Indoor skiing and snow park near Tokyo

Recently my 13 and 12 year old children wanted to go skiing. However, for various reasons, it wasn't a good time for 'the big journey' to the nearest snow slopes and all the hassle that involves.  We are in Saitama, where there is no snow, never mind slopes. But we do actually have a fake skiing ground in Tokorozawa; Sayama Indoor Skiing Ground. So, we decided to go there for the first time in years. We hadn't been since they renovated it in 2020 and we were quite happy with it, but it doesn't have a patch on the real thing.

Sayama Indoor Skiing Ground

Sayama Indoor Skiing Ground is conveniently close to Seibu Kyūjōmae station, which is on the Leo Liner Yamaguchi Line. Located in Tokorozawa, it is just over the border from Tokyo. It is a very popular place as it is one of the closest places to Tokyo for snow fun (albeit fake snow). However, there is just one slope and its not that big. On a busy day, it is hard for beginners to practise as advance skiers and snowboarders whizz down the slopes. They do have classes for beginners though, which by all accounts are very popular.

Although, it is (semi) indoors, it only opens seasonally - from November to March. For this season it is open until March 26th 2023. It reopens in the summer as an indoor slider park! During the season, it is open daily. The base hours are 10 am to 9 pm, but it opens later on weekends. 

Snow Park

Since they reopened in 2020 the complex has a small, but engaging snow park. My 8 year old and 10 year, played happily in the snow park all day. Apart from having toys that you can use in the snow, there are three bouncy castles. One of which is particularly large with a challenge course inside it. They also had several events on during the day that children can participate in. For example, snow fights, sledge fun and a sumo event that seems to be particularly popular! 

Facilities

You can rent skis and snowboards, as well as boots and even ski wear. You don't need to have proper ski wear to play in the snow park, but it is recommended for the slope. Rental equipment starts from 1000 yen for snow trousers to 4500 yen for a full snow wear set (with snowboard / skis).

Rather than a lift, Sayama Ski Ground has a snow escalator, which is easy for children to use. There are lockers to store your gear, at a nominal fee. The large 500 yen lockers fit belongings for the three in our family who were skiing. There are three 'kitchen cars' (food vans) and about a half dozen vending machines. They are all very expensive, but you can bring in your own food and drink too. There is a cafe on the second floor, but its currently not in operation.

The two things that were most lacking in my opinion, was sufficient seating areas and toilets! We had to wait about half an hour to get somewhere to sit to eat our lunch, which we had purchased from a food van. So it actually turned out quite well that we had to wait about 30 minutes to get our food - about 15 minutes queuing to order the food and then the same again for it to be ready! 

The day we visited, a Sunday, there was no queue to pay when we arrived, but we had seen on Twitter that there had been a queue earlier that morning. But there was still a queue to get rent snow wear when we arrived. Thankfully, as two of my kids were just playing in the snow park, I didn't have to queue as I went straight with them to the snow park. My husband queued about half an hour with the other two to get the rental wear. 

They currently request you wear a mask, although the slope area is not 100% indoors - the sides are open. However, there were two adults not wearing masks the whole time we were there and nobody said anything to them. They had a thermometer by the door as you enter so you can take your temperature, but they aren't forcing people to take it. And judging by the crowds, they are not limiting the number of people they let in at the moment either.

It is a very convenient location and we will definitely go again, particularly for the snow park, but nothing beats the real deal. I would choose a ski park with real snow over an indoor fake snow slope if time and circumstances allowed.