Matsushiro Family Ski Resort, located in Matsushiro, Tokamachi City, Niigata Prefecture, is a Tokamachi City-run ski resort that opened in 1991. It is located in the mountains along National Route 253, which connects Tokamachi City and Joetsu City, and access from outside the prefecture is not particularly good. However, for locals, it is cherished as a place to try skiing for the first time and a place for office workers to relax after 5pm
Our proud main course is more satisfying than it looks
Matsushiro Family Ski Resort is compact, with an elevation of 185m-380m, a longest run of 800m, and a maximum slope of 24 degrees, but it is suitable for a wide range of skiers from beginners to intermediates
Of the two lifts, one that goes up to the top of the mountain only operates on holidays, and normally only the other lift that goes from the base of the slope is in operation
If you take the first lift from the base, you can ski down three runs. One is a detour run for beginners, one is a beginner/intermediate run with banks on both sides, and there is a wide, perfectly groomed intermediate/night slope that is extremely popular with intermediate and advanced skiers.
The second lift takes you up to the summit slope, which has ungroomed snow and is perfect for enjoying powder.
Once you ski down this intermediate/night slope, you'll understand that Matsushiro Family Ski Resort is a "good ski resort." It's a wide, flat, single run that allows for easy, large turns and little change in the terrain. The slope is just right, and the distance is neither too long nor too short. In short, it's perfect for practice
The slopes are often filled with skiers and snowboarders aiming to take part in competitions or certification exams, and
the compact design allows for constant practice.
A man passionate about Matsushiro Family Ski Resort
Miyazawa Hideshi has been working at this ski resort for the past 10 years, and is helping to make it a locally-focused ski resort
. After working at Joetsu Tourism Development Co., Ltd. Iwahara Ski Resort for a year on trial, he decided that working at a ski resort was not for him and quit his job. While he was starting his own business, such as a SUP and snowboarding school, he was approached again by his former boss at Joetsu Tourism Development Co., Ltd., and has been working as the manager of Matsushiro Family Ski Resort since he was 32 years old.
As the manager, Miyazawa has been focusing on creating an environment that families with children can enjoy.
The ski resort's center house has a sweets corner and a kids' space so that children can enjoy themselves even when they're not skiing.
"Ski resort facilities place a high priority on turnover, so I think it can be difficult for people with children to relax. However, we want even these customers to be able to relax in peace, so we've installed a raised tatami area, children's books, interior decorations for children, a drink bar and snacks. This not only serves as a place for children to relax, but also for parents who want to let their children play without worry, and it also serves as a place to exchange information. Even if there is an age difference between siblings, dad can enjoy the slopes with the older child, while the younger child can relax in the restaurant with mom, making it the perfect place for a weekend family outing."
Miyazawa himself was an alpine snowboarder until this season. He also rides snow groomers. Being a top snowboarder himself, he knows what kind of ski resorts are fun and what kind of slopes are comfortable
"Since I became the resort manager, I've implemented a lot of bold measures, such as launching unique advertisements, providing child-friendly services, grooming the entire resort for night skiing, and building banked courses. The reason behind this is that a foreign snowboarder once said in a video that Japanese snowboarders don't take risks. That made me really angry...I'm not actually going on adventures myself, but I started to want to run a ski resort that's exciting, like an adventure, rather than a small, compact one."
The real highlight is night games
The reason why Matsushiro Family Ski Resort is loved not only by families but also by hardcore skiers is its night skiing
This intermediate and night slope is re-groomed before night skiing. The ski resort is open from 8:30 to 16:45 during the day, with a one-hour re-grooming period before night skiing from 18:00 to 20:45. The
well-groomed night skiing is exhilarating and is an experience that is hard to find at other ski resorts, so it attracts many intermediate and advanced skiers. This re-grooming before night skiing used to only involve half of the course being re-groomed for students to practice poles, but since Miyazawa became the ski resort manager, the resort has decided to fully groom the intermediate and night slopes.
"In the old days, snow groomers had to be warmed up before use and were slow. But as the performance of snow groomers improved, it became possible to drive them on the entire surface, so we decided to groom the entire surface, since there was no difference between making one trip and two trips.
From then on, word of mouth spread about the appeal of night skiing, and more and more customers started coming. Now it has become a place for office workers to relax after work."
Just as he said, when night skiing began, cars started to enter the parking lot one after the other. Some were single, others were families. Mr. Gyoda, a local resident who visits five times a week for night skiing, gives his stamp of approval that this ski resort is great for both skiing and snowboarding
The slopes are dotted with jibs, parks, and waves, and are frequented by many young skiers and snowboarders. I spoke to Mr. Yanagi, a local junior high school student, and asked him if I could take some photos of the park
This compact ski resort is visited by people of all ages, and night skiing is a daily occurrence for local residents
There's even a surf-skate ramp in the ski center garage
Miyazawa's enthusiasm wasn't limited to the slopes, as he used the empty space in the ski center to set up a surf skate ramp, which was rare even in Japan at the time
"The surf skate ramp was built for free by a local construction company I know. It took a lot of trial and error, so we actually rebuilt it three times, all for free (laughs). We've had a lot of help from local people. We decided to build it because we wanted people to be able to enjoy it all day after they've finished skiing down the slopes. This ski resort is on the way to the Sea of Japan, so surfers can stop by on their way back from riding the waves."
Miyazawa-san is putting effort into various initiatives despite being a small ski resort. What is his driving force behind this?
"When we managed to keep the ski resort open during the COVID-19 pandemic, customers would say to us, 'Thank you for opening the ski resort despite the circumstances.' Of course, it's work, so it's only natural... But that made me very happy, and it made me want to keep going even though the situation was tough.
We patrol and lift staff work hard for our customers, and our customers sense that and come in large numbers. That makes me happy."
Miyazawa has also announced his retirement from snowboarding technical championships this season. He says that now that he's retired from competition, he's able to relax and enjoy snowboarding even more
"Until now, I've been working as a competitor and ski resort manager, and I've forgotten how to simply enjoy snowboarding. This year, I've been trying out backcountry skiing, trying out snowboards I've never used before, and being a snowboarder again, enjoying all kinds of different types of skiing, and now I'm having the most fun. I'll continue to make the ski resort even more exciting so that people can enjoy this fun, so please come and visit."
Featured on local TV, gaining even more popularity
Matsushiro Family Ski Resort has been featured on Niigata Prefecture television, and is becoming even more popular.
Check out the video below to hear the honest opinions of local residents who love this ski resort.
The Matsushiro Family Ski Resort office is located right next to the dining hall and rest area used by customers, and the door is always open. Customers can see what's going on at any time, and customers can see the hard work of the staff. I felt that the close relationship between customers and staff is what makes this ski resort so beloved
Photo/Daigo Onozuka
[Information]
Matsushiro Family Ski Resort
5265 Matsushiro, Tokamachi City, Niigata Prefecture,
942-1526 TEL/FAX: 025-597-3330
Official website: https://ski.matsudai.jp/