Skiing in Japan
Japan is one of the top destinations in the world for skiing and snowboarding for its varied terrain and the quality of the snow. Visitors can experience the outstanding sensation of floating in powder snow often referred as JAPOW. The ski season in Japan usually begins in December and lasts until April. There are Ski resorts in Nagano and Niigata are easily accessible from Tokyo and attracts many locals and international travelers.
Naeba
Located just in 2.5 hours within Tokyo, Naeba Ski Resort attracts visitors with its impressive facilities and diverse terrain. The resort is part of the larger Mt. Naeba area, which includes the connected Kagura Ski Resort, accessible via the Dragondola, Japan's longest gondola lift. There is ski in/out hotel located just by the resort called Naeba Prince Hotel. The resort offers broad range of amenities including extensive spa and onsen facilities, restaurants that serve various menu, retail stores and snow school.
Karuizawa Prince Hotel Ski Resort
One of the easiest accessible resorts from Tokyo. You can reach Karuizawa station in about an hour by Shinkansen then free shuttle buses are available between Shinkansen station and the resort. Ski area usually opens as early as in November using snow machine. Perfect for a day trip from Tokyo or staying at ski in/out resort Karuizawa Prince Hotel is a smart choice too. Aside from skiing, many of the local attractions including an outlet mall or Onsen facilities near Karuizawa station in Karuizawa draws attentions from tourists.
Hakuba Valley
A world-class ski destination that offers 10 ski resorts in the area. Happo-One, the largest resort in the valley is with the highest run at 2,696m and spreading to 4 base areas, providing everything advanced skiers could want. The journey from Tokyo to Hakuba takes around 3-4 hours. It hosted 1998 Winter Olympic games and is often compared to Niseko for great snow. Hakuba attracts international tourists with hot springs, cultural experience with locals and even a chance to visit snow monkey park.
Nozawa Onsen
Nozawa Onsen, located in the northern edge of Nagano Prefecture, represents a beautiful mix of culture and world-class skiing. Nozawa Onsen Village, located at the foot of the ski resort is a historical town known for 13 public hot spring baths that can be used free of charge. The mountain is known as one of the highest snowfall areas in all Japan. As powder skiing rises popular, it attracts many guests to take advantage of the great snow conditions.
GALA Yuzawa
This ski resort offers exceptional convenience with its own dedicated Shinkansen (bullet train) station located about 70 mins away from Tokyo station. The station and gondola lift to the slopes are within the same building, providing the easy access for travelers and families. The resort is well suited to both beginners and intermediate skiers offering wide range of slopes from even a sledding slope to a 2.5 km downhill course. Perfect for a day trip from our hotel, taking less than 2 hours to visit.
