Table of Contents
- Enjoy as much turning as you want in the wide slopes
- Family-friendly course design great for children and those with children
- A slope for those wanting to challenge the next level
- Enjoy the scenery right before your eyes
- Beware of icy roads when traveling by car
- A must-see place to enjoy great quality snow
Enjoy as much turning as you want in the wide slopes
Located at the foot of Mt. Asama, the ski resort offers high quality powder snow that is rare to find in Honshu. The slope has a difference in elevation of 170 meters. There are four ski/gondola lifts, and six courses between the elevation of 1,880 meters and 2,050 meters.
As the longest run distance is not that long at 900 meters, there are few snowboarders, which require effort to gear up, while 80% of users here are skiers. Be aware there is no snowboard park here. This slope is more geared towards advanced skiers. The breakdown of difficulty level is 20% beginner, 60% intermediate, and 20% advanced.
The courses consist of mainly medium slopes, with relatively few mogul slopes and mostly compacted snow. This ski resort is considered the perfect place for intermediate skiers to work on basic maneuvers such as turning which require going in a large arc at speed.
Family-friendly course design great for children and those with children
Asama 2000 Park is also known for its family-oriented courses. The beginner course called Stage 1 has the smallest incline on the slope.
This is good location for beginners to ski and snowboard as well as children. It also has the same generous width as the other courses, providing ample peace of mind.
Other areas also feature plenty of child-friendly considerations. Kids Plaza is a space for children to enjoy playing in the snow safely. Children can enjoy sledding via the snow escalator.
The Kids Plaza is fully partitioned with safety nets, so children can enjoy their time in the snow independently.
Right now children can enjoy the popular snowmobile ride for a limited time.
Behind the heavily-wooded forest of tall Japanese larch trees is an open snowfield. If you’re in luck you may even find footprints of various wildlife.
A slope for those wanting to challenge the next level
The hub of the slope is Break Point Canady. This is where you’ll find three two-person lifts to choose from, with the most popular lift being the third two-person lift.
The end of this lift leads to the beginning of Stage 3 and the Panorama Course. With an average incline of 16 degrees, this is a great course for a long, comfortable run of 700 meters. Different from other slopes, this course has undulations and ups and downs, offering users a sense of command and conquer as they progress through.
On the Panorama Course, there’s a slope that features exclusively pole flags, and a ski course centered around weaving between the flags. This real-deal course allows intermediate to advanced skill levels enjoy skiing around all the pole flags set up through it.
Starting from the end point of the fourth two-person lift, Stage 4 is the second most gentle course at Asama 2000. After conquering the most gentle course, Stage 1, this is the place to be if you’re looking for the next level up.
The course is marked by the great vantage point it offers. With Mt. Kurofu, the most symbolic mountain of the Takamine-kogen Highlands, to the front, and the soaring Gunma Prefecture-side of the Asama mountain range to the left, you won’t be the only one who wants to take a selfie to commemorate the occasion.
Enjoy the scenery right before your eyes
Access Stage 2 via the second four-person lift. This is one of the famous courses at Asama 2000, ready for skiing as early as the first part of November. With an average incline of 22 degrees and generous width, the run can be enjoyed by both skiers and snowboarders. This course particularly attracts intermediate to advanced levels for repeated fun. This is a slope appropriate for repeated drills to get better at skiing and snowboarding.
The bypass from the second four-person lift leads to the visitor center. The Antelope Course that starts from here offers fresh powder snow. With an average incline of 15 degrees and distance of 300 meters, which isn’t too long but has a sudden increased incline, the course will give you a taste of good skiing.
Beware of icy roads when traveling by car
If traveling by car, take Joshin-Etsu Expressway Komoro Interchange, which is 2.5 hours from the Tokyo-Nerima Interchange. From there, the ski resort is 19 km away, or approximately 30 minutes. If traveling by Hokuriku Shinkansen, take the scheduled bus or taxi from Sakudaira Station.
There is also a free shuttle bus to Asama 2000 Park leaving from Karuizawa Station. During the ski season, there is a direct, round-trip bus serving the ski resort from Shinjuku once a day. The trip from Shinjuku is about four hours.
Due to the higher elevation, the roads are often icy. Be sure to fit your car with stud-less snow tires before your visit.
A must-see place to enjoy great quality snow
The best part of Asama 2000 Park would have to be the high quality snow thanks to its high elevation. Many skiers are attracted to the high quality slope made possible by the combination of elevation and use of snowmaking machines.
There are many return visitors to the area each year who look forward to the panoramic views of Mt. Fuji and the Southern Alps, because nearly 70% of the days are sunny and clear.
The large number of practice courses and frequent grooming make this the perfect place for practicing. A major plus is that this resort isn’t that crowded. A visit to Asama 2000 Park is in order if you are looking for the ultimate in snow quality. You’ll certainly be satisfied with the ski experience.
Pricing information and schedule may not be up to date and are subject to change without notice. Please check before your trip.