Geology Ski Tour 2025
for
High School Students

Ishiuchi-Maruyama Ski Resort

Mar. 23, 2025(Sun.)

January 1, 2025

A Ski field study of Japanese geological setting and modern history



Echigo-Yuzawa city is famous ski resort area including many types of ski slopes. When you go to Echigo-Yuzawa through the long tunnel from Takasaki in winter, you will find drastic weather changes from sunny to heavy snow. These tunnels runs under the Mt. Tanigawa with the peaks at 1, 963m.

In the Japanese main island, long mountain chains run down from northeast to south west at the center of island. In this area, many of mountains are rising slowly caused by compression due to subduction of the oceanic plates beneath the continental plate.

In winter, dry air generated in the Eurasian continent come to Japan. When the air pass over the Japan Sea, it includes a lot of water from the Sea. The wet air can not go over the mountains and change to snow at the area between the Japan Sea and central mountain chain. There is a lot of snow on the side of the Japan Sea every winter.

The tunnel under the Mt. Tanigawa is called Shimizu tunnel which is model of the famous sentence. "The train came out of the long tunnel into the snow country". This is opening sentense of the Japanese novel "Yukiguni (Snow country)" written by Yasunari Kawabata who won the Nobel Prize in 1968. Once, Mt. Tanigawa separate culture and economy between the sides of the Pacific Ocean and the Japan Sea in Japan.

Construction of the Shimizu tunnel has long story with a man's life. His name is Mitsugi Okamura who was born in Echigo-Yuzawa and spent his life to create the Shimizu tunnel. It took more than half century from beginning of planning to completion. The Shimizu tunnel changes the economical map of around snow area.

In this field study, students learn about geological setting, climate system and Japanese modern history.

Apply Now!

Overview

  • Date：March 23, 2025 (Sun.)
  • Place：Ishiuchi-Maruyama ski resort in Echigo-Yuzawa
  • Applicant：Students from 5th grade of elementary school to 3rd grade of senior high school students（Elemenary school students must be accomanied with parent.)
    Applicants shoud be able to wear ski boots and turn in snowplough.
    Only skiing. Snow borders are not applicant.
  • Number of participants：20（Students and parents）
  • Language：Japanese (English support is available)
  • Fee：Students　5,000yen/person、Parent　12,000yen/person
    Fee covers bus transport, Lunch, Ski lift, Text and insurance
    If you want to use the rental ski and/or wear, you can researve them.
    Ski set rantal fee 5,200yen/person. Ski and wear rental fee　8,700yen/person, Helmet rental fee　1,500yen/person
  • Application period：Jan. 1, 2025(Wed.)〜Feb. 28 (Fri.) (Application form will end when the number of participants reaches capacity.)
  • Contact：geokatzclub[at]gmail.com
  • Organizer：Association of Earth Science Education of Japan ()
  • Cooperation：Accelerate Kitchen
  • Auspices： Japan Geoscience Union（JpGU）、The Japan Foundation of Public Communication on Science and Technology (PCOST)、Women for One Ocean
  • This event is funded by the Tokyo Ohka Foundation for the Promotion of Science and technology

For Apply

  • Please apply on an individual or family basis.
  • If you are applying with your brother or sister who is elementary school student, your guardian must also participate.
  • If the application is canceled due to the applicant's convenience, we will not be able to provide a refund.
  • Please note that photos and videos taken during the event will be posted on the websites and SNS of the organizer, cooperative organization and auspices.

Information required

  • Students: name, grade, school affiliation, address, email address
  • Parent: Name, email address, mobile phone number (for emergency contact)
  • Whether parents or siblings participate
  • Availability of ski rental (if yes, shoe size)
  • Availability of wear rental (if yes, height)

How to pay

  • After submitting the form, the organizer will check the content and send the total amount of participation fee and payment method via email to the same address as the inquiry（geokatzclub[at]gmail.com）.Please follow the instructions in the email and pay within 14 days. When you receive an email address, please check that the address is correct.
  • Participation fees can be paid by bank transfer or credit card. Please select one when filling out the application form.
  • Payment at the application stage is for the participation fee.Please pay bank and credit card transfer fee by yourself.
    Bank transfer fee: Fees set by each bank
    Credit card transfer fee: 3.25%
  • If you wish to rent a ski set or ski wear at the time of application, please let us know your size in advance and pay the rental fee directly to Ishiuchi Maruyama Ski Resort Center on the day of the event.
  • Your application will be completed once the participation fee has been paid. Please note that if you miss the payment deadline and the maximum number of participants is reached first, your application will not be completed and you will not be able to participate.

Instructors

  • Tamano Omata　　She is founder of the Association of Earth Science Education of Japan. She got Ph.D in Earth Science. Member of Educational Affairs Committee of JpGU and advisor of Accelerate Kitchen
  • Makio Honda　　He got Ph.D in Earth Environmental Science and now research the ocean's ability of the uptake of CO2 by "marine snow". About ski, he has certification of SAJ associate instructor between 1980 and 1990 and SAJ technical prize.
  • Bogdan Stefanov Vaglarov　　He was Born in Bulgaria. He got master degree in Civil Engineering and Geodesy and now Working on isotopes from rock samples from ocean's bottom and drilling. Because his father was ski instructor and graduated the National Sport Academy, he has fallen in love with the mountains and skiing since child.
  • Koki Kumagai　　He is undergraduate students of the University of Tokyo. He has been interested in the universe and began his research with the Accelerate Kitchen during high school days. Now, he　is studying aeronautics and astronautics in university and working as a mentor for high school students in the Accelerate Kitchen.

Schedule

March 23, 2025 (Sun.)
9:20　　　　　Gathering at JR Takasaki station
9:30～10:40　Departure and move to Echigo-Yuzawa with observation of the drastic wearther change (if it will be sunny in Kanto region.)
10:40～11:40　Arriving at Ishiuchi Maruyama ski resort and wearing ski tools
11:40～12:30　Warming up and ski lesson
12:30～13:15　Lunch (Enjoy the curry made of the gifts from the sea and the earth as local ingredients)
13:15～14:00　Lecture of topography and plate techtonics of the Muikamachi Basin,observation of snow
14:00～15:00　Ski and observationo of topography
15:00～15:30　Wrap up
15:30　　　　　Departure from Ishiuchi-Maruyama Ski Resort
15:30～17:30　Visting statur of Mitsugi Okamura and canotaph of victim of tunnel construction accident. Chemical analysis of hot spa water.
17:30　　　　　Arriving at Takasaki station

Remarks

  • Participants will be required to depart from Takasaki Station, as we will be observing weather changes across Mt. Tanigawa. Even if you are participating from Niigata Prefecture, please come to Takasaki Station.
  • Ski program at ski resorts will be conducted only within the Ishiuchi Maruyama Ski Resort management area for safety.