A series project introducing ski resorts that are members of the Sustainable Resort Alliance initiated by POW and are working diligently to address climate change and sustainability. This time we will be picking up Katashina Kogen Ski Resort in Gunma Prefecture. What is the big-scale perspective that includes Katashina Village and Oze National Park, and the action that you can't take your eyes off of?
Katashina Kogen Ski Resort is Miffy’s!?
Katashina Kogen Ski Resort in Gunma Prefecture is a family ski resort located in Katashina Village, adjacent to the famous Oze area, one of Japan's most famous wetlands.
Katashina Kogen Ski Resort has always been dedicated to skiing, so that children experiencing playing in the snow for the first time, seniors, and entire families can enjoy it safely and with peace of mind. Geographical conditions that make it difficult to get hit by strong winds, weather conditions such as temperatures that prevent the slope from becoming hard and a high rate of sunny skies, course design that always returns to the same bottom no matter which course you ski, and many spacious and wide burns. , Katashina Kogen Ski Resort has always been a very family-friendly mountain.
Behind Miffy's adorable character is a tradition that has continued to firmly maintain its unique position as a ``solid plateau'' without being swayed by the waves of the times.
After the establishment of POW JAPAN in 2019, Katashina Kogen Ski Resort became a partner of POW as early as 2020, and has strongly focused its attention on climate change.
How can we achieve sustainability as a ski resort, and what should and can be done in the context of Oze, a natural treasure trove that Japan is proud of? The person taking the lead in this big challenge is Shodo Sawa, CEO of Daito Kaihatsu Co., Ltd., which operates Katashina Kogen Ski Resort.
On-site crisis awareness and concrete actions
What is the current sense of crisis regarding climate change? Sawa says.
``It's been 12 years since I came to Katashina Plateau, and not only has there been less snow, but the temperature at the beginning and end of the season has risen significantly.In particular, the temperature rise in March has been so great that snow melt has accelerated. For the past five or six years, we have not been able to operate at full capacity during the children's spring break period.This is a
serious problem for us as a family ski resort.There has been little snow this winter as well, and the site has a sense of crisis and is doing what each individual can do. For the ski resort as a whole, the easiest action to understand is to switch from electricity to renewable energy, so we have started doing so in stages starting in 2020. Although it was temporarily suspended due to the rise in electricity prices, we are planning to restart it again and work toward 100% production."
The specific initiatives currently underway are as follows.
●Since 2012, we have been collaborating with local residents as the ``Katashina Plateau Sustainable Tour,'' where you can enjoy nature as a field, such as trekking, camping, fly fishing, and lake kayaking, and experience the activities of people who are close to nature. We plan tours and provide experiences that make environmental issues more familiar.
●From the 2020-21 season, the POW logo will be pasted on uniforms to promote action against climate change. We promote awareness within the company by providing climate change training to our staff and providing them with knowledge so that when a guest asks, ``What is that symbol?'' they can answer properly.
●We aim to share awareness with users by posting posters at ski resorts and introducing POW's activities and videos in the monthly e-mail newsletter of the Miffy Mountain Club, a member organization that has approximately 20,000 households. There is. 1% of the club's membership fee is donated to a nature conservation organization called ``1% for the Planet.''
●Since 2012, we have been reusing fallow land in the village and operating the approximately 1 hectare Miffy Farm. Over 20 types of vegetables and fruits are grown each year, and children can experience harvesting, and the harvested ingredients are used in accommodations and restaurants.
“The potatoes, onions, and carrots grown at our own farm are used in the restaurant's curry, the corn is used as a topping for miso ramen, and the Chinese cabbage is used in the hotel's dinner hot pot.The staff also provide guests with vegetables they have grown themselves. I'm happy when people eat it, and I think it also helps reduce waste because I use it without wasting it.The Miffy Farm has become a symbol of sustainability.''
Everything comes from the original experience of the power of nature.
At Katashina Kogen Ski Resort, there is no particular department that promotes the SDGs. However, the company's president himself has made efforts and has a strong desire to actively reach out both internally and externally to evolve into a sustainable ski resort.
``I grew up in Tokyo, but because of my parents' work, I spent most of my summer and winter vacations in the mountains.When I returned to the city and looked at the faces of adults on the train to school, I felt that everyone was in a cloud. I was wondering why.
But one day in spring, when I saw cherry blossoms in full bloom on the Meguro River from the train window, the whole train cheered, "Wow!"
It's a stressful situation with a crowded train. At that moment, the adult's gray face suddenly became colorful. I was moved by how amazing nature is, how powerful it is, and how important nature really is. I think this original experience is the basis of who I am.
When you work in a rural area, you have many opportunities to come into contact with nature. However, people in urban areas have surprisingly little contact with nature. I think that's why it's hard to feel or empathize with climate change. At Katashina Kogen, we place great importance on reaching out to families and outdoor enthusiasts, so by increasing opportunities to experience nature and be moved by it, we will eventually become more aware of climate change. I think it would be great if
Supported by the high awareness of our guests
I wonder how Mr. Sawa's actions are perceived by those around him.
``At first, the staff starts thinking, ``The president is doing something,'' and then they start thinking, ``Because the president is doing something,'' and then they gradually realize that it's important.When changing the hotel's breakfast menu, I started thinking about the environment and choosing things that would reduce the amount of waste.
Behind this is the high level of awareness among our guests. In surveys of hotel guests, we sometimes receive negative comments such as ``a large amount of waste,'' which can lead to lower satisfaction ratings. Many of the guests who come here are highly conscious of environmental protection, not just in the winter, but to experience the beauty of nature."
Seniors who love Oze's nature and have been coming here for a long time, and families who want to protect the environment for the future of their precious children, are the strong driving forces behind Katashina Kogen Ski Resort's sustainability efforts.
"Since we put the POW logo on our staff uniforms, we've started receiving comments from guests like, ``Good luck!'' I feel that they are interested in our efforts to achieve the SDGs and that they value them.
Under these circumstances, the first thing I think we need to do in the future is to switch to renewable energy for electricity. This is the most obvious and important thing for a ski resort. While doing this, we want to provide as many people as possible with a rich time spent with nature within the larger framework of Oze. This is something I would like to focus on. I want people to come to Katashina all year round, not just in winter, and find it even a little bit fun."
There's definitely something that can be seen from there. This powerful story is backed by Mr. Sawa's original experiences as a child.
Action for decarbonization in Katashina Village
In April 2020, Katashina Village was registered as a "Zero Carbon Park" by the Ministry of the Environment, making it the seventh village in the country and the first in the country. Zero Carbon Park is an initiative launched by the Ministry of the Environment in March 2021 to decarbonize national parks. With this registration, Katashina Village aims to create a community with zero carbon dioxide emissions.
In February 2022, we announced the zero carbon city "Katashina Village 5 Zero Declaration 2050". The contents are like this.
In fact, Oze National Park was the first national park in Japan to start ``taking away garbage'' around 1971.
The pride of having been involved in nature conservation since the time when there was no concept of sustainability is deeply felt in the hearts of not only the local people but also the guests who have been fascinated by Oze. My desire to pass on the DNA of loving Oze National Park as my own home to the next generation became even more certain when I was given the goal of sustainability.
“The other wheel is the economic wheel. Since the coronavirus pandemic, the Ministry of the Environment and the Japan Tourism Agency have set up a subsidy system for the use of national parks, which has given us a tailwind. Also, the recent boom in sustainability has given rise to the pursuit of profit. I feel like it's starting to work as an incentive for companies as well.Thanks to this, grassroots movements that might have been difficult five or six years ago now have a lot of momentum to work on them with great enthusiasm. I think things have changed,” said Sawa.
The zero-carbon initiatives of Katashina Village, the gateway to Oze National Park, are easy to understand and generate momentum. After the declaration, specific efforts will be made in the future, including the local production and local consumption of renewable energy through hydroelectric power generation unique to Oze, which has wetlands and water, and the promotion of Oze's natural environment to children, who will be responsible for a sustainable society. They are also considering various initiatives to help people realize how wonderful it is.
From protection to utilization - Change in the country's stance
``In addition to the Ministry of the Environment's stance of valuing and protecting national parks, I feel that perhaps in response to the coronavirus pandemic and the wave of inbound tourism demand, there is a direction towards ``utilizing'' national parks. Masu. I believe that this trend is supporting various initiatives at Oze National Park.
Oze National Park is one of the heaviest snowfall areas in Japan, or in other words, an area with some of the highest snowfall in the world. Even if global warming continues, snow will continue to remain. The value of snow will naturally increase, so I believe that creating solid winter content will have a positive effect on Katashina Village, the Ministry of the Environment, and everyone involved in the future.
Thanks to this, Oze has been approved for winter use, and cat tours have become a reality starting in 2022. We planned a cat tour and snowshoe tour at Fujimi Pass, which is located at the highest altitude among the trailheads in Oze National Park.
In order to increase opportunities for people to experience Oze's beautiful nature, Mr. Sawa and his colleagues established the Oze Outdoor Sports Promotion Association, a general incorporated association, and started a cat operation in the Oze Tokura area in February 2022.
This is big news for powder-loving STEEP readers.
Don't miss the brand new cat service in the heavy snowfall area Oze. Please check out the video and details below. ◆Official website: Oze Outdoor Sports Promotion Association
https://ozeoutdoorsports.com/BC
First, let me know
In October 2020, Mr. Sawa invited POW to the Katashina Ski Resort Liaison Council, which brings together five ski resorts in the Katashina area, and everyone received a lecture on climate change.
"First of all, it's important to let people know. This season has been a warm winter with little snowfall, and there is definitely a strong sense of ownership at all ski resorts. After listening to POW's talk, I think I was able to understand the current situation and the long-term vision we are aiming for. How can we create short-term measures that include specific initiatives for each area?If Katashina Kogen's efforts make people think, ``I see, this seems to have merit,'' other ski resorts will also be proactive. I have high hopes that they will take some action."
Mr. Sawa hopes that, ``By partnering with POW, we can find a way to both take action against climate change and attract customers to ski resorts.'' In the winter of 2023, Mr. Sawa hopes to join POW's Sustainable Resort Alliance (SRA). I decided to join.
"It's great that more than 20 ski resorts have made their intentions to actively become green resorts more visible. I think it's great that ski resorts can work together through alliances. Not only do we have common lift tickets and study sessions, It would be interesting if ski resorts could have open dialogue and exchange opinions with each other.I would like to apply the various thoughts and ideas that I can learn from this to my management."
The role of a ski resort
What role will the ski resort play in the village's efforts?
"There are two things I think about. First, those of us who work at ski resorts are constantly concerned about the weather, so we tend to notice subtle changes in the environment, and ski resorts, which make their living from snow, are overwhelmed with enthusiasm for climate change. Therefore, it should be able to provide a stronger driving force for initiatives.
Another thing is that ski resorts are huge customer attraction machines. It attracts about 130,000 visitors from urban areas per season, so it has become a hub. We can convey the great charm of the area to people coming from urban areas, and we can receive ideas from urban people such as ``What should we do as a region in this day and age?'' Ski resorts become meeting points for people and possibilities. I think it has a role to play."
Mr. Sawa actually holds the positions of chairman of the Kanto Steel Cable Transportation Association and vice president of the Japan Steel Cable Transportation Association, and is deeply involved in the cableway business, including ski resort lifts and gondolas. All efforts toward sustainability must be based on safety. If safety is compromised, no matter how much you stack up, it will break in an instant.
A variety of people are working tirelessly to support us so that we can continue skiing safely and comfortably on the snowy mountains forever. As a skier, why not visit a green ski resort next time to express your gratitude? If you haven't gone skiing in the Katashina area yet, why not try cat skiing in Oze National Park!
the person who taught me
Sawa Shodo
Representative Director of
Daito Kaihatsu Co., Ltd. Born in 1982.
He graduated from Aoyama Gakuin University Faculty of Law. He then studied tourism at a university in Canada. While attending school, he joined a travel agency headquartered in the UK and worked as a guide in Switzerland. After returning to Japan, he worked at Hoshino Resorts as marketing, assistant to the president, and hotel front desk manager. Currently, in my position as CEO of a small to medium-sized company, I am responsible for marketing, organizational management, and financial strategy, and am working daily to evolve the ski resort into a mountain resort and make it a more attractive place while collaborating within the area. .
Information Katashina Kogen Ski Resort
◆Official website: https://katashinakogen.co.jp/
◆Official SNS: Facebook ｜ X (formerly Twitter)
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