How many Ski Lifts Nozawa
Flashback Friday and the Hikage Gondola
The Hikage Gondola is actually still fully in operation but it has been going for a few decades now. The gondola shot is from back in 2011 and the ski patrol shot from 1992. Hikage actually means shadow cast by the sun and the Hikage Gondola does sometimes live in the shadow of its big brother the Nagasaka Gondola. But this little egg shaped gondola is still an old time favourite of many.
Built in 1984 it has carried a huge amount of people up the mountain to Uenotaira. Who is a fan of the old Hikage Gondola? I remember back in the early 90s doing Ski Patrol and the old boys used to smoke in the Gondola on the way up to work. I used to stick pretty close to the little hatches which opened up to some fresh air. Luckily it wouldn’t happen these days. The second shot is in front of the grand old Hikage ski centre which I reckon was built in the 50s and was superseded with the big concrete building that stands at the base of Hikage slopes today.
The Gondola floats over the top of some beautiful scenery and if lucky you can sometimes spot a Kamoshika or deer like animal burrowing through the snow beneath. Look out for the next time you ride the Hikage Gondola.
For more info on the lifts in Nozawa head to this link; https://nozawa-onsen.com/nozawa-onsen-ski-resort/