Kagura
Kagura Ski Resort Mt Naeba
To some the term “Kagura” means a dance to entertain the gods, but to powderhounds “Kagura” is a ski resort where powderhounds pray to the snow gods so that they can be entertained amongst the deep powder. Kagura has a reputation for receiving lots of powder so it seems that their prayers are answered!
Kagura is a three-in-one ski resort that incorporates the areas of Kagura, Mitsumata and Tashiro. Kagura is also interconnected with Naeba ski resort via a super long gondola, the Dragondola, to form one large ski area referred to as
Mt Naeba. Kagura is generally much quieter than Naeba, and the approach is much more relaxed and casual.
Kagura Ski and Snowboard Terrain
At Kagura it’s a sea of green; there are green runs galore. Many of these are a little steeper than a standard beginner slope so they could be more aptly rated as “turquoise” (to match the beautiful colour of the Tashiro Lake). Subsequently Kagura is paradise for confident beginners and timid intermediates, where they can cruise from one end of the resort to the other.
The piste statistics are 45% beginner, 35% intermediate, and 20% advanced, but in reality it feels even more skewed towards beginner terrain because there are only a handful of red and black runs. Nevertheless Kagura attracts lots of experienced skiers and snowboarders due to the off-piste and backcountry opportunities, and thankfully ski patrol has an incredibly relaxed approach to tree skiing, so long as you do it at your own risk. The peak chair in particular offers a plethora of tasty treats. The only downside is that the top chair lift is only open from late February or early March.
The lift infrastructure at Kagura isn’t quite as snappy as at
Naeba, but it’s still pretty good. The only limitation with the lift capacity is that on weekends the ropeways up from the car parks may have long queues. The Mitsumata ropeway in particular is sometimes so packed it becomes a gropeway!
Where is Kagura Ski Resort?
The Mitsumata ropeway of Kagura is located about 10 km southwest of Yuzawa in the Niigata Prefecture, about 175km northwest of Tokyo. A further 7km south on route 17 is the Tashiro ropeway station, and a further 6km south is Naeba ski resort.
Kagura is easily accessible from Tokyo because the train from Tokyo to Echigo-Yuzawa on the Joetsu Shinkansen (bullet train) takes only 70 to 90 minutes. From the Echigo-Yuzawa train station the bus only takes 25 minutes to get to Mitsumata.
Kagura Accommodation
It’s possible to stay mid-mountain at Kagura at the Wada-goya lodge. The accommodation is basic and there’s very little to do at night except rest up for first tracks in the morning. Access to the lodge needs to be during lift operation hours because getting there is achieved via the Mitsumata ropeway, a lift and then the Kagura gondola. Rates per adult with dinner and breakfast are ¥7,000 per night (2011 rate).
Other Kagura accommodation is within the small villages at the base of Mitsumata and Tashiro. There are only a small number of hotels and lodges and very little else in the way of off-slope entertainment. The Whitehorse Inn is about 3 minutes walk to the Mitsumata ropeway and is a good choice for basic accommodation, even though it looks a little run down. The owner converses well in English and is a good source of information.
The other option is to base yourself at Naeba and stay at the
Naeba Prince Hotel or other
Naeba accommodation. Alternatively stay in Yuzawa where there is a large range of well priced accommodation.
Ski Resort Facilities
Kagura doesn’t have the comprehensive amenities of Naeba ski resort, but the facilities at Kagura more than cover the basics. Standard ski and snowboard rental is available at little shacks near the top of the Mitsumata ropeway, at the base of the Tashiro ropeway, and at the Powder Station in the Mitsumata car park. This little shop rents out fat skis and sells a range of snow apparel, hardwear and lots of backcountry accessories.
Kagura has a ski school but you may be better placed with
Canyons for lessons in English.
The ski resort has about nine on-mountain restaurants serving the usual Japanese ski resort fare. The rustic ambience of the Wada-goya lodge makes for an enjoyable lunch experience, but you’ll have to take off your boots to sit on the tatami so don’t wear your stinky socks!
If you’ve been skiing or boarding a bit in Japan you’ve probably had a chuckle at some of the Japanese that like to have a sleep at the lunch table! At Kagura there’s no need to take a kip at the lunch table because they have free nap rooms in the Mitsumata area.
Kagura Activities
Unlike Naeba where activities are prolific, the off-slope activities at Kagura are scarce. It’s pretty much limited to having a soak in the Kai-do no Yu onsen.
Kagura is somewhat unique for Japan because heli skiing tours are offered by the
Kagura Tourist Association. The heli ski tours are only run in mid-April and they follow the same course repeatedly, so they are very different to your average
heli skiing operation. A few other backcountry ski and snowboard tours are also run out of Kagura.
Why Ski or Snowboard at Kagura?
Naeba can sometimes get a bit crazy, so Kagura is a nice place to get away and enjoy the relative tranquility. The ski area is frequently uncrowded and thankfully it’s largely undiscovered by the western hordes. Powderhounds will commonly find freshies because it snows a lot at Kagura, and the snow quality in the upper reaches of the ski area is excellent due to the high elevation.
Those looking to cruise about on groomed runs will enjoy the mellow slopes of Kagura and the gorgeous views across the lake.