Myōkōkōgen (妙高高原町; -machi) was a town located in Nakakubiki District, Niigata, Japan.
In 1916, Myōkō Kōgen became nationally famous when it came first in a vote taken to find the most popular summer resort in Japan.
The area is dominated by 'Hokushingogaku' - a spectacular series of five mountains (Madarao, Myōkō, Kurohime, Togakushi and Iizuna) that make up the border of Nagano and Niigata prefectures. Mt. Myoko 妙高山 is listed as one of the hundred most famous mountains in Japan with its summit recorded as 2,454 meters above sea level.
As of 2003[update], the town had an estimated population of 6,234 and a density of 48.49 persons per km². The total area was 128.57 km².
On April 1, 2005 Myōkōkōgen was merged with the village of Myōkō, from Nakakubiki District, and the old city of Arai to become Myōkō City.
Myōkō Kōgen is famed for its ski resorts which were founded in the 1930s - making it one of the oldest established ski areas in the world. It is also a traditional mountain retreat of Japan's imperial family. The Myōkō Kōgen Ski Area is made up of nine main mountain resorts: Myōkō Akakura, Ikenotaira Onsen, Myōkō Suginohara (which boasts the longest ski run in Japan), Seki Onsen, Kyukamura, Myōkō Ski Park, APA resort Myōkō Pine Valley, Madarao Kogen and Tangram Ski Circus.[1]
Myōkō Kōgen is also well known for its many local onsen (hot springs) emanating from the Jigoku-dani valley between Mt. Myoko and Mt. Mae [2]