Ishiuchi Maruyama is a popular resort located in Minamiuonuma city, just to the north of the central area of Yuzawa town. It has been operating since 1949. This resort is connected with the Northern Area of GALA Yuzawa resort in Yuzawa town at the top of the mountain, which in turn is also connected with Yuzawa Kogen. A joint lift ticket that covers the three resorts is available in the peak season. There are three base areas to Ishiuchi Maruyama - the Hatsukaishi Entrance (just off Route 17 and just outside Yuzawa town), the main Chuo Entrance and the Kanko Entrance. Nighta at Ishiuchi Maruyama is popular.
Last season (2018-2019), Ishiuchi Maruyama unveiled three brand new major facilities. Close to the Chuo Entrance base was a brand new Resort Center building that includes the various facilities you might expect at the ski resort base (changing rooms, rental, shop, rest area, etc). The new ‘Sunrise Express’ lift that goes up to the central area of Ishiuchi Maruyama combines 10 people Gondola cabins for and ski lifts that seat 6 people... all on the same cable line. This new lift features brand new specs that promise a very comfortable and quiet ride experience. Luxurious too - heated gondola cabins and heated ski lift seats! If that wasn’t enough, there was also a new triple lift called ‘Tyrol’ in the central area. Impressive! (To make way for the new Gondola lift, the Chuo Number 1 quad lift and central triple lifts were removed).
Minamiuonuma city and neighbouring Yuzawa town - located just over 200km to the north north-west of the Tokyo region in Niigata Prefecture - are together home to over 20 individual ski and snowboard resorts, including some of the most well-known ski resorts in Japan. With easy and quick access by both train and road and a wide choice in a relatively compact area, this region is one of the most popular ski destinations in Japan. The region usually enjoys very heavy and consistent snowfall each winter and with Yuzawa town also being the inspiration and setting of the famous Nobel prize-winning novel Yukiguni (Snow Country), it can certainly lay claim to being the original 'Snow Country'.
Niigata Prefecture is located in the central region of Honshu to the north of Tokyo and has a 250km long coastline facing the Sea of Japan. Convenient transportation links make Niigata very easy to get to from Tokyo and other surrounding regions. Most of the larger ski and snowboard resorts in Niigata Prefecture are concentrated in the southern regions around Yuzawa town, Minamiuonuma city and Myoko city.
Ski and snowboard lessons are available at Ishiuchi Maruyama. There are a number of independent ski and snowboard schools that cover the Yuzawa area and offer lessons in English - please check the Lessons in English section for current listings on SnowJapan.
Equipment Rental
Ski Rental:
Available
Snowboard Rental:
Available
Ski and snowboard equipment rental is available. Ski and snowboard wear rental is also available.
Children's facilities
The 'Snow Land' area is located close to the top Gondola Station and open from 10:00am until 4:00pm from late December until late March. A Free Pass for the area is 1,000 yen. Special return tickets for the new 'Sunrise Express' Gondola lift are available for non-skiers: 1,500 yen adults; 1,000 yen children.
There is also a 'Kodomo Hiroba' play area for children close to the Kanko Entrance base area and a 'Chibikko' area close to the Hatsukaishi Entrance base.
Park information
There are a number of park areas at Ishiuchi Maruyama - the 'Main Park' and the 'Beginner Park'.
The 'Gungho Monster Pipe' (actually operated by Minamiuonuma city rather than the ski resort itself) is located in the central area of the resort. Specs: 6.7m high, 22m wide, 170 long! Charges apply.
Ishiuchi Maruyama Season & Opening Times
Typical season is from Mid December until Early April
October
November
December
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
Daytime
Weekends and holidays
Normally open from 8:30am until 5:00pm
Weekdays
Normally open from 8:30am until 5:00pm
'Nighta' (night skiing)
Weekends and holidays
Yes
Weekdays
Yes
Opening information
Ishiuchi Maruyama is open from 8:30am until 5:00pm every day in the daytime.
Nighta is scheduled for every day during the period Saturday 28th December 2019 until Saturday 21st March 2020, and is open until 8:30pm. (Note that nighta in the Kanko and Hatsukaishi areas is only on nights before holidays and over New Year).
* Only access via the Chuo Entrance on 14th-20th December 2019 and 30th March 2020 until 12th April.
Ishiuchi Maruyama Lift Ticket Charges
Adults
Child
Elementary School age
Senior
60 years & over
1 Day (8:30am-5pm)
5,100 yen
3,400 yen
4,400 yen
2 Days
9,000 yen
5,900 yen
7,600 yen
3 Days
12,600 yen
8,100 yen
10,600 yen
4 Days
16,200 yen
10,300 yen
13,600 yen
5 Days
19,800 yen
12,500 yen
16,600 yen
6 Days
23,400 yen
14,700 yen
19,600 yen
7 Days
27,000 yen
16,900 yen
22,600 yen
Half Day
4,400 yen
2,800 yen
3,800 yen
PM + Nighta (12pm-8:30pm)
5,100 yen
3,400 yen
4,400 yen
Nighta (4pm-8:30pm)
2,300 yen
Sunrise Express return
1,500 yen
1,000 yen
1,500 yen
Season Ticket
45,000 yen
36,000 yen
41,000 yen
2019-2020 Season lift tickets
The 2 Day ticket is valid for nighta on the first night and until 5:00pm on the second day. The 3 Day ticket is valid for nighta on the first and second nights and until 5:00pm on the third day...
A Family Ticket is available: * 1 adult + 1 child: 7,200 yen * Additional adult: add 4,300 yen * Additional child: add 2,900 yen
A ticket that includes lunch is 5,400 yen.
Cheaper tickets are available for early and spring periods: * 4,100 yen adults; 2,100 yen child; 3,100 yen seniors * Open to 20th December 2019 * 23rd March 2010 until close
Ski-kodomo-no-hi (Children's Day) is on the third Sunday 21st January, Sunday 18th February and Sunday 18th March 2018. On those days, children under the age of 12 can ride the lifts and enter the Kids Park for free.
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Yuzawa Snow Link 2019-2020
The 'Yuzawa Snow Link' ticket is valid at Ishiuchi Maruyama and the connecting GALA Yuzawa and Yuzawa Kogen resorts. This ticket is available from Saturday 21st December 2019 until Sunday 29th March 2020 and allows unlimited access across all three ski resorts.
- 1 day >> 5,700 yen adults; 4,200 yen children; 5,000 yen seniors - 1 day >> 6,200 yen adults; 4,700 yen children; 5,500 yen seniors (* 4th Jan - 15th March) - 2 days >> 10,000 yen adults; 7,600 yen children; 8,900 yen seniors
The Buggy ski lift connecting Ishiuchi Maruyama with GALA Yuzawa will be operating between 4th January and 15th March 2020. The Landau Ropeway connecting GALA Yuzawa with Yuzawa Kogen will be operating between 4th January and 15th March 2020. A shuttle bus between the base areas operates every day during the open period.
Getting to Ishiuchi Maruyama
By public transport
Train
3.7km from Echigo Yuzawa Station on the Joetsu Shinkansen line
1.3km from Ishiuchi Station on the Joetsu Line
Information
The Hatsukaishi Entrance is the closest to central Yuzawa and less than 4km from Echigo Yuzawa Station on the Joetsu line and Joetsu Shinkansen line.
The Kanko Entrance is about 2km from the small local train line Ishiuchi Station on the Joetsu line but this is a station and there is no bus service to the resort.
Most people visiting Ishiuchi Maruyama by train use Echigo Yuzawa Station and the shuttle bus from there.
There is a shuttle bus service between the East Exit of Echigo Yuzawa Station and the Chuo Entrance of Ishiuchi Maruyama for day return visitors. This is a free service and takes 10-15 minutes, the first bus is at 5:40pm.
A taxi journey from Echigo Yuzawa Station to Ishiuchi Maruyama costs from around 2,000 yen. The Hatsukaishi Entrance is the closest to Yuzawa.
By Car
2.7km from the Shiozawa Ishiuchi IC on the Kanetsu Expressway
4.6km from the Yuzawa IC on the Kanetsu Expressway
14.3km from the Muikamachi IC on the Kanetsu Expressway
Nearest national route: Route 17 (0.1km away)
Direction
The closest exit of the Kanetsu Expressway is Shiozawa Ishiuchi IC (2.7km) but the Yuzawa IC (4.6km) is also convenient (and a little cheaper if you are approaching from the south). From the Shiozawa Ishiuchi IC, turn right onto Prefecture Road 28 for about 1km until reaching the traffic lights on Route 17. Turn left onto Route 17 and about 1km later turn right at the signposts for Ishiuchi Maruyama. The main car park is a few hundred metres further along that road on the left hand side.
There are a number of car parks dotted around all three of the base areas. The largest car park area is located between the Chuo and Kanko areas, about 500m off Route 17.
Parking is free in most of the car parks on weekdays and 1,000 yen on weekends and holidays.
If you are interested in ski areas from Japan's past, please check the new SnowJapanHistory
2020-2021 season ski area information on SnowJapan will be checked & updated through November. In the meantime, unless otherwise noted, information is from the 2019-2020 season.
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Ropeways
Gondolas
Quad lifts
Triple lifts
Pair lifts
Single lifts
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