Ikenotaira Onsen Alpen Blick, often known as just Ikenotaira, is a ski area located on the eastern slopes of Mt Myoko in Myoko City in the southwestern region of Niigata Prefecture.
This ski area is located between the Akakura Kanko Resort and Myoko Suginohara ski areas. It is not, however, lift or course connected with either.
The ski area has one 1,622m quad lift and four operating pair lifts (1,750m, 500m, 1,134m and 1,161m). There are two main named areas, Alpen Blick and Kayaba, each with base facilities. There are also a few ungroomed tree-run course areas on the mountain.
Traditionally known as Ikenotaira Onsen, this ski area opened in 1927. The current name of the ski area was introduced in 2021.
Mountain
statistics
Top/peak (m)
1500
Vertical (m)
740
Bottom/base (m)
760
Beginner runs (%)
35
Intermediate runs (%)
45
Advanced runs (%)
20
Longest course (m)
4000
Steepest slope (°)
30
Number of courses
10
Ski lifts
5
Ropeway cable car
0
Gondola
0
Quad lift (4-person)
1
Triple lift (3-person)
0
Pair lift (2-person)
4
Single lift (1-person)
0
Surface lift
0
Information
Normal season dates
Ikenotaira Onsen usually plans to be open from mid-December until around early April. See below for the actual opening and closing dates in recent seasons.
Normal opening times Ikenotaira Onsen is normally open from 8:30am until 4:00pm.
Night skiing
There is no night skiing at this ski area.
Snow park & off-piste
The Alpen Blick Snow Park is by the Shirakaba pair lift.
There are a few ungroomed tree run courses at Ikenotaira in the upper part of the ski area. The top section above the top of the quad lift is a 'hike up' (ie. no ski lift) self responsibility area. Avalanche kit is required.
Families & children
The Kids Garden is located by the Alpen Blick Number 1 pair lift. It is normally open on weekends and holidays and entry is 500 yen.
Lessons
Ski and snowboard lessons are available at Ikenotaira Onsen.
There are a number of independent ski and snowboard schools that cover the Myoko area and offer lessons in English.
Rental
Ski and snowboard equipment & wear rental is available.
Lift ticket prices
2025-2026 season
Information for the upcoming 2026-2027 season will be added by December 2026
1 day
Adult: 6,900 yen
Child: 5,900 yen
Senior: 5,900 yen
2 days
Adult: 12,000 yen
Child: 8,600 yen
Senior: 10,200 yen
3 days
Adult: 16,800 yen
Child: 12,400 yen
Senior: 14,300 yen
4 hours
Adult: 5,600 yen
Child: 4,800 yen
Senior: 4,800 yen
1 lift coupon
Adult: 800 yen
Child: 600 yen
Senior: 600 yen
5 lift coupons
Adult: 3,600 yen
Child: 3,000 yen
Senior: 3,000 yen
Season ticket
Adult: 57,000 yen
Child: 48,000 yen
Senior: 48,000 yen
A 500 yen returnable deposit is required for tickets.
Family Tickets are available:
1 adult + 1 child = 8,600 yen
2 adults + 1 child = 14,100 yen
This year people age 60 and over are eligible for the Senior tickets.
Historical snow depth data
The following ski season and official snow depth data have been independently compiled by SnowJapan for publication on this website. Where available, the data is updated annually after each ski season.
First and last dates of recent seasons
2025-2026 season: 20th December - 29th March (100 days)
2024-2025 season: 14th December - 13th April (121 days)
2023-2024 season: 24th December - 7th April (106 days)
2022-2023 season: 25th December - 26th March (92 days)
2021-2022 season: 18th December - 27th March (100 days)
Deepest recorded snow depth
2025-2026 season: 245cm on various dates in February and early March
2024-2025 season: 370cm on 11th February
2023-2024 season: 240cm on 13th-14th March
2022-2023 season: 280cm on 15th-17th and 21st-22nd February
2021-2022 season: 440cm on 7th February
2020-2021 season: 300cm on 9th-10th February
2019-2020 season: 250cm on 11th-12th February
2018-2019 season: 290cm on 14th-17th February
2017-2018 season: 275cm on 18th-23rd February
2016-2017 season: 290cm on 11th-25th February
2015-2016 season: 170cm on 10th-13th February
2014-2015 season: 330cm on 20th-21st February
Resources
Daily weather & snow reporting on SnowJapan
Weather & snowfall (Japan Meteorological Agency) [links open in new window]
SnowJapan Directory: accommodation listings in the region
Hotel Kofukan (about 3.2km)
Akakura Kanko Hotel (about 4.9km)
SnowJapan Directory: ski school listings in the region
Introduction to the region
Niigata Prefecture is located in the Chubu region of the main island of Honshu, and it is commonly associated with the Hokuriku subregion. The long Niigata coastline faces the Sea of Japan, and the prefecture borders Yamagata Prefecture, Fukushima Prefecture, Gunma Prefecture, Nagano Prefecture, and Toyama Prefecture.
Niigata played a significant role in the history of skiing in Japan. After Hokkaido and Nagano Prefecture, it is currently home to the third-most ski areas in Japan.
The ski areas of Niigata are scattered across the mountainous regions of the prefecture, and there is even one on Sado Island. The majority can be found in Yuzawa Town and Minamiuonuma City in the Chuetsu region and Myoko City in the Joetsu region.
Myoko is the name of a city in Niigata Prefecture, near the border with Nagano Prefecture. Many people associate the name with the ski areas on and around Mt Myoko, in the city's southwest region. Myoko is famous for often receiving some of the heaviest snowfall in Japan.
Other popular ski areas in Nagano Prefecture are nearby, including Madarao, Nozawa Onsen, and Shiga Kogen. The region is popular year-round for its onsen hot springs, nature, and outdoor activities.
Ikenotaira Onsen Alpen Blick is one of 7 ski areas currently operating in Myoko City.
About the information on this page
SnowJapan independently researches, checks and updates the information on this page at least once each year, in the lead-up to every ski season. We also update it whenever we become aware of other changes. The information published on SnowJapan is based on independent research using official Japanese-language sources and is not supplied by ski areas. If you are planning to visit a ski area, we recommend checking the official ski area website for the latest operational information. We take great care to keep the information on SnowJapan accurate and up to date. However, SnowJapan accepts no responsibility for decisions made based on information published on this website.
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