"Actually, if you hit it, it's a great local slope" may be referring to Yuzawa Nakazato. Yuzawa Nakazato has a lot of heavy snow and a fascinating slope that makes you think so. Local riders Kyohei Miyata and Kazuma Seta talked about the charm of such a local slope.
First, let's take a look at the video edit of the two days they skied.
Get to know Yuzawa Nakazato and get an overview of the non-compacted snow/tree run area
40% of the slopes are beginner slopes, and Yuzawa Nakazato has a wide range of courses with good visibility. It is a ski resort that is friendly to families and people who are making their first ski slopes, but in recent years it has also been focusing on non-compressed snow areas and tree run areas. Yuzawa Nakazato is worthy of the name "snow country", and in the high season it snows so heavily that it can fall up to your waist in one night.
Yuzawa Nakazato consists of two mountains, and the mountain on the right side of the map is a completely uncompacted snow/tree run area, except for one beginner course.
5 non-groomed courses are Dynamic Giant Challenge Extreme Training. Each course has an average slope of over 20 degrees. Challenge Barn has a maximum slope of 32 degrees, and Dynamic and Giant slopes are steep slopes with a length of about 600m for advanced users. The tree run area has a wide area where you can ski except under the railroad tracks and some dangerous places.
Nakazato's greatest feature is his high rotation rate, which allows him to turn around such a fulfilling sliding area with the first quad lift and always return to the base area no matter where he slides. With just one lift, you can access five uncompacted snow courses and multiple tree-run areas. Although Japan is known as a powder paradise, it should not be the case at other ski resorts.
In this way, Nakazato has plenty of elements that powder lovers can't resist.
In recent years, there have been some people who wear thick boards and wait for the lifts in the morning, but they are still known to those in the know. If you want to aim for powder comfortably, please visit. However, with so many choices, it can be hard to decide where and how to ski at first glance. So we asked two local riders about the appeal of Nakazato's powder and their recommended lines.
Yuzawa Nakazato on a day when it snowed, as told by riders
In the case of snowboarder Kazuma Seta
“Nakazato is not high in altitude, but it is located in the mountains of Yuzawa, so there is a lot of snow and the snow is light
. However, Yuzawa Nakazato is interesting because it allows you to go fast.The Giant Course is the longest of the non-compacted snow slopes, so I like it the most.This slope is my favorite. (laughs).The left side of the dynamic course has terrain, so you can jump and slide while sliding.Also, the upper part of the challenge burn feels like I wonder if it has the steepest slope, but it would be great if it snowed here too.If you pick up speed from the path-like course to access the Challenge Barn, you can even jump in.”
“I go with the local snowboarders on a day when there is no doubt that if it snows in Nakazato. It's a day when you keep swinging and reset (laughs).Because
there are many steep slopes, snowboarding is a little difficult to slip when it gets bumpy.Therefore, the best timing for Nakazato is when the track is full.This time, the shooting was done
. The wind was blowing at the right time, but in the case of Nakazato, the slopes are facing in various directions from north to west. The slopes are covered with snow, so there's never a shortage of powder."
“From the foot of the mountain, the flow of the day begins with Dynamic, Giant, and Challenge on the right side. You don't open the course all at once, but you open the course one after another from the right side of the slope.That's why you can enjoy the powder slowly and surely, so you can rest assured."
“In the case of uncompacted snow, you can ski through these three courses and then ski down the tree run area. The
Nakazato tree run area has some slopes, but the trees are well spaced and the turns are easy, making it interesting for snowboarders. The reason why it's so slippery is that the twigs that can be an obstacle to skiing are sorted out so that you can ski safely.Because we go to Nakazato on a snowy day, there are times when visibility is poor. However, if you are in the trees, visibility is limited and it is easy to slip, so it is recommended that you leave the uncompacted snow slope early and enjoy a tree run.”
In the case of skier Kyohei Miyata
“I get my feet warmed up on the Joyful Course first thing in the morning. I don’t get into the powder fast track race, so I start slowly (laughs)
. Since it opens up to the outside, even if you don't aim for the fast track of the dynamic course or the giant course, you don't have to rush because you can ski on the no track somewhere."
“Each uncompacted snow course has its own topography and characteristics, and it is interesting, but the Dynamic and Giant courses in particular have long runs and you can see them from the top of the lift. You can see the tree between the dynamic and the giant from the top of the lift. Giant is an open barn, so I like to ski in big turns. Above the giant. The part is a little flat, so it feels like a big turn 4 in the middle of the slope.The challenge course is also interesting because there are ups and downs at the entrance of the course and on the left side of the slope, so you can jump.Ski Center It's right in front of the building and attracts a lot of attention, so it's a real challenge.
“Also, Nakazato has a lot of mash here and there in the tree run area. It's not just big ones, but it's interesting that there are small ones scattered around. It's perfect for people who want to try powder jumping. I don't think there are many other ski resorts that have this many mashes, even among other ski resorts with extensive areas."
“Nakazato is a slope that can be enjoyed by both advanced and beginner skiers. I often come to Nakazato when it snows and go skiing with a group of friends. I think Nakazato's charm is that even members of different levels can enjoy skating while skating while teaching them in the Joyful course, and having them experience the fun of skating powder with a wide range of giants. "
At the foot of the mountain, there is a children's park, a playground in the snow, and a free rest area.
It is the perfect ski resort for children and university students who are making their debut on the slopes, and for first-time snow country users. But that's not all there is to the depth of this ski resort. If you visit on a snowy day during the high season, you will immediately understand its charm.
The rider who slipped this time
SKI: Kyohei Miyata (left)
A unique rider who skis mainly in the Yuzawa area of Minami Uonuma, Niigata Prefecture, and is not only skiing but also snowboarding at an advanced level.
SB: Kazuma Seta (right)
also skis in the Minamiuonuma/Yuzawa area. In addition to ski resorts, he frequently goes to the backcountry and is mainly active in filming.
■Information
Yuzawa Nakazato Snow Resort
〒949-6103 5044-1 Tsuchidaru, Yuzawa-cho, Minamiuonuma-gun, Niigata Prefecture
Official website: https://www.yuzawa-nakazato.com/winter/
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