include Otaru Tenguyama , Furano , Hakkoda , Shizukuishi, Tengendai , Zao Onsen , Muikamachi Hakkaisan, Yuzawa Kogen , Gala Yuzawa , Kagura , Tanigawadake Tenjindaira , Ryuo , Tsugaike Kogen, Pilatus Tateshina , Senjojiki , Biwako Valley , Ishizuchi , and others.
Among these, Zao Onsen currently has two ropeways: the "Zao Ropeway Base Line" and the "Zao Central Ropeway" (there is also the "Zao Ropeway Summit Line," but this is a circulating funitel). In addition, Yuzawa Kogen has one of the world's largest ropeways, with a capacity of 166 people, and is also connected to Gala Yuzawa by a ropeway called "Lando." Furthermore, Kagura also has two ropeways.
Ropeways themselves are a powerful tourist resource, and many of these ski resorts have become year-round tourist destinations.
All cable cars do not have their own power source. A motor at the terminal station rotates a pulley, pulling the rope and moving the car. Ropeways, in particular, require a lot of electricity. In Yuzawa Kogen, where there is a huge ropeway, it is said that 6,600 volts of electricity are used to pull the power up to the mountaintop through power lines buried in the slope.
Ropeways are vulnerable to strong winds, and there are criteria for deceleration and stopping depending on the wind speed. However, depending on the wind direction, there may be no effect. Therefore, the degree of deceleration and other factors are sometimes judged by the staff based on their experience. In fact, an even bigger enemy than strong winds is lightning, and if there is a flash and a rumble, operations will stop immediately.
The Yuzawa Kogen ropeway's carrier weighs approximately 10 tons. When it's filled with people holding boards, it reaches nearly 20 tons. The tough ropes that suspend it form the backbone of a highly safe ropeway system
[Gondola] Constant mobility is number one! In fact, it has the newest history at ski resorts
Compared to chairlifts, gondola cabins offer a wider variety of cabin designs and sizes. Their strength lies in their consistent mobility. While they can carry fewer people at once than ropeways, if the competition is based on "how many people can be transported per hour," the gondola, with its circulating cabins, comes out on top. Gondolas first appeared at Japanese ski resorts in 1973, considerably later than ropeways. They were initially installed at what is now Hakuba Goryu and Yokotsu-dake in Hokkaido (currently closed)
The famous egg-shaped gondola (now partially rebuilt) was installed at Higashidateyama in Shiga Kogen in 1976. The ropeway called "Hakuba Cable" at Hakuba Happo-one (built in 1958) was renovated into a gondola in 1983. The gondola at Naeba debuted in 1985. The long queues of over an hour waiting for the gondolas at these popular ski resorts were a symbolic event of the ski boom of the late 1980s.
So, how fast do the gondolas go? It varies depending on the facility, but at Maiko Resort, for example, the maximum speed is 5 meters per second. You can accelerate or decelerate by pressing a button that can adjust the speed in 1 meter increments
A weakness of gondolas is crosswinds. Funitel is a type that compensates for this weakness, but it is still a minority in Japan. In Maiko, the general rule is to slow down when the wind speed reaches 10 m/s, and stop when it reaches 15 m/s. However, the situation changes depending on the wind direction. If there is a crosswind, the gondola may slow down even at a wind speed of 5 to 6 m/s
At night, the gondolas are stored in the station. The number of carriages in operation varies depending on the day, with a maximum of 100 and a minimum of 80 at Maiko, as mentioned above. In other words, the number is increased or decreased depending on the predicted congestion. In the case of gondolas, the only equipment required inside the carriage is "a device that allows mutual communication between the stop and the carriage, and between each stop." Although there is no particular limitation, it is often a radio
Currently, many ski resorts are facing a challenge regarding gondolas: how to accommodate fat skis and twin-tip skis. While an increasing number of ski resorts are renovating their ski racks, there are still some that have not yet fully adapted
[Chairlift] The most common type of cable car. It evolved significantly in the 1980s
A chairlift is, quite literally, a chairlift. Generally, when people say "lift," they're referring to this type. Asthe previous article, there are two types: fixed-grip and automatic-grip. Have you ever thought, "This lift is slow," at a ski resort?
That's usually the former type.
In fixed-grip circulating lifts, the carriers are fixed to ropes, so it's basically impossible to change the speed between the carriers used for boarding/alighting and those used for travel. However, staff may slow down the lift at stops when children are boarding.
Also, there are ways to make it safer to ride faster lifts by installing auxiliary devices such as conveyor belts at stops, but such devices themselves are rare in Japan. For these reasons, they are not often used as the main lifts at ski resorts today and are not suitable for long-distance routes.
On the other hand, automatic circulating chairlifts can travel at high speeds, but they slow down when boarding and alighting, making them easy for beginners and children to get on and off. From a passenger-first perspective, there are only advantages. However, for ski resorts, the fact that they are more expensive than fixed circulating chairlifts is a negative factor.
Chairlifts also differ in the capacity of the cabins. Surprisingly, the first chairlift built in Japan for the occupying forces had a design where two people sat back-to-back. However, this is an extremely unusual case. In the process of chairlifts becoming widespread in Japan after 1948, chairlifts were generally single chairlifts.
Shiga Kogen Maruike Ski Lift Source:Kajima Corporation
There are various theories about the first civilian pair lift, but in any case, it began to spread in the 1970s. Then, in the early 1980s, on the eve of the unprecedented ski boom, the automatic circulating triple lift (for three people) appeared, followed soon after by the quad lift (for four people). Chairlifts entered an era of increasing speed. Note that current regulations state that the maximum speed for automatic circulating lifts is 5 meters per second
Furthermore, around 1988, during the booming bubble economy, hooded lifts were introduced. It is also worth noting that safety bars were also installed on lifts from this era. Since then, chairlifts have continued to evolve, with the introduction of footrests to stabilize passengers' feet and cushioned seats to improve ride comfort
Finally, I'd like to address a question that every skier has probably wondered about while on a ski lift:
Do people ever fall off the lift?
The answer is "yes." Apparently, it happens occasionally. However, in Japan, the height of chairlift cabins is regulated by law, so even if someone falls, it's unlikely to result in a serious accident.
[Bonus] A little tidbit about cable cars
Finally, I would like to list some trivia about cable cars in a Q&A format
Q1: What are the longest and shortest cableways in Japan?
The longest is the "Dragondola" connecting Naeba and Kagura, at 5481m. This is among the longest in the world. The longest chairlift currently in operation is the "Zailer Quad" at Appi Kogen (2143m) . Conversely, the shortest chairlift in Japan is the "Lift No. 6" at Heavens Sonohara , which is a mere 85m long. The gondola with the greatest elevation difference is the "Shizukuishi No. 1 Gondola" at Shizukuishi (849m) . However, it ceased operation in 2008. The chairlift with the greatest elevation difference is the " Zailer Quad " at Appi Kogen (612m).
Q2 How many people are required for one cableway?
At least four people work on each lift, and about seven on each gondola, splitting into two teams working at the boarding and disembarking areas. The person in charge of these teams, constantly patrolling and checking the site, is a staff member qualified as a "ropeway technical manager" under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. Obtaining this qualification once is not enough; they are required to constantly update their knowledge and skills by regularly attending training sessions
Q3 How do the cable car staff go up first thing in the morning?
For gondolas and ropeways, the equipment that pulls the ropes is located at the top of the mountain, and someone has to start it first thing in the morning. The staff in charge of this work don't go up the mountain on snowmobiles... but rather stay in the duty room at the top of the mountain and get up early to operate the equipment, according to interviews at Yuzawa Kogen and Maiko Snow Resort
Q4 What does "Romance Lift" mean?
In the days when single lifts were the norm, even if a couple went skiing together, both of them were alone on the lift. This name was likely chosen to add value to the newly introduced two-seater lift
Edited by STEEP Editorial Department
. Source: Re-edited from BRAVOSKI vol.2, 2018.