"It's actually a great local slope if you hit it," perhaps referring to Yuzawa Nakazato. Yuzawa Nakazato, with its heavy snowfall and captivating slopes, makes you think so. Local riders Kyohei Miyata and Kazuma Seta talk to us about the charms of this local slope
First, let's take a look at the edited footage of the two days they skated
Get to know Yuzawa Nakazato and get an overview of the ungroomed snow and tree run areas
Yuzawa Nakazato has a wide range of courses with good visibility, with 40% of its slopes being beginner slopes. It is a ski resort that is friendly to families and those trying out the slopes for the first time, but in recent years it has also been focusing on ungroomed areas and tree run areas. This is no surprise, as Yuzawa Nakazato is worthy of the name "Snow Country," and in the peak season it is an area of heavy snowfall where snow can fall up to waist height overnight
Yuzawa Nakazato consists of two mountains, and the mountain on the right side of the map is entirely ungroomed and tree-running, with the exception of one beginner's course. The five ungroomed courses are Dynamic, Giant, Challenge, and Extreme Training.
All of the courses have an average gradient of over 20 degrees, and once the snow falls, you can ski in a weightless state on the fluffy powder, so it's no wonder that the focus is on powder. The Challenge Run has a maximum gradient of 32 degrees, and Dynamic and Giant are also slopes for advanced skiers, with steep slopes stretching for approximately 600 meters. The tree-running area has a wide area where you can ski, except for under the railway lines and some dangerous areas.
Nakazato's greatest feature is its high turnover rate, which allows you to access such a comprehensive ski area with the first quad lift, and no matter where you ski you will always return to the base area. Being able to access five ungroomed runs and multiple tree run areas with just one lift is something you probably won't find at other ski resorts, even in powder paradise Japan
As you can see, Nakazato has plenty of elements that powder lovers can't resist. In recent years, you can see some people wearing thick boards and waiting for the lift first thing in the morning, but it's still a place only known to those in the know. Anyone looking for comfortable powder should definitely visit. However, with so many options, it's bound to be hard to know where and how to ski at first sight.
We asked two local riders about the appeal of Nakazato's powder and their recommended lines.
A rider talks about Yuzawa Nakazato on a snowy day
The case of snowboarder Kazuma Seta
"Nakazato isn't particularly high in altitude, but because it's in the mountains of Yuzawa, it gets a lot of snow, and the snow is light.
Its greatest appeal is the large number of steep, ungroomed slopes. When it snows heavily, snowboarders have a hard time picking up speed on gentle slopes, but Yuzawa Nakazato is fun because you can pick up speed. The Giant Course is my favorite because it's the longest of all the ungroomed slopes. I love speeding down this slope first thing in the morning (laughs). The left side of the Dynamic Course has a nice topography, so you can have fun jumping and sliding as you ski. I also think the upper part of the Challenge Run feels the steepest, and it's fantastic when it snows. If you pick up speed from the access path to the Challenge Run, you can jump in."
"When it snows, I go to Nakazato with the local snowboarders, and we always come on the right days. To be more specific, I don't mean the sunny day after it snows, but rather a day when it keeps snowing all day and then it's reset (laughs).
There are a lot of steep slopes, so when the ground gets bumpy it's a little hard to snowboard. So the best time to go to Nakazato is on a day when the tracks are buried.
The wind was blowing when we took the photos this time, but one of the characteristics of Nakazato is that the slopes face in all directions, from north to west. Even in conditions where strong winds blow the snow away, it ends up piling up on some slopes, so there's always powder."
"The flow of the day starts with skiing down the Dynamic, Giant and Challenge slopes on the right side as seen from the base of the mountain. At Nakazato, they don't open all the runs at once when the ski resort opens, so that only the first people there in the morning get a chance to enjoy the powder. Instead, they open the runs one by one from the right side of the slope. This means you can enjoy the powder at your own pace, without worry."
"When the snow is not groomed, you can ski down these three courses and then go to the tree run area.
Nakazato's tree run area is steep, but the trees are spaced far apart, making it easy to turn and great for snowboarders. The reason it's so easy to ski is that the small branches that would otherwise obstruct the slope have been cleared away to make it safe. I usually go to Nakazato on snowy days, so visibility is sometimes poor, but the visibility is good among the trees and it's easy to ski, so I recommend finishing the slopes early and enjoying the tree runs instead."
The case of skier Kyohei Miyata
"First thing in the morning, I'll warm up my legs lightly on the Joyful Course. I'll start slowly and not join the battle for the first track in the powder (laughs).
As Kazuma said earlier, there are lots of ungroomed runs that open up one by one from the right, so even if you're not aiming for the first track on the Dynamic or Giant Courses, you'll be able to ski on some of the runs without tracks, so there's no need to rush."
"Each of the ungroomed runs has its own unique terrain and characteristics, which makes it interesting, but Dynamic and Giant in particular offer long runs that can be viewed from the lift, allowing you to imagine things like, 'I'll hit it like this in this spot, and then I'll aim for the remaining powder here.' You can even see inside the trees between Dynamic and Giant from the lift. Giant is an open run, so I like to make big turns. The upper part of Giant is a little flat, so I like to hop there and then make a big four-turn halfway up the slope. The Challenge run is also interesting, with undulating slopes at the entrance and on the left side halfway up the run, allowing you to make jumps. It's located right in front of the ski center building, so it attracts a lot of attention, making it a real 'challenge.' I recommend it for people who want to be the center of attention (laughs)."
"Also, Nakazato has mash here and there in the tree run area. It's not just big ones, there are lots of little ones too, which is interesting. It's perfect for people who want to try powder jumping. Even among other ski resorts with great tree run areas, I don't think there are many with this many mash."
"Nakazato is a slope that can be enjoyed by skiers of all levels, from beginners to advanced. I often come to Nakazato when it snows and I want to ski with a group of friends. My friends are all different types, from skiers to snowboarders, and not everyone likes to ski hard, so I can teach them on the Joyful Course and let them experience the joy of skiing in powder on a wide range of giant skis. I think the charm of Nakazato is that even members of different levels can have fun together."
At the base of the mountain, there is a kids' park, a snow play area, and a free rest area, providing a full range of facilities that families and groups will love. This is the perfect ski resort for children and university students making their debut on the slopes, or for first-time visitors to snowy regions.
However, there is more to this ski resort than just that. If you visit on a snowy day during the peak season, you will immediately understand its appeal.
Riders who skied this time
SKI: Miyata Kyohei (left)
is a unique rider who mainly skis in the Minamiuonuma and Yuzawa areas of Niigata Prefecture and is an advanced-level snowboarder.
SB: Seta Kazuma (right)
also skis in the Minamiuonuma and Yuzawa areas. He is not limited to ski resorts, but also frequents the backcountry and focuses on filming.
■Information
Yuzawa Nakazato Snow Resort
5044-1 Tsuchitaru, Yuzawa-machi, Minamiuonuma-gun, Niigata Prefecture 949-6103
Official website: https://www.yuzawa-nakazato.com/winter/
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