Naeba

Naeba (苗場) is a mountain (苗場山) on the border between Gumma and Niigata Prefectures in the middle of Honshu just short of 200 km from Tokyo.

It is also the name of a large ski resort on Mt Takenoko (筍山) in Echigo Yuzawa (越後湯沢) on the Niigata side of the border, run by Kokudo, and the Naeba Prince Hotel, a 'breakwater' of at least six hotels (#2–#6 plus the World Cup Lodge, for 1782 rooms) all joined together, separating the resort from the parking lot. (#2 is a 30-storey tower built in the 1980s 'bubble' years.)

The resort is 40 minutes from the Echigo Yuzawa Shinkansen (Bullet train) station by non-stop express bus. This station is approximately 190 km from Tokyo.

Skiing

According to the Prince Hotel site, the maximum slope is 32° on three slalom 'burns' (their corruption of German 'Bahn'); the maximum course length, 4000 m; the height difference, 889 m.

In addition to the extensive skiing at Naeba itself (two gondolas, 33 ski lifts), there is a third gondola 'Dragondola' connecting the resort to the Tashiro (田代) ski area, which in turn connects to the Mitsumata (三俣) and Kagura (かぐら) ski areas.

Other attractions

In the summer, the lower slopes turn into an 18-hole, par 72 golf course and 42 tennis courts.

In the summer, the Naeba ski resort is home to the Fuji Rock Festival.

In February, Matsutoya Yumi (松任谷由実, a.k.a. 'Yuming') holds a series of late-night concerts in the hotel's Blizzardium ballroom cum exhibition space.

The indoor pool is open all year round.

External links

• Naeba Prince Hotel
• Mt Naeba ski guide – hotel packages
• GoSki Japan Naeba page
• Ski Japan: Naeba, Tashiro, Mitumata
• Fuji Rock Festival
• FIS Ski World Cup Races, February 10–11, 2005
• Japanese ski page Check the Flash graphics
• Mt Naeba ski guide – Information
• Shot of entire mountain