The Okurayama-Schanze that was used in the Olympics
The Okurayama-Schanze was the ski jump platform that was used for the 90m jump when the Winter Olympics were held in Sapporo in 1972. Currently, many international competitions are still held there, and not only is it an active jump facility, but it also has modern equipment to handle summer jumps and night jumps. For those folks who knew about the Olympics back then, it must be a place that brings back a lot of memories. And even for those tourists who didn’t know, it is also a place where you can sample the tension and the thrills. The facility is open to the public when there are no events or training, and you can get up to the summit by using the pair lift. The stadium is a place where you can experience the spectacular height that can only be climbed to be believed and the wonderful view.
The view from the observation lounge
Once you reach the summit by lift, you will reach the Okurayama Observation Platform and Lounge. From the lounge, you can view the beautiful and wide city of Sapporo and then the Ishikari Plain where Ishikari Bay spreads out. The view is also great to see Hokkaido University, Sapporo Dome and Odori Park in one fell swoop. You can also see the mountains whose expressions change with the seasons. Then when you go upstairs from the lounge, there is the observation platform at 300 meters height where you can get that grand panoramic view. At the lounge, soft-serve ice cream and coffee are served and you can catch that short breather there. The building consists of the 1st-floor waiting room for the athletes, the 2nd-floor lounge and then the 3rd-floor observation platform. Incidentally, even from the 2-person lift heading for the lounge, you can see the streets of Sapporo. And since the lift makes the climb while cutting across the jump, you can experience both the sense of height and presence.