Hoshino Resorts Nekoma Mountain. The long-awaited connected lift “Nyarutsu Chair” has been unveiled!

For the 2023-24 season, Hoshino Resorts Nekoma Mountain is a combination of two ski resorts, the former Alts Bandai and the former Nekoma Ski Resort. Along with this big news, they also announced the existence of a connecting lift that will connect these two ski resorts.

On December 22nd, the long-awaited opening ceremony for the lift was held.

Let us show you how it goes and how the lift actually feels. We also asked Yoshiji Hoshino, the representative of Hoshino Resorts and a huge ski enthusiast who skis more than 60 days a year, to comment.

Connects the north and south areas. Its name is “Nyarutsu Chair”

The connected lift began operating from 9:00 a.m. on Friday, December 22, 2023. Until now, the only way to access the former Alts Bandai (currently the south area) and the former Nekoma Ski Resort (currently the north area) from the slopes was by walking on the snow, carrying skis or snowboards and walking through the beech forest.

The idea of ​​connecting the lifts has been in the works since 2003, when Hoshino Resorts took over the management of the two ski resorts, but they faced various problems when constructing the lifts. Although plans were slow to progress, we finally got around to starting construction, and the connected lift was realized.

Since it was a new lift, the ski resort decided to put out a call for names for the lift. We solicited lift names from a wide range of people, hoping to create a lift that would be loved by customers. The name was unveiled at a local ceremony during the first operation.

The Nyarutsu Chair was chosen from among 1,300 applicants.

It's a very cute name that seems to be a fusion of the place name ``Nekoma'' and the long-loved ``Artz,'' which is no longer part of the ski resort name. It is said that 6 people received the same name ``Nyarutsu''.

How to access “Nyarutsu Chair”

Nyarutsu Chair is a 750 meter pair lift. You can ride in both directions, from the north area to the south area, and from the south area to the north area. The journey takes approximately 7 minutes. The shortest route from the base in the north area is to ride the ``Friendly Cat Chair'' and then transfer to the ``Excite Cat Chair.'' Once you get off the train, there is a boarding area for the connected lift ``Nyarutsu Chair''.

On the other hand, in the south area, you can transfer from the base to ``Alz Express'' and ``Black Valley Express'', and then pass through ``Peak 4'', with a boarding and disembarkation stop just before ``Peak 2''.

In the north area, you can reach ``Nyarutsu Chair'' with almost no skiing from the base, and in the south area, if you choose the ``White Valley 3'' or ``Peak 4'' courses, you can access it even if you only take the beginner's course. Even if you're not confident in your skiing skills, you can freely move around the vast Nekoma Mountain, which has a total of 13 lifts and 33 courses.

An exciting first run. Who rode it for the first time?

After the name Nyarutsu Chair was announced, the lift connecting the two ski resorts began operating for the first time. The person who boarded from the north area was Yoshiji Hoshino, the representative of Hoshino Resorts, which operates Nekoma Hisano Mountain, and is himself a skilled skier. The general guests who followed were local snowboarders who were season pass holders, and the first guests from the southern area were skiers.

During the ride, you will travel through a quiet forest. From the north area, the ``Nyarutsu Chair'' goes down a fairly steep slope as you enter the south area, and it feels like a roller coaster, but you can see the spectacular view of Lake Inawashiro and Aizuwakamatsu stretching out in front of you. Guests who took the ride for the first time cheered at how beautiful the scenery was.

On the other hand, if you board from the south area, you can see Lake Hibara spreading out to the north area. Both lifts offer spectacular views when the weather permits. I would like to experience this by riding from both the north and the south.

“We finally connected, but we finally got to the starting point.”

Mr. Yoshiji Hoshino, the representative of Hoshino Resorts, has been managing the former Alts Bandai and Nekoma ski resorts since 2003, recognizing that this area has an unrivaled charm. The concept of a connecting lift has been in the works since then, and it seems likely that it will not only connect the two ski resorts, but also play an important role in revitalizing the north and south, Urabandai and Aizuwakamatsu regions.

Mr. Hoshino commented, ``It's finally connected, but I'm finally at the starting point.'' He said he couldn't start running unless the lift connected, and now that it's connected, he feels like he can move forward in the true sense of the word. Hoshino continued:

“I have been involved in the revitalization of this region since 2003, but the Great East Japan Earthquake and the nuclear power plant accident caused us to fall into the red, and we had to restart from less than zero. We no longer received support from investors from around the world, but we were able to break free. So, we decided to try our best to manage a sustainable resort.If we continue to spread the word about the appeal of this area, which is comparable to Hokkaido and Hakuba, someday we will... I believe that we will reach our goal.”

Under the motto "For all the snow idiots," we will continue to hold many events and other initiatives this season. Due to its uniqueness, there are many repeat visitors who visit every year.

Because it is such a beloved ski resort, we have decided to open a call for applications for a connected lift. According to Hoshino, ``I also came up with some ideas for lift names, but the staff rejected them because they were too ordinary (lol).''

When I first heard the lift name "Nyarutsu", I thought it was a joke. Mr. Hoshino thought so, but he was impressed by the staff's attitude and commitment to ``valuing the current customers.''

4 ways to enjoy using the ``Nyarutsu Chair'' written by Mr. Hoshino

Mr. Hoshino directly taught us how to enjoy the connected Nekoma Mountains and the ``Nyarutsu Chair.''

Part 1: Deliberately use the snow walking route that remained even after the connected lift was operated

This snow walking route was previously used to travel between the north and south areas. In fact, it will remain as it is even after the ``Nyarutsu Chair'' operation, and both areas can be accessed on foot.

Part 2: The number of beds is overwhelmingly large! The charm of staying in Urabandai

Although it can be accessed on a day trip from the Tokyo metropolitan area, one day is a waste to fully enjoy the vast, big slopes. In particular, the northern area of ​​Urabandai has more lodging facilities than the southern area, and you can choose from luxury resort hotels to reasonable guesthouses to suit your tastes.

Thanks to the connecting lift, it is now easier to go back and forth between the north and south areas, and you can now play in the entire area instead of just in one or the other. You can stay overnight in Urabandai and explore the northern and southern areas, or you can sightsee the castle town of Aizuwakamatsu and enjoy authentic Kitakata ramen. The fun will be multiplied many times over.

Part 3: You can enjoy the whole day on the mountain without having to go down to the base.

This season, we opened the ski slope restaurant "The Rider's" near "Nyarutsu Chair" on the south side. The menu has been expanded so that you can enjoy it without having to go down to the base every time you take a lunch or break. It's also great for serious skiers who want to play on a course near the mountaintop all day long.

Part 4: Nekoma Mountain lift tickets are actually cost-effective

Recently, the price of lift tickets at ski resorts all over the country continues to rise for various reasons. Seeing this situation, Hoshino decided to stop raising lift ticket prices. At Nekoma's Mountain, there are many guests from overseas such as Thailand and Australia. Many of the inbound tourists who come to skate are those who want to stay and skate for a long time.

Therefore, if you raise the price of lift tickets, even if they are cheaper than resorts overseas, people will hesitate to accept the higher price of lift tickets. Above all, we must not forget Japan's skiers and snowboarders. "We value the fans who come now," said Hoshino and other local staff members.

This season's one-day lift ticket for Nekoma Mountain is 5,500 yen (adult price). Considering the size of the ski resort, the pricing is very reasonable. There is a grooming barn, a powder area, a park with a wide variety of items, a full range of facilities, and a spectacular view. One of its attractive features is its excellent cost performance.

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Information

Hoshino Resorts Nekoma Mountain
6838-68 Kiyohiro, Oaza Sarashina, Bandai-cho, Yama-gun,
Fukushima 969-3396 (south area) 1163 Nekomayama, Hibara, Kitashiobara-mura, Yama-gun, 969-2701 (north area)

Official website: https://www.nekoma.co.jp/
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