～The History of the Start of Skiing in Nagano～
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Tatsugo Ichikawa, who was the 17th chief priest of Myosenji Temple in Atago-machi, Iiyama, was a man of many talents. He was not only a priest, but also as an English and physical education teacher at Iiyama Middle School (now Iiyama High School), as well as a military officer.
In 1911, the Chief of Staff of the 13th Division in Takada in neighboring Niigata Prefecture called for participants for a ski training course. Ichikawa joined "Class B" of this course, where he learned skiing techniques directly from Major Theodor Edler von Lerch.
Ichikawa returned from Takada with a pair of skis for his school and another pair for himself. The very next morning, he put on his skis and glided down the grand approach (Daimon) of Myosenji Temple. This historic moment is the reason why the approach of Myosenji Temple is recognized as the birthplace of skiing in Nagano Prefecture.
Later, Hamataro Ogasaka and Eizo Imura began manufacturing skis. Ogasaka produced skis for organizations like the Forestry Office and post offices for practical and professional use. Meanwhile, Imura became the designated ski manufacturer for students from universities such as Waseda, Senshu, and Hosei. Together, they formed the core of ski production in Iiyama until World War II.
Fun Fact!
In the area around Iiyama City, Nagano Prefecture (the Oku-Shinano region), skis were actually used for winter mail delivery starting back in the Taisho era (1912–1926). As one of Japan's heaviest snowfall areas, delivering mail on foot in winter was incredibly difficult. Consequently, alongside the introduction of the technology, skis became a highly practical means of transportation.
In the early Taisho era, particularly in snowbound areas like Iiyama and the neighboring Sakae Village, skiing—often referred to at the time as "single-pole skiing" (Ippon-zue ski)—began to be adopted for mail delivery and transporting daily supplies. Postmen would shoulder heavy bags of mail and ski through deep snow for hundreds of meters, or even several kilometers, to make their deliveries. Skis quickly became rooted in the region as an indispensable tool for winter postal service.
