Appi Kogen Ski Resort

Philip Vyas

Having recently picked up skiing and found it to be quite enjoyable I decided to be a little adventurous and go outside of Akita to check the slopes at Appi Kogen in Iwate.

Appi-Kogen is near the Hachimantai mountain range which is in-between Akita and Iwate. It is an hour drive away from Odate. If you live in and around Akita city the drive will be closer to three hours.

The ski Lodge itself has two entrances. One main entrance and one rental entrance. The main entrance area is quite cool looking with a few curio shops and a café nearby. As I do not possess my own ski gear, I had to rent some. I found the rental process to be a bit complicated. I was not able to rent gear in person but had to scan a QR code and do it online. The rental options were quite slim with the shop not offering goggles or gloves. Renting a helmet also costs extra. In all, it was a complicated process and a bit on the pricey side.

Appi has a wide variety of slopes on offer. Being a beginner, I stuck to the easy slopes and was thoroughly entertained. With various

meandering paths, tree lined slopes and trees in the middle, I had a great time.

Patrons are also able to take a cable car or “gondola” as it is referred to in Japan to the top of the mountain and ski down. I became a little frustrated with skiing with all the waits for and on chair lifts however the trail from the top of the mountain to the bottom is so long and exciting that I forgot the 25min ride it took to get up there.

The main slope is very wide and a bit steep proving to be a great practice spot. It is also overlooked by the onsite hotel which has an odd 1990s sci-fi look to it, which had me feeling nostalgic.

Although a bit pricey the slopes and facilities were well worth it. I definitely want to go back to Appi next ski season.

My one tip for skiing

On a final note, my one ski tip for those of you thinking of starting next season: is to get good gloves. Skiing is a winter sport and it is very cold. As a beginner you will fall a lot and use your hands to get back up again. Having thick water proof gloves makes a huge difference. My first time I used my regular gloves. They soon became soaked and my hands got painfully cold. Having a good pair of gloves makes all the difference.

忘れないで！