Two additional Japanese ski resorts – Kandatsu Kogen Ski Resorts and Mineyama Kogen Resort White Peak – have opted for the cutting-edge access system of the Salzburg-based innovation leader. Last autumn, both projects were completed on time for the 17/18 season.

Since the 1930s, skiing in Japan has developed from a means of transportation to an attractive leisure activity. Austria, in the person of Hannes Schneider, played a formative role from the start. Skiing and Austria has always been an export hit. Austria is also a world leader when it comes to technology – be it ropeway management, ticketing or access management. With Axess AG, Japanese ski resorts rely on the global innovation leader with state-of-the-art "100% Made in Austria" access systems.

Mineyama – First Japanese Ski Resort Opened in the Last 14 Years

There are some 500 ski resorts in Japan. However, no new ski resort has been opened for 14 years. In the Mineyama region, north of Kyoto and Osaka, the Mineyama Kogen Resort - White Peak ski resort of the same name has now been completed and will launch operations in the 2017/18 season. The small family-friendly ski resort with two lifts and three slopes have opted for the Axess high-quality ticketing and access system. Five Axess Smart Gate NG have been delivered – a reliable gate designed for the most adverse weather conditions that function perfectly even after millions of opening and closing operations. Thanks to its modular design, it can be upgraded and retrofitted at any time, offering operators a high level of investment security. In the version with long-range antenna, skiers also enjoy the convenience of "hands-free ticket control". Axess has supplied four Axess Smart POS systems for ticket sales.

Refurbishment in Kandatsu

The Kandatsu Kogen Ski Resort has also been upgraded for the 17/18 season. Located about 50 km as the crow flies from Nagano in Niigata Prefecture, it boasts 6 lifts and 14 slopes, making it one of Japan’s medium-sized ski resorts. The ski resort is very popular because it is nestled in a natural mountain basin, offers best snowfall and excellent skiing conditions. Axess has supplied a total of 18 Axess Smart Gate NG and five Axess SMART POS cash registers, as well as an interface for online ticketing. It is the first access control system to be installed in Kandatsu, as manual ticket control was previously used here. The first season with the new Axess system was crowned with complete success with around 204,000 visitors and smooth operation of the access system.