Japan Ski Resorts

So, with over 100 ski resorts, why are only a handful talked about? The answer lies in the fact that Hokkaido is not the most mountainous part of Japan and in fact, only a handful of ski areas have peaks above 1000 metres, with many Hokkaido ski resorts being more accurately described as ski hills, reaching maximum heights of only a couple of hundred metres. This could be the best place in the world to ski or snowboard if you suffer from altitude sickness, or enjoy a sea view!

Niseko, Furano and Rusutsu benefit from Hokkaido’s outstanding powder snow conditions, and offer both elevation of around 1000 metres with a good number of courses, providing both the snow and the terrain needed to be a great ski holiday destination. Kiroro and Sapporo Teine each have 10 ski lifts, and while they offer outstanding off-piste powder, these resorts are arguably better visited on a day trip from a larger resort than as a primary destination (which is something Japan Ski Experience will be happy to arrange for you!).

What are the pros and cons of skiing in Hokkaido?

With the main disadvantages being the lack of big mountain terrain and the distance from Tokyo, the advantages of skiing and snowboarding in Hokkaido can be summed up as offering the chance to experience the best powder snow in the world across resorts which have developed world class infrastructure, stunning accommodation options and which are accessible to English speaking travellers. Epic Pass holders may want to head to Rusutsu, which is the first Hokkaido ski resort to accept the Epic pass.

There are many fantastic ski resorts in Nagano including Nozawa Onsen and Shiga Kogen, but the resort we have chosen to offer is Hakuba Valley which comprises 10 ski resorts (Jiigatake, Kashimayari, Sanosaka, Goryu, Hakuba 47, Happo One, Iwatake, Tsugaike, Norikura and Cortina). With its towering mountain peaks, together with excellent infrastructure and superb accommodation options, Hakuba Valley is a huge draw for international skiers and snowboarders. Just as Hakuba was the main host of the Winter Olympics some 25 years ago, it offers the best choice of any Nagano ski resort for holiday makers.

What are the pros and cons of skiing in Nagano?

While the snowfall in Nagano ski resorts is not as plentiful as ski resorts in Hokkaido, it is tricky to list this as a disadvantage since Nagano still offers better powder snow conditions than the vast majority of ski areas in the world. There are also plenty of advantages of Nagano skiing, which many rate as superior to Hokkaido. It is a vast region of towering mountains known as the Japanese Alps abundant in natural hot-springs and cultural heritage. The high altitude offered in this part of Japan gives rise to a huge amount and variety of ski terrain – from gentle beginner runs to steep and deep pitches. You can ski and snowboard some of Japan’s best ski resorts, and visit places like Matsumoto Castle, Nagano Zenkoji Temple, the Jigokudani snow monkey park and Nozawa Onsen Fire Festival while staying in Nagano. Epic Pass holders will love Hakuba Valley, as the Epic Pass can be used across all 10 ski resorts.

Ski Resorts Near Tokyo

Of the resorts we offer, Hakuba has the shortest transfer time from Tokyo as it can be accessed within about 3.5 hours by bullet train to Nagano followed by a local bus to Hakuba. If you have a few nights to spare, then it is more than worth the distance, with Hakuba Valley offering some of the most extensive terrain and most reliable snow conditions of any ski area on mainland Japan.

If you would like to find the ski resorts closest to Tokyo, then it may be tempting to look at neighbouring prefectures on the Japan ski resorts map. Sayama ski resort in Saitama is the closest ski area’ located only 40 minutes away from Ikebukuro. It is an indoor resort which may be worth a visit if you are learning your first turns. Neighbouring Yamanashi Prefecture offers the ski resorts of Kamui Misaka and Fujiten Snow Resort each with about 200 m of vertical ski runs and 4 lifts.

But if you want to experience real Japan ski resorts from Tokyo you should head slightly further afield to the area of Yuzawa in Niigata prefecture, otherwise known as ‘snow country’. Luckily, thanks to the superb Japanese bullet train system, this area is extremely accessible and is by far the best option for a day or two of skiing or snowboarding from Tokyo. The Joetsu Shinkansen connects skiers and snowboarders from Tokyo to Yuzawa quickly and easily. Gala Yuzawa Snow Resort is especially popular with Tokyo dwellers due to the fact that it has its own bullet train stop which can be accessed within 90 minutes from central Tokyo on the Tanigawa Express. For this reason however, Gala can also be more crowded than other Yuzawa ski resorts.

As well as the Tanigawa Express, the Joetsu Shinkansen line offers the Toki Express to Echigo Yuzawa which can take as little as 74 minutes from Tokyo / 69 minutes from Ueno, and from here it is a very short transfer to several excellent Yuzawa ski resorts. Ishiuchi Maruyama provides a fantastic alternative to Gala with far fewer crowds and is located just a 10 minute taxi ride from Echigo Yuzawa bullet train stop. If you have the option of travelling 20 to 30 minutes from Yuzawa town, Naeba and Kagura ski resorts offer vast terrain, breathtaking scenery and fantastic snow conditions.