Ōkura-yama Ski Jump Stadium

Sapporo


This ski-jump slope was built on the side of Ōkura-yama for the Sapporo 1972 Winter Games. At 133.6m it's just slightly shorter than Sapporo TV Tower, with a 33-degree incline. What would it feel like to whiz down that? You can hazard a guess after taking the rickety old lift up to the top and staring down the slope. Keep that image in mind when you try the highly amusing computerised simulator in the museum below.

There are a few other simulators in the museum, as well as photos and equipment from the 1972 Games – which show just how far winter sports technology (and fashion!) has come in the last 45 years.

The stadium is actually still in use and if you're lucky, you might catch a practice session.

To reach Ōkura-yama, take the Tōzai subway line to Maruyama Kōen (円山公園), and then take exit 2 for the Maruyama bus terminal. Next, take bus 14 to Ōkurayama-kyōgijō-iriguchi (大倉山競技場入り口; ¥210, 15 minutes); from here, it's a 10-minute walk uphill to the stadium.


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