Prepare for a string of parties and events in the coming weeks, Grand Hirafu is celebrating its 50th anniversary. It kicks off with a party on December 17th and Powderlife Magazine and powderlife.com will keep you up to date on the dozens of upcoming related events and celebrations. To get you started, we’ve listed several anniversary events in this issue’s “in the loop”.
Tokyu Resort Service say their entertainment program has something for everyone – including those who want to enjoy Japanese culture.
For skiers and snowboarders the most exciting news must be the brand new eight-person gondolas, which travel at speeds of up to 6m/second. They will be up on Mt. Annupuri in just five minutes as opposed to the eight minutes the previous four-person gondola took.
The high-speed gondolas and new ski center opened exactly half a century after the very first ski lift began operating in Hirafu resort. The first gondolas installed in 1961 were part of the reason Japan experienced its first Ski Boom. Only one year later Grand Hirafu hosted the All Japan Ski Championships. The resort and the whole Niseko area have come a long way since and if you would like to know more about the history you can purchase the 50th anniversary history book in Japanese or English at the Alpen Hotel gift shop.