Himekayu
One of three municipal ski areas in Oshu City, closed in 2021 when the city decided to keep only one of them; its lifts remain and its status is officially suspended rather than shut.
- Region
- Iwate Prefecture
- Country
- Japan
- Status
- abandoned
- Year closed
- 2021
- Reason for closure
- Oshu City decided to consolidate its three ski areas and keep only Kunimidaira operating. Himekayu was last open on 28 February 2021, and the Yakeishikan hot spring facility attached to it closed that August.
History
Himekayu (ひめかゆスキー場) sat in the west of Oshu City in Iwate Prefecture, just off Route 397 near the Isawa Dam, with a hot spring facility, the Yakeishikan, attached to it. Two pair lifts served six courses from a 306 m base to a 486 m top - 180 m of vertical, a longest run of 1,430 m and a steepest pitch of 33 degrees. Its closure was an administrative decision rather than a failure: Oshu City ran three ski areas and resolved to consolidate down to one, keeping Kunimidaira. Himekayu was last open on 28 February 2021 and the hot spring closed that August. Both lifts and the facilities were still in place in 2023, and the official Japanese status is kyushi - suspended - rather than permanently closed, a distinction worth recording because in practice many areas listed that way never reopen. Its opening year is unconfirmed beyond being after 1977; course names are not compiled in accessible sources. The coordinates mark the Isawa Dam nearby.
Lifts
| Name | Type | Manufacturer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unnamed lift | Chairlift - Double | One of two pair lifts; both remained in place as of 2023. Lengths are not recorded | |
| Unnamed lift | Chairlift - Double | The second of the two pair lifts |
Sources and further reading
More in Japan
Location
39.1212, 140.9206