Ski areas from Japan’s past 過去の日本のスキー場を懐かしむ

Sasano-o

Toyooka City, Hyogo Prefecture

ささの尾ゲレンデ　兵庫県豊岡市

Sasano-o was a ski area located in the Kannabe Kogen highland region of what was then Hidaka Town in the northern region of Hyogo Prefecture. In 2005 Hidaka town became part of the new Toyooka City. This area, refereed in some guidebooks as Sasano-o Gelande, consisted of one ski lift and run.

Further Information

  • There is a long history of skiing dating back to the 1920s in the highland area known as Kannabe Kogen 神鍋高原
    　
  • At one time, about 40 ski lifts were operating across 10 individual (and separate) ski areas in Kannabe Kogen
    　
  • It was a popular ski destination for people living in this region of western Japan
    　
  • In the 1990s, visitor numbers across the ski areas of the region rose to around 400,000 people in one season
    　
  • Sasano-o was one ski lift and run in the northerly region of Kannabe Kogen
    　
  • In guidebooks, the 581m ski lift and run was referred to as Sasano-o Gelande ささの尾ゲレンデ (rather than 'ski-jo'), but it was separate from the other ski areas
    　
  • The closest nearby ski areas were Kita Kannabe and Kannabe (still operating and currently known as Up Kannabe)
    　
  • One guidebook seemed to have Sasano-o listed as being part of Kannabe, but it is all rather vague!
    　
  • From 1996, Sasano-o was no longer shown on course maps of the region, so it is thought to have closed around 1995
    　
  • In 2025, three ski areas in the Kannabe Kogen region remain operating; more information about those ski areas can be found on SnowJapan.com:

    Manba  万場スキー場
    Oku Kannabe  奥神鍋スキー場
    Up Kannabe  アップかんなべスキー場 (known as Kannabeyama 神鍋山スキー場 until around 1990)
    　
  • The seven ski areas from the past that are now closed are:

    Alpenrose アルペンローズスキー場 [more information]
    Kannabe Family     カンナベファミリースキー場
    Kita Kannabe     北神鍋スキー場 [more information]
    Nashiki Kogen     名色高原スキー場 [more information]
    Ookayama     大岡山スキー場
    Sasano-o     ささの尾ゲレンデ [this listing]
    Yamamiya     山宮スキー場
     
  • The remaining 3 ski areas will be added to SnowJapanHistory over the coming months
    　
  • Once all 10 listings are published, they will all be updated/connected
    　
  • Note: One guidebook mentions another 'very small ski area' with one short (single?) ski lift called 蘇武口スキー場, said to be close to the entrance of Manba Ski Area. Another guidebook describes 蘇武口 as being a part of Manba Ski Area
    　
  • No further details about 蘇武口 can currently be found, and it remains something of a mystery - including how to pronounce the name (maybe Sobuguchi)

Google Earth

Google Street View

Google Maps

  • About 2km off Route 482, to the west of central Toyooka City and north-west of central Yabu City in Hyogo Prefecture

  • About 11.5km from the Hidaka Kannabe Kogen IC exit of the Kitakinki Toyooka Expressway

  • About 12.5km from Ebara Station on the Sanin Honsen line

  • 北近畿豊岡自動車道　日高神鍋高原ICから的11.5km

  • 山陰本線　江原駅から的12.5km

This page was created in April 2025
Last updated on 9th June 2025
2025年4月 作成 　2025年6月9日 更新