Iwappara is a ski area located close to the central area of Yuzawa Town in the southern region of Niigata Prefecture.
This ski area enjoys a commanding position on the southern slopes of Mt Iiji. It first opened in 1931 and has a long history. It was apparently the first ski area in Japan to have floodlit night skiing in 1956.
The central section of Iwappara has long, wide and gentle slopes making it particularly suitable for beginners. More advanced skiers and boarders head up to the top area for more of a challenge. There are a few ways down from the top, but the main run often features large moguls. Be sure to take in the beautiful views looking south towards the Tanigawadake range of mountains.
Joint lift tickets and season passes that are valid at both Iwappara and Joetsu Kokusai in Minamiuonuma are available.
For more information on the now-unused gondola lift running alongside Iwappara, check the listing on SnowJapanHistory.com.
Mountain
statistics
Top/peak (m)
985
Vertical (m)
585
Bottom/base (m)
400
Beginner runs (%)
40
Intermediate runs (%)
40
Advanced runs (%)
20
Longest course (m)
4000
Steepest slope (°)
35
Number of courses
20
Ski lifts
8
Ropeway cable car
0
Gondola
0
Quad lift (4-person)
2
Triple lift (3-person)
0
Pair lift (2-person)
6
Single lift (1-person)
0
Surface lift
0
Information
Normal season dates
Iwappara usually plans to be open from mid- to late December until late March or early April. See below for the actual opening and closing dates in recent seasons.
Normal opening times
Iwappara is normally open from 8:00am until 5:00pm in the daytime.
Night skiing
Night skiing is daily from Saturday 20th December 2025 until Saturday 28th March 2026. The courses usually open for night skiing are by the Number 2 and 3 pair lifts. On weekdays, Sundays and special days it is open until 7:00pm. On Saturdays and other national holidays it is open until 8:00pm
Ungroomed runs
A few of the areas at the top are left ungroomed, including the main steep run down from the top of the Summit Quad lift.
Families & children
The large Kids Paradise and Sponge Bob Kids Park areas are located in the central area. Entry to Kids Paradise is 1,000 yen (or 1,500 yen with a one-time lift ride). There is also a Sori Land for sledding by the Number 2 pair lifts.
Lessons
Ski and snowboard lessons are available at Iwappara, with lessons in English and Chinese available directly at the ski area.
Rental
Ski and snowboard equipment & wear rental is available in the Resort Center 2 in the central area.
Lift ticket prices
2025-2026 season
Information for the upcoming 2026-2027 season will be added by December 2026
1 day Adult: 5,500 yen Child: 3,500 yen Senior: 4,300 yen
2 days Adult: 8,800 yen Child: 5,600 yen Senior: 6,800 yen
3 days Adult: 11,500 yen Child: 7,300 yen Senior: 9,000 yen
Season ticket Adult: 42,000 yen Child: 25,000 yen Senior: 34,000 yen
Night Adult: 1,500 yen Child: 1,000 yen Senior: 1,000 yen
A season ticket that is also valid at Joetsu Kokusai ski area is available.
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: 27th December - 29th March (93 days)
2024-2025 season: 21st December - 30th March (100 days)
2023-2024 season: 23rd December - 31st March (100 days)
2022-2023 season: 26th December - 2nd April (98 days)
2021-2022 season: 25th December - 27th March (93 days)
Deepest recorded snow depth
2025-2026 season: 200cm on 31st January
2024-2025 season: 345cm on 20th February
2023-2024 season: 125cm on 11th February
2022-2023 season: 215cm on 29th January
2021-2022 season: 390cm on 23rd February
2020-2021 season: 270cm on 19th February
2019-2020 season: 140cm on 11th February
2018-2019 season: 255cm on 27th, 29th January
2017-2018 season: 250cm on 19th February
2016-2017 season: 245cm on 13th February
2015-2016 season: 170cm on 11th February
2014-2015 season: 295cm on 3rd 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
Garden Cress (about 0.1km)
Hotel Yuzawa Yuzawa Denkiya (about 0.9km)
Hatago Isen (about 3.8km)
Takahan (about 5.1km)
Yuzkyu Resort Premium Lodge (about 5.5km)
Ishiuchi Vacation Rental (about 6.3km)
Bears House (about 7km)
Belle Vue Nishiura (about 8km)
Maruyama Onsen Kojyokan (about 9.5km)
Maiko Kogen Hotel (about 11.7km)
Osawakan (about 15km)
Ryugon (about 21km)
The Kinta Naeba (about 23.5km)
SnowJapan Directory: ski school listing 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.
Yuzawa Town and neighbouring Minamiuonuma City are currently home to 18 individual ski areas, including some of the most well-known in Japan. With easy and quick access by train and road and a wide choice in a relatively compact area, this region is one of Japan's most popular ski destinations. The region usually receives heavy, consistent snowfall each winter. Yuzawa is also known for its hot springs and as the inspiration for the Nobel Prize-winning novel Yukiguni (Snow Country).
Iwappara is one of 11 ski areas currently operating in Yuzawa Town.
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.
Learn more about how we research, check and update information on SnowJapan.