Although it may not have vast slopes or the latest facilities, it has a special charm that is not found in famous resorts. In the "Famous Ski Resorts Known Only to Those in the Know" project, we visit such ski resorts, ski to our heart's content, interact with the local people, and share what we learn and feel. The first in the series is the municipal "Budou Ski Resort" in Budou, Murakami City, Niigata Prefecture
I visited to record the heroic figure
The municipal Budou Ski Resort in Budou, Murakami City, Niigata Prefecture (formerly Asahi Village), will close at the end of this season. It opened in 1988 as a village-run ski resort in the former Asahi Village. The closure is said to be due to a decline in users, aging lifts, and difficulty in securing staff, but I've heard that many locals are sad to see it close. Listening to their voices, I visited the resort on February 12, 2025, to record the heroic figure of this famous ski resort, known only to those in the know
The author had often seen signs for the ski resort while heading to Mount Chokai or Mount Gassan for spring skiing, but it was always closed and he had never skied there. When he read in the newspaper that Budou Ski Resort would be closing on March 9th of this year after 37 years of history, he hurried over to ski there
Located 30 minutes by car from Murakami city and about 1 hour and 20 minutes from Niigata city, this resort is located in the northernmost part of Niigata prefecture. Just 25km from the Yamagata border, a towering snow wall rises beside National Route 7. Murakami City Budou Ski Resort is a ski resort with a lift suspended over a ridge branching off east from Mount Budou, 795m above sea level. National Route 7 runs through the village, and behind it are terraced rice fields. This ski resort blends seamlessly into the Japanese countryside
As I was changing from my rain boots into boots in the parking lot, I noticed an elderly woman shoveling snow next door. "It's so lively, even though it's a weekday," I said to her, and she continued happily,
"This is the last year, but it's so lively. My son is turning 50, and he used to work here as a part-timer when he was in high school. It's going to be lonely from next year."
After taking two lifts, you'll reach the top of the slope with an elevation difference of 500m. Although it's compact, it's said to be a challenging slope even for advanced skiers. The maximum slope is said to be 30°, but when you ski down it, it feels even steeper. There is also an ungroomed run below the second lift
During the seven days of the 2012-2013 season, 1,800 people visited the park, one-third of the total number of visitors from last season. Some people may have come because it was the last time or to commemorate the occasion, but with the first snowy season since the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, perhaps this is how grapes should be
Young immigrants supporting the ski resort
Lift attendants, patrolmen, rental receptionists... While everyone else is older, one young immigrant is supporting the ski resort. His name is Tatsuya Iiyama, a patrolman. He is 34 years old and was born in 1991, three years after Budou Ski Resort opened. Originally from Odawara City, Kanagawa Prefecture, he had lived a life unrelated to snow until then. When he kayaked around Japan, he fell in love with the Sasagawa Nagare coastline and decided to move here in 2022
"I started a sweet potato shop in the winter of the year I moved here. I use Toyosaka's brand of sweet potato, 'Silky Sweet Potato,' and cook it slowly for two hours at 170 degrees over charcoal in a clay pipe. I bought a season pass and started selling them in the parking lot of the ski resort while skiing, and they gained a reputation for being delicious. Then one day, they asked me to patrol the area because they were short-staffed. This year marks my third season as a patrol."
In between his work, Mr. Iiyama gave me a tour of the facility
After taking two lifts, we reached the top of the slope at an elevation of 650m, with an elevation difference of 500m, and were rewarded with a panoramic view of the famous peaks of Niigata and Yamagata. From the north, there are Mt. Chokai, Mt. Gassan, the Asahi Mountain Range, and the Iide Mountain Range. It's rare to get a chance to see these famous peaks from the Sea of Japan side. If you're a mountain lover, it's worth coming here just to enjoy this view
Looking out over the snow-capped mountains, Iiyama spoke,
"Most of the people who work here are reaching retirement age. So, while losing our jobs is not such a big deal, we are extremely sad that the culture of skiing will die out."
I slide down the steep slope with a beautifully piste-lined surface. With Iide and Asahi in my sight, the edges of my skis dig into the moist snow and I can glide along without any stress. Okay, one more! The dynamic slope that leads straight to the Budou village is what makes Budou so special
A group of about eight people ski down the slope below the lift, one by one, then regroup, chat, and ski again. They are local skiers who have skied more days than patrolman Iiyama.
"There are people who gather here every day to ski. In this snowy country where we are cut off by snow, skiing is their purpose in life."
It's hard to believe Iiyama has only been skiing for four years, having achieved a Level 2 SAJ Ski Certification. His athleticism and studious nature have led to rapid progress that astonishes those around him. On his days off, he even leaves his wife and one-year-old child behind to ski at ski resorts outside of the prefecture.
"I never went to ski school. There's always someone here watching over me, telling me how to do things better. I was raised by everyone. My goal has always been to surpass those seniors, but..."
When asked if he plans to reopen his sweet potato shop next year, he gave a surprising answer.
"I want to improve my skiing, so I'm thinking of moving with my family to work at a ski resort where I can patrol. I never thought I'd become so addicted to skiing."
Incidentally, his wife is a true skier, born and raised at the foot of a certain ski resort in Hokkaido. Skiing has significantly changed Iiyama's life over the past four years.
The mainstay of the company for 37 years
When talking about the 37 years of Budou Ski Resort, there is one person who is indispensable. Toshio Otaki, the head of the snow grooming team, has been working on the steep slopes that Budou is famous for for 37 years. He is 66 years old and works around 70 days a year without a break during the season. He is such a pillar of Budou that it is said that the ski resort's survival would be in jeopardy without him
With a gentle smile, Otaki explained the snow grooming process.
"Because we're close to the ocean and at a low altitude, the snow quality changes constantly. When the snow loosens or snow falls after rain, the snow groomer can't climb the steep slopes. On those days, we take a detour up the mountain and groom the snow as we descend. This takes more than twice as long as usual. That's why we're constantly monitoring the snow quality and planning the time and method of grooming every day."
Thanks to Otaki's attentiveness, there hasn't been a single day in which the snow groomer wasn't ready in time for opening. Otaki said that there have been times when the groomer couldn't make it down the mountain in time, so they left it on the summit and started operations.
Otaki's winter routine is as follows: 4 p.m., after the lifts close and the patrol gives the OK, the snow groomer is set on the road. After the snow surface is damaged, the groomer is quickly groomed while it's still soft. Identifying any irregularities to make it even. Narrow trails have a tendency to buckle in the middle, so the sides are smoothed out to make it even.
If there is no snowfall during the night, they are open for business the following morning. If there is even a small amount of snowfall, they start the engine of the snow groomer parked just a few minutes' walk from their front door at 4am and warm it up. If the two-man, two-vehicle operation goes smoothly, the snow grooming work will be finished just after 7am. They will be on the snow groomer for two and a half to three hours. After that, if there are not enough lift attendants, they may have to stand at the lift station. They are hard workers
"The temperature differs by two or three degrees at the bottom and top of the ski resort. Sometimes it's raining at the bottom and snowing at the top."
Otaki, who lives next to the slopes and knows the local nature well, was born and raised in Budou Village. He is a bear hunter and a rice farmer. He knows the snow and wind of the Yamakita region from a firsthand perspective. Budou Ski Resort has no regular closing days, and does not take a New Year's holiday either. There are only two people in charge of grooming the snow, including Otaki, so they cannot take a break. When I asked him, "Wouldn't it be less exciting if the ski resort went out of business?" he replied as follows.
"It's a good thing he's gone. He'd gotten older and his instincts had dulled,"
says Iiyama, a patrolman who is keenly aware of the condition of the piste, and is aware of Otaki's meticulous attention to detail and hard work.
"Without Toshio, this ski resort wouldn't exist in many ways. He's a true professional."
However, on days when the snow quality is poor, there are complaints about the snow being packed down
"Well, I want to say, 'Bring me someone who can groom snow better than this!' (laughs)"
Otaki himself has been a ski enthusiast since the ski resort opened, but he says he hasn't been on the slopes for about 10 years
"If I get injured, we won't be able to open."
Thoughts on the ski resort
I also met an older man skier who was born here, learned to ski, and has lived in Kami-Chuetsu, including Tokamachi, for work. He is a self-deprecating ski fanatic who says, "I love powder and moguls." Even though Tokamachi and Uonuma have plenty of snow and plenty of ski resorts to choose from, he would go out of his way to visit Budou Ski Resort on his days off, which doubles as a visit back home
"The appeal of Budou is undoubtedly its steep slopes. There aren't many ski resorts that offer such a challenging experience from top to bottom. When the snow is falling heavily, there's no competition, so you can enjoy all the powder you want. Even when I have the resort all to myself, the two lifts are running at full capacity. It's great, but they could have made any number of attempts to cut costs, such as operating only one lift on weekdays or only on weekends."
Some people pointed out that the problem lies with the local government, which has not set aside funds to repair the lifts with a long-term perspective. Additionally, some said that the pressure on finances from the recovery costs following the heavy rains in August 2010 was also a factor. Local elementary school students only have ski lessons once a year. Despite having such a magnificent ski resort, they only have one lesson. There is no ski school or children's club team. Some also said that the lack of education and events to root and nurture skiing as a culture has not helped to sustain the ski resort
In any case, the decision has been made to close Budou Ski Resort
However, everyone here was searching for hope, wondering if they could somehow survive in a different form, and not a single person could imagine a winter with the lifts stopped
Information
Murakami City Budo Ski Resort
338-1 Budo, Murakami City, Niigata Prefecture
Official website: http://www.city.murakami.niigata.jp/asahi/budoh/index.html
Photo by Daigo Onozuka