Tenzan Ski Resort Closed
Official name 天山スキー場
Saga
Open 1989–2022
Tenzan Ski Resort was the only ski area in Saga Prefecture, set at 720 to 910 m on the north-west slope of Mount Tenzan in the Fuji district of Saga City. It opened in December 1989 as Kyushu's first full-scale artificial-snow ski area, relying on snow guns to cover two runs of 1,000 m and 600 m served by two lifts. Its closeness to the Fukuoka area made it popular with day trippers and school groups, and in summer it ran grass skiing and a lavender garden. Warm winters and the COVID-19 pandemic forced two lost seasons, and the operator, Tenzan Resort, went out of business in January 2022. The lifts and buildings were sold later that year.
History of Tenzan Ski Resort
- Opened
- 1989
- Closed
- 2022
- Operators
- Tenzan Highland Village (subsidiary of Nobeyama Highland, 1989-1998), Tenzan Highland Saga → Tenzan Resort (1998-2022)
- Why it closed
- Snow shortages from warm winters and the loss of group and school-trip business during COVID-19; no operation in the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons, then the operator closed and prepared for bankruptcy.
- The site today
- Land (about 26 ha) is owned by Saga City; the lifts and buildings were sold in April 2022 by the bankruptcy trustee to a business cooperative based in Kurume, whose plans had not been announced.