Discover some of Japan’s best ski resorts, not far from Tokyo! With four distinct seasons, Japan is not only proud of its spring cherry blossoms, but of its fluffy white snow, too! And Echigo-Yuzawa, a direct train ride from Tokyo, is home to two popular ski resorts perfect for discovering the pleasures of winter in Japan. Yuzawa Kogen Ski Resort and Ishiuchi Maruyama Ski Resort are winter havens for ski enthusiasts, but also fun for less sporty travelers, offering chances to experience Japan’s snow country through food, scenic gondola rides, and sightseeing!

Japan’s World-Class Skiing: It’s All About the Snow Quality

For beginner skiers, the very first lesson is learning how to fall properly! Just hearing that might sound painful and intimidating — but there’s actually no need to worry too much.

One of the key reasons Japan has become a ski destination admired even by Europe and North America is its unique snow quality, known as “Japan Powder” or even “Japow” — a term combining Japan and powder snow. Low temperatures and low moisture content in the snowfall create powder that is light, dry, and exceptionally soft.

In addition to world-famous powder snow regions such as Niseko in Hokkaido and Hakuba in Nagano, Echigo-Yuzawa in Niigata is also one of Japan’s representative powder snow areas. What sets it apart is that its powder snow carries just a hint of moisture, maintaining softness while providing a more stable snow surface — making it especially beginner-friendly for first-time skiers.

For travelers from subtropical regions like Taiwan, simply seeing snow is already a joy in itself. This is why many families visit Echigo-Yuzawa specifically to experience the magic of a winter wonderland. Whether you plan to ski or simply admire the snowy scenery, another major advantage of Echigo-Yuzawa is its exceptional accessibility. From Tokyo Station, the Shinkansen takes about 80 minutes to reach Echigo-Yuzawa directly. For travelers with limited time who still want a relaxed snow experience, this convenience is especially appealing. The two ski resorts particularly recommended in this guide — Yuzawa Kogen Ski Resort (湯沢高原スキー場) and Ishiuchi Maruyama Ski Resort (石打丸山スキー場) — are among the many resorts in the Yuzawa area that successfully meet the needs of skiing, scenic viewing, and family-friendly snow play all at once.

January to February is considered the golden period for experiencing Japow. If you want to personally feel the allure of world-class powder snow, now is the time!

Yuzawa Kogen Ski Resort: Family-Friendly Fun × Panoramic Mountain Views

Yuzawa Kogen Ski Resort offers much more than just skiing — it features a variety of facilities and services suitable for family travel. Even if you don’t ski, you can still effortlessly enjoy the magic of the winter snow world.

From the west exit of JR Echigo-Yuzawa Station, it’s about a 10-minute walk, or you can take a 5-minute shuttle bus from the east exit, passing through the hot spring town before arriving at the base of Yuzawa Kogen Ski Resort.From there, board one of the world’s largest gondolas, capable of carrying 166 passengers¹. In just about 7 minutes, you’ll reach the plateau area at an elevation of roughly 1,000 meters. As the gondola ascends, the scenery continuously transforms — pristine white slopes and majestic mountain ranges unfold one after another. Upon reaching the top, a vast silver-white landscape instantly fills your view./Now, let’s take a closer look at what makes this ski resort special!

^{1. When riding the gondola, one preschool-aged child (ages 4–6) may ride for free with each adult. Each additional child is charged at the preschool rate. Children aged 3 and under ride for free.}

Yuzawa Kogen Ski Resort (湯沢高原スキー場)
490 Yuzawa, Minamiuonuma-gun, Niigata
Ski Slopes Operating:
Dec. 13, 2025 – Apr. 5, 2026
Hours:
　Highland Ski Area: 8:30 – 17:00
　Ropeway: first departure 8:40 | final departure 16:20
| departs 3x hour at :00, :20, and :40
　Chair Lifts: 8:30 – 16:50
Official Website & Mountain Conditions｜Ticket Information｜Advance Booking via KKday²

^{2. Please be careful not to mistakenly purchase the discount tickets for Japanese residents, as they cannot be used by visiting travelers.}

More Than Just Skiing! Find Family Fun at the Snow Playground

“Isn’t skiing the whole point of coming to a ski resort? What else is there to do?” If that’s what you think, then you’re seriously underestimating this place. One of Yuzawa Kogen Ski Resort’s greatest appeals is that people of all ages can easily enjoy the snow country experience. The resort features a large snow play area known as the Snow Playground (ゆきあそびパーク) — an ideal spot for children experiencing snow for the first time, or for travelers who simply want to take photos and enjoy the snowy scenery at a relaxed pace./The Snow Playground offers a wide variety of activities, including sleds, snow tubing, and snow balance bikes. Most equipment can be borrowed free of charge, allowing everyone from young children to adults to enjoy themselves together. It’s an extremely popular area for family snow play./First, ride the covered, wind-shielded snow escalator to the top of the slope, then hop on a sled and slide all the way down — an exhilarating snow experience full of speed and fun. The escalator is also open to skis and snowboards, which is especially considerate for families and beginners, as there’s no need to carry heavy gear uphill repeatedly.

In addition, the park features various inflatable attractions that are especially popular. Even without skiing, visitors can freely play in the snow, making this a perfect winter destination for the entire family.

Travel Tip: The Snow Playground requires a separate admission ticket. If you’re planning to visit, we recommend purchasing a value bundle via KKday, which includes a round-trip gondola ticket plus Snow Playground access.

Warm, Comforting, Japanese Snow Country Cuisine

After a full round of snow play, hunger inevitably sets in. The highland area offers a variety of hearty, warming food options. Whether you stop by Kumo Cafe for a hot drink and take a break in the outdoor seating area while enjoying sweeping mountain views, or step into ALPINA, an Italian restaurant styled like an Alpine mountain lodge, to savor freshly made wood-fired pizza and desserts in a cozy indoor setting — both choices leave your winter journey with warm, unforgettable flavors.

Kumo Cafe
Hours: 9:30 – 16:00
*Cafe may close during severe weather or when gondola service is halted.
Seating: 8 indoor seats, 20 outdoor seats
Menu

Alpina
Hours: 10:00 – 15:30 (closed Tuesdays)
Seating: 80 indoor seats
Menu

Ishiuchi Maruyama Ski Resort: Convenient Ski Slopes × Cutting-Edge Lifts

If skiing is the main purpose of your trip, Ishiuchi Maruyama Ski Resort comes highly recommended. As one of Niigata’s long-established and representative ski resorts, it features a well-planned network of slopes categorized by difficulty. From beginners to advanced skiers, everyone can choose routes suited to their skill level, making it an ideal destination to fully focus on the joy of skiing./Access is equally convenient. From Echigo-Yuzawa Station, you can take a direct shuttle bus to the resort. If you’re coming from Yuzawa Kogen Ski Resort, you can also use the “Three Mountains Common Pass (Yuzawa Snow Link)”, which connects the two resorts and allows for flexible itinerary planning.

Ishiuchi Maruyama Ski Resort (石打丸山スキー場)
1699 Ishiuchi, Minamiuonuma, Niigata
Daytime Operations:
Dec. 19, 2025 – Apr. 5, 2026
| 8:30 – 17:00
Nighttime Operations:
daily from Dec. 27, 2025 to Feb 28, 2026 / Fri ~ Sat until Mar. 28
| 16:00 – 20:00
Official Website & Mountain Conditions｜Ticket Information｜Advance Booking via KKday

Unobstructed Views of the Minamiuonuma Mountains

To reach the summit from the base area, you’ll first take a gondola. The route connecting the base and mid-mountain areas is operated by the Sunrise Express (サンライズエクスプレス) — one of the world’s most advanced combined lift systems. This innovative design allows 10-person gondola cabins and 6-person chairlifts to operate on the same line simultaneously.This hybrid gondola-and-chairlift system is currently unique on Honshu, available only at Ishiuchi Maruyama Ski Resort. It not only significantly improves transportation efficiency but also offers riders greater flexibility in how they travel up the mountain.

Even if skiing isn’t your main objective, simply riding the lift slowly uphill while taking in the vast, awe-inspiring panorama of snow-covered mountains is enough to experience the grandeur and appeal of Ishiuchi Maruyama as a large-scale ski resort.

Try Night Skiing in Japan

In addition to daytime operations, the resort also offers night skiing. Compared to the often-crowded daytime hours, the slopes at night are noticeably less busy, allowing skiers to enjoy wider, more relaxed runs and fully immerse themselves in the rhythm of skiing.

Under the glow of lights, the snow-covered slopes take on a completely different atmosphere from daytime. Looking down, the twinkling lights of the hot spring town at the mountain’s base shimmer in the darkness, adding warmth and romance to the cold winter night. Whether you’re aiming to avoid crowds, improve the quality of your runs, or simply experience a different side of the ski resort’s scenery, night skiing can become a truly memorable highlight of your journey.

Niigata Restaurants with Scenic Views and Local Cuisine

From the base to the summit, the ski resort is home to a variety of restaurants, each with its own distinctive character. Among them, one especially recommended spot is the observation café “The Veranda Ishiuchi Maruyama”, located in the mid-mountain area, just a short walk from the Sunrise Express lift station./From the second-floor observation terrace, visitors can take in sweeping views of the Uonuma Plain and the Echigo Three Mountains. Nearby, several dome tents are set up on the snowfield. Simply order food to go, and you can enjoy piping-hot dishes inside the tents while gazing out at the expansive, silvery snow-covered landscape.

The Veranda Ishiuchi Maruyama (ザ・ヴェランダ石打丸山)
Operating Period: Dec. 19, 2025 – Apr. 5, 2026

Hours: 10:00 – 16:00

In addition, the restaurant Rokka (六華) offers dishes made with Minamiuonuma-grown Koshihikari rice, nurtured by Niigata’s pristine water sources, along with a selection of local sake and regional alcoholic beverages. Through taste alone, travelers can deeply experience the unique food culture of this snow country.
The restaurant serves both daytime and evening menus, allowing visitors to enjoy a satisfying meal right on site even after a full day of skiing.

Rokka (六華)
Operating Period: Dec. 19, 2025 – Apr. 5, 2026
Hours:
　Lunch: 11:00 – 15:00
　Dinner: 16:00 – 19:00 (only during night skiing hours)

An Easy Winter Getaway in Japan: Direct Trains from Tokyo to Echigo-Yuzawa

Thanks to its outstanding transportation convenience, Echigo-Yuzawa has become a highly popular winter travel destination. From Tokyo Station, taking the JR Joetsu Shinkansen brings you directly to Echigo-Yuzawa Station in about 80 minutes, making it easy to experience the charm of a true snow country just outside Tokyo. Compared with ski destinations such as Hakuba or Niseko, Echigo-Yuzawa is especially well-suited for short trips or first-time skiers, with virtually no barriers when it comes to itinerary planning.

As a foreign traveler, be sure to take advantage of the JR rail passes available exclusively to international visitors. For a quick snow country getaway, the 3-day JR Tokyo Wide Pass is highly recommended. If you plan to stay longer and explore areas around Niigata or Nagano, consider the 5-day JR East Pass (Nagano, Niigata Area). (After March 14, the Nagano–Niigata Area Pass will be merged with the Tohoku Area Pass; please check the official website for updated details.)The money you save on transportation can be put to good use on local cuisine and hot springs — make the most of those discounts!

Travel Tip: If you’re planning to travel on the Shinkansen with oversized luggage, don’t forget to reserve a designated seat with large-baggage space in advance. Those seats sell out first!

Enjoy Japan’s Winter Highlights in Echigo-Yuzawa

Departing straight from central Tokyo, Echigo-Yuzawa allows travelers to easily experience the allure of skiing, while also being a region renowned for its high-quality water sources. Rice, sake, and fresh produce nurtured by pristine water, along with hot spring facilities scattered throughout the area, are all unmissable highlights of the journey.It’s a comprehensive winter destination that satisfies every desire — playing in the snow, scenic views, gourmet experiences, and total relaxation. Whether it’s your first encounter with snowy landscapes or you’re looking to add more depth to your winter travels, Echigo-Yuzawa delivers a rich experience that goes far beyond expectations.

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