Shizukuishi
雫石町39°42′ N 140°59′ ETownPop. 15,589Tohoku
Shizukuishi suits skiers who want two quieter ski areas on the slopes of Mt. Iwate, 19 minutes from Morioka by train. The trade-off is a short season at Amihari, which runs from 19 December 2026 to 28 March 2027.
Photo 掬茶 · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 and others, credited in the gallery
Who should base here
Stay in Shizukuishi if you want to ski uncrowded slopes and keep Morioka's restaurants a short train ride away.
Shizukuishi is a farming town west of Morioka on the Tazawako Line and the Akita Shinkansen. Its two ski areas sit on the south-west flank of Mt. Iwate: Shizukuishi, beside the Shizukuishi Prince Hotel, and Amihari Onsen, with a day bathhouse called Yakushi-no-yu. Amihari plans to open on 19 December 2026 and close on 28 March 2027.
The town keeps busy outside winter too. The Prince Hotel's Shizukuishi Ginga Ropeway runs evening rides from April to early November for stargazing above the town's lights, and the Kakkonda Gorge turns in October. The town is promoting Shizukuishi beef, and the Anekko roadside station sells local produce.
Worth knowing
- Iwate Prefecture recorded about six times its usual number of bear sightings from January to March 2026, so check its bear page before walking in the woods round the ski areas.
- Show an Amihari season pass at Yakushi-no-yu for the day bathhouse's discount.
Quick answers about Shizukuishiよくある質問
When is Amihari Onsen ski area open in 2026/27?
The town lists 19 December 2026 to 28 March 2027 as the planned season.
How do you get to Shizukuishi from Morioka?
JR Tazawako Line trains take 19 minutes from Morioka to Shizukuishi for ¥350.
Is Shizukuishi a good place to stay?
Stay in Shizukuishi if you want to ski uncrowded slopes and keep Morioka's restaurants a short train ride away.
Within 12 km