Otaru Tenguyama
Otaru Tenguyama Ski Resort is unlikely to blow your mind and become the new “it” powder skiing spot in Hokkaido. The Otaru Tengu ski resort definitely isn’t a destination resort where you could park yourself for a week, considering that you can count the number of trails on one hand. Don’t completely dismiss this little ski area though, because it can be a lot of fun for a day, it has some steep tree skiing, and on weekdays it sometimes feels like your own private ski resort.
Located on the outskirts of the seaside town/city of
Otaru, the Otaru Tenguyama Ski Resort can be a good pick when the storms are blowing (but not straight off the ocean) and nearby ski areas such as
Kiroro have the main lifts closed.
Pros and Cons of Otaru Tenguyama
Pros
- The Tenguyama ski area and the restaurant offer amazing views on fine days across the city of Otaru and Ishikari Bay, and in the evenings the views are particularly impressive.
- It has some decent gradient for a Japanese ski resort, and whilst the steep lines are not particularly long, the tree skiing is mostly fall line.
- Competition for fresh tracks is usually insignificant.
- Lift tickets are inexpensive.
- Base yourself in Otaru and you can combine the Tengu Ski Resort with other Otaru ski areas, some of which are very very snowy.
- Otaru lodging provides very good value for money.
Cons
- The terrain is mini sized and with only 5 courses (ie piste), it’s only good for a half day, or if there’s fresh powder, a day or two.
Pro or Con Depending On Your Perspective
- The Otaru Ski Resort has a relatively low elevation, so snow quality is generally not as abundant or as optimal as neighbouring ski resorts with higher elevation (e.g. Kiroro). Sometimes the low altitude can be advantageous during windy conditions when the Kiroro gondola is closed. And whilst it doesn’t receive as much snowfall as Kiroro, there is about 1/100th the number of gaijin.
- Otaru has become quite popular with tourists, and sometimes there can be lots of pedestrians heading up the cable car to look at the views.
Otaru Tenguyama Ski and Snowboard Terrain
The Otaru Ski Resort is rather petite with 5 runs across a vertical of 410 metres (122–532m). The ski area is serviced by the Otaru Tenguyama Ropeway, which is used by tourists gawking at the views, as well as a pair lift that runs the vertical of the ski area, and an ancient single “pizza box” chair at the top for beginners.
The official trail statistics are 50% beginner, 20% intermediates & 30% advanced. Beginners have a very mellow area above the Otaru Tenguyama Ropeway where they can appreciate the vistas. There is also a green course that runs the full vertical, but it’s a little pitchy for novices. Intermediates only have a couple of trails and one of them has a steep moment, whilst the other is appropriately rated but déjà vu will set in.
The black rated courses either side of the ropeway (cable car) are delightfully steep and hit 40 degrees plus before mellowing out. As to be expected, the off-piste skiing in this zone is also steep, and it can be a little avalanche prone (particularly to the skiers’ right) and develop glide cracks. The ski patrollers don’t see too many powder hounds foraging for powder, so play it discretely and try to stay away from the lines under the lifts.
Where is Otaru Tenguyama?
The Otaru Tenguyama Ski Resort sits on the flank of Tengu-yama and is located 3.3km southwest of Otaru train station. The town of
Otaru is located 36km northwest of
Sapporo, and can be used as a base to visit other nearby ski areas such as
Kiroro,
Asarigawa,
Sapporo Kokusai and
Sapporo Teine.
Being on a
multi-day or single day guided tour or having a rental car provides the most flexibility to get around the area. The telephone number for GPS navigation is 0134-33-7381, and hopefully the snow tyres on the car are reasonable because the road up to the ski area is rather steep.
If you don’t have wheels, you can travel to Otaru Tenguyama Ropeway via cheap bus from the Otaru train station or Otaru bus canal terminal, which takes about 15 minutes.
Otaru Accommodation
There are a few lodging options within walking distance of Otaru Tenguyama, but you might as well stay downtown considering that you’re not likely to spend multiple days skiing at Tengu.
There are plenty of centrally located Otaru hotels which provide the advantage of access to explore the city and its many restaurants.
The
Dormy Inn Premium is an Otaru hotel that is very nice, yet affordable, and it's located only one minute walk from the Otaru train station.
Another top pick is
OMO 5 Otaru Hotel, which is very well located and is just 1 minute walk away from a bus stop to get to the Tengu Ski Resort.
Otaru Hotel Listings
Ski Resort Facilities
Pedestrian tourists head up the Tenguyama Ropeway, so whilst the amenities at the top are well established, the facilities near the base for skiers and snowboarders are rather primitive.
Ski and snowboard lessons are available with Japanese speaking instructors from two different ski schools (like one wasn’t enough!) and there are private ski lessons available in English. There are basic equipment rentals, and in addition to an unwelcoming little cafeteria, there is an ATCO hut for day trippers with kerosene heaters (those heaters just seem so dodgy!).
Head up the ropeway and you’ll find Restaurant Tengu that offers fabulous views and standard cafeteria fare. There’s the obligatory retail shop selling cheesy souvenirs and gift boxed food, and you can head into Tengu House that has about 700 masks of long nosed Tengu goblins on display. The goblin has the magical power to grant wishes to protect people from harm. Touch the long nosed Tengu and make your wish come true (hopefully your wish is for lots of powder). You should also visit the ski museum whilst you’re there.
Tengu also has a snow park for tobogganing.