A glance at the trail map reveals a nice mix of terrain for different skill levels, with plenty of varied runs for beginners to get their teeth into. The mountain up from all three base stations offers an excellent platform for novices to thrive.
Head for Karasawa for near empty runs
The Karasawa Area is perhaps the quietest part of the mountain, offering up leisurely wide green trails back down to the bottom station as well as a straight-forward run linking over the crest of the hill and down towards Nagasaka Station.
Nagasaka links to great higher terrain
The Nagasaka zone features the wide and gentle Nagasaka course (no. 33) as well as a chairlift linking to the Kumata course (no. 39) and a descent down into the Hikage area. The Nagasaka Station is also the base station of the 3.5 km Nagasaka Gondola which climbs up to the Yamabiko Station at 1,407 m. The long, slow ascent is worth the wait for beginners as it provides access to the high-level Uenotaira area, perhaps the best part of the mountain for greenhorns. It boasts wide and mellow runs, with the Uenotaira course (no. 8) a particularly popular spot with beginners. We also found the Bunabayashi course (no. 15) to be a lot of fun with its tree-lined terrain and eye-catching views. This part of the mountain also tends to have better snow conditions than further down in the valley.
The Rinkan run is a must
The Hikage sub-area was our favourite part of the hill for beginners. A number of ski schools have their nursery areas here in the broad and mellow Hikage valley. The Hikage quad is an ideal dedicated lift serving the gentle Hikage A (no. 29) and Isemiya (no. 32) runs. Hikage Station is also the access point for the Hikage Gondola, which carries skiers up to the aptly named “Paradise” at the bottom of the Uenotaira runs. We can highly recommend the Rinkan run or “forest course” (no. 21) down from the top station – a 5 km long, winding groomer which sweeps down through the forests beyond the Challenge course. This was great fun and a good way for beginners to enjoy some unspoilt backcountry flavour.