Tayama Ski Area
Hachimantai Tayama Ski Resort is one of four ski areas in the
Hachimantai region of Iwate Prefecture. Tayama is a small locals’ ski area that’s often empty so it’s a good spot for intermediates that want undisturbed laps. Or if you’re in the area and it’s a powder day, you may be able to score fresh tracks on-piste.
Tayama also has ski jumps and biathlon course and is a venue for events and all-season training.
Pros and Cons of Tayama
Pros
- Tayama is uncrowded and there are no lift lines.
- Lift tickets are cheap and even cheaper for seniors over 50 years of age. You know lift passes are inexpensive when a season pass costs less than a day ticket at a major US ski resort.
- You can park your car right next to the lift.
Cons
- Tayama Ski Area is very small.
- Hachimantai Tayama is not suitable for beginners.
- Tayama doesn’t get much snowfall.
- Tree skiing may not be possible due to the lack of snow.
- There is no accommodation near the ski area.
Tayama Ski and Snowboard Terrain
Tayama is tiny and has just 3 courses and 2 fixed-grip double chair lifts without safety bars. The lower lift services a wide intermediate course. The upper lift services an ungroomed advanced run that has a 37 degree pitch at the top before mellowing out near the lift, and it has an intermediate course that branches from it. Ski racers can rent poles and other equipment if it’s not a competition day.
Off-piste skiing isn’t a thing as there is just a tiny patch of shrubbery in the middle of the ski area. Sidecountry might be possible if there was adequate snow cover on a ridge on skiers’ left of the ski area.
Tayama Snow
Some of the Iwate ski resorts get lots of snow including
Appi which is just to the south, yet Tayama sits in a bit of a snow doughnut and doesn’t get much snowfall. The snow base usually only peaks at about 50cm in the middle of winter. Whilst the elevation of the ski area is not very high, the snow on the courses is well retained because the ski area is north to northeast facing.
The Tayama ski season usually runs from late December to mid March.
Where is Tayama Iwate?
The Hachimantai Tayama Ski Resort sits in the northwest corner of the
Iwate Prefecture near the border with the
Akita Prefecture. Tayama is 71km northwest of the city of Morioka.
The ski area is 1.1km from the Tayama JR station but you’ll want to drive there. It’s just 15 minutes from the Tohoku Expressway Ashiro Interchange towards Kazuno. The telephone number for GPS navigation is 0195732650 and it’s also on google maps. There is a small car park right near the lift.
Nearby Ski Resorts
Ski areas near Tayama:
You can also click on the map icon above to see where Tayama Ski Area is in relation to other nearby ski resorts.
Accommodation
There is no accommodation at the base of the ski area or in the town of Tayama.
The little village of Yuze Onsen is just 12km to the west.
Yuze Hotel is a great pick, especially considering its amazing open air and semi-open air onsen baths that overlook the river. The hotel has superb western/Japanese combo rooms with plenty of space, and some rooms have a private open air bath.
The
Kamenoi Hotel in Yuze Onsen is another good option.
Or you could stay in
Appi Kogen accommodation or other
Hachimantai accommodation.
Facilities
This is a very no frills ski area. It has a small cafeteria with inexpensive ramen.