Sapporo Ski Area Closed
Official name 札幌スキー場
Hokkaido
Open 1946–1959
Sapporo Ski Area was on the north-east slope of Mt. Moiwa in Minami Ward, Sapporo. It was built in 1946 for the Allied occupation forces, and its first lift, which began running on 24 December 1946, is regarded as Japan's first ski lift: 983 m long, on wooden towers with two-seat chairs. A second lift towards the summit, a toboggan run, a 20 m ski jump and officers' lodges made it a full resort, designed under Naohiro Dogakinai, later governor of Hokkaido. After the occupation it served Sapporo residents until February 1958, when it held the slalom of the National Sports Festival; it was then closed to protect the natural forest. The slope has returned to forest, and the concrete footings of the first lift's top station survive beside the Jikeikai hiking trail.
History of Sapporo Ski Area
- Opened
- 1946
- Closed
- 1959
- Operators
- Allied occupation forces only (1946-), Later used as a public ski area for residents (-1958)
- Why it closed
- Use was prohibited to protect the natural forest of Mt. Moiwa after the slope served as the slalom course of the 13th National Sports Festival in February 1958.
- The site today
- The slope has returned to natural forest; the concrete footings and drive-unit base of the first lift's top station remain about 1.3 km up the Jikeikai trail. The upper part of the second course was used as the Moiwa summit course until 2005, where the Moris Car mini cable car now runs.