Winter Sports In and Around Ibaraki

Carly Bode, International Affairs Division

It's not long now till winter will be upon us. What better way to survive the cold than to find a way to enjoy it! Skiing, snowboarding, skating, snow-shoeing, and snow tubing are just a few ideas you could try and here is where you can try them.

Inside Ibaraki

Ibaraki is not well known for its winter sports; in fact there are no natural ski slopes at all in our prefecture. But don't let that stop you; there are still a few not-so natural ways to enjoy the snow anytime of the year and get ready for a great winter.

Ryūgasaki Kamui Indoor Snow Board Park
カムイ竜ヶ崎スノーボードパーク
Open all year round, this indoor snow boarding center gives you the chance to hone your skills. Lessons are also available. There are 4 different slopes in the facility.
Address: 4-3-1 Matsugaoka, Ryūgasaki
Phone: 029 763 0003
Web: http://www.kamuisp.com/ryu/top.htm(external link)
Open daily from 11:00-23:00 (Sat open all night till 6:00)
Cost: 2000 yen for 2 hours, 3500 yen for all day
Rental: from 1500 yen a set

Aspire Man-made Ski Field
アスパイヤプラスノー人工
Located in Mito, not far from the Uchihara Shopping Center. You won't find any real snow here, but a type of plastic matting designed in Germany that allows you to ski or board down the hill like a normal ski field. You can come here any time of the year!
Golf, tennis and training gym facilities also available.
Address: 1805 Ariga-chō, Mito
Phone: 029 259 5211
Web: http://www.aspire-sp.co.jp/(external link)
Open daily from 9:00-21:00
Cost: from 1200 yen for 3 hours
Rental: from 2000 yen a set

Kasamatsu Park Ice Skating Rink
笠松運動公園アイススケート場
This rink is only open between September and March. Other times in the year it is apparently used as a swimming pool.
Address: 2197-28 Sawa, Hitachi-naka
Phone: 029-202-0808
Web: http://www.ibaraki-sports.or.jp/kasamatsu/01yuryou/0102.htm(external link)
Cost: 1200 yen per person
Rental: 350 yen per set

Well Sunpia Hitachi Indoor Ice Skating Rink
室内リンク茨城厚生年金健康福祉センターサンピア日立
This rink is only open between October and April. The facilities also include a pool, tennis courts, gym and onsen.
Address: 6-1 Minato-machi, Hitachi
Phone: 0294-53-8000
Web: http://www.kjp.or.jp/hp_62/(external link)
Open: 10:00-17:00 (Open from 13:00 on weekdays)
Cost: 800 yen per person
Rental: 300 yen per set

Outside Ibaraki

If fake snow is not your thing, then rest assured. Ibaraki is only a few hours drive from some of the best powder in Japan, in Tochgi and Fukushima prefectures.

There are many different resorts in both of these prefectures, but we have outlined only the larger ones that are easy to get to.

Anything on the Tōhoku Expressway is easy to get to from West/South Ibaraki using Sano Fujioka IC near Oyama.

Anything on the Banestu Expressway and Tōhoku IC's north of Koriyama (most Fukushima Resorts) are easy to get to from South/Central/North Ibaraki using the Jōban Expressway.

Tochigi

Hunter Mountain Shiohara
ハンターマウンテン塩原
Phone: 0287-32-4580
Web: http://www.hunter.co.jp/(external link)
Open: End of November to Mid April
Cost: from 3700 yen per day
Number of ski runs: 12
Access from Ibaraki: 29 kms from Nasuno-shiohara IC, Tōhoku Expressway
Free shuttle bus also available from JR Nasuno-shiohara and Tobu Kinugawa Onsen Stations

Mt Jeans Ski Resort Nasu
Mt.JEANSスキーリゾート那須
Phone: 0287-77-2300
Web: http://www.mtjeans.com/(external link)
Open: Early Dec to Early April
Cost: from 4300 yen per day
Number of ski runs: 10
Access from Ibaraki: 25 kms from Nasu IC, Tōhoku Expressway

Edelweiss Ski Resort
エーデルワイススキーリゾート
Phone: 0288-78-0786
Web: http://edelsnow.com/(external link)
Open: Mid Dec to Early April
Cost: From 3200 yen per day
Number of ski runs: 13
Access from Ibaraki: 60 mins from Imaichi IC, Nikkō Utsunomiya Toll Road
Free shuttle bus also available from Tobu Kinugawa Onsen Station

Fukushima

Grandee Hatoriko Ski Resort
グランディ羽鳥湖スキーリゾート
Phone: 0248-85-2024
Web: http://www.grandee.hatoriko.com/(external link)
Open: Mid Dec to Early April
Cost: From 4000 yen per day
Number of ski runs: 11
Access from Ibaraki: 25 kms from Shiokawa IC, Tōhoku Expressway
Shuttle bus also available from JR Shiokawa Station (1000 yen, 1 hour)

Adatara Kogen
あだたら高原
Phone: 0243-24-2141
Web: http://naf.co.jp/adataraski/(external link)
Open: Early Dec to Early April
Cost: From 3400 yen per day
Number of ski runs: 8
Access from Ibaraki: 10 kms from Nipponmatsu IC, Tōhoku Expressway

Alts Bandai
アルツ磐梯
Phone: 0242-74-5000
Web: http://www.alts.co.jp/(external link)
Open: Mid Dec to Early April
Cost: From 3800 yen per day
Number of ski runs: 29
Access from Ibaraki: 10 mins from Bandai Kawahigashi Interchange, Banestu Expressway
Free shuttle bus also available from JR Inawashiro Station

Minowa Ski Fields
箕輪スキー場
Phone: 0242-64-3377
Web: http://www.minowa.info/ski/(external link)
Open: Late Nov to Mid April
Cost: From 3000 yen per day
Number of ski runs: 11
Access from Ibaraki: 25 km from Inawashiro Bandai Kogen IC, Banestu Expressway
Free shuttle bus also available from JR Fukushima Station

Inawashiro
猪苗代
Phone: 0242-62-3800
Web: http://www.inawashiro-ski.jp/(external link)
Open: Mid Dec to Early April
Cost: From 3900 per day
Number of ski runs: 16
Access from Ibaraki: 5 km from Inawashiro Bandai Kogen IC, Banestu Expressway
Free shuttle bus also available from JR Inawashiro Station

Inawashiro Resort
猪苗代リゾート
Phone: 0242-65-2131
Web: http://www.inawashiroresort.co.jp/(external link)
Open: Mid Dec to Late March
Cost: From 2500 yen
Number of ski runs: 9
Access from Ibaraki: 8 km from Inawashiro Bandai Kogen IC, Banestu Expressway

Aizu Kogen Takatsue
会津高原たかつえ
Phone: 0241-78-2220
Web: http://www.takatsue.jp/(external link)
Open: Early Dec to Early April
Cost: From 4200 yen per day
Number of ski runs: 14
Access from Ibaraki: 40 kms from Nasuno-shiohara IC, Tōhoku Expressway