Blessed with fluffy, light, and high-quality snow, Japan’s ski resorts are among the world’s best snow resorts. Many people come from overseas for the finest powder snow.
You can enjoy various snow activities such as skiing and snowboarding, cross country skiing, snowmobiling, and snow rafting.
Ski resorts in Japan are full of facilities and services such as kid’s parks, so families with small children can feel at ease. You can enjoy winter sports as much as you want.
Hokkaido
Skiing, snowboarding, snow kart
Hoshino Resorts Tomamu
A ski area where you can enjoy the superb powder snow produced by the low temperatures unique to the Tomamu area in the inland of Hokkaido. Straddling 2 mountains, the Ski Area has 29 trails with 5 chair lifts and 1 gondola lift.
The limited-time Ice Village is a town of 3.2-hectare area lined with about 10 ice and snow domes. There are many facilities and activities, including Ice hotel, Ice Bar, Ice Chapel, and Ice Rink that you can enjoy only because of cold weather. The icy world, which can only be experienced in Tomamu, where the minimum temperature reaches minus 30 degrees Celsius, is fantastic.
Nagano Prefecture
Skiing, snowboarding
Ski Association of Nagano
Nagano is the best mountain resort in Japan, with 15 high mountains (3,000 meters above sea
level), and 29 beautiful mountains that are counted among the One Hundred Famous Japanese Mountains. The
nature of the mountains creates class A rivers (river managed by the national government) such as the
Tenryu River and Chikuma River that lead to the Pacific Ocean side and the Sea of Japan side and fertile
soil, and you can enjoy various types of hot springs from acidic to alkaline. The edibles of fresh alpine
crops and livestock products are also one of the many pleasures.
Various ski resorts representing Japan are located all over the prefecture, and snow activities are also
popular. It is a spot that attracts a lot of attention from overseas.
Hokkaido
Snow strider, slacklining in the snow
Urban Snow Sports Study Group
Sapporo City in Hokkaido, with a population of approximately two million and boasting more than six meters of snow, is attractive for its snow activity facilities including ski resorts, legacy facilities from the 1972 Sapporo Olympics, and great location within one hour from the city. Not only traditional sports such as skiing and snowboarding, but you can also enjoy urban snow sports, where sports that have the potential to become new winter sports leading to tourism are selected and a fusion of city and sports in winter is defined. In addition to snow strider and slacklining in the snow, you can also experience events such as komezori (sledding with a rice bag), yukiita snowboarding, and mini skiing.
Hokkaido
Cross country skiing
Sapporo Global Sports Commission
Cross country skiing (walking skiing) is a popular winter sport especially in Europe and
Canada. You ride on two skis that are thinner than those used when sliding down an ordinary ski slope
and glide on snow-covered plains on foot.
Taking advantage of the annual snowfall of six meters, parks all over Sapporo City have developed
walking ski trails. The Nakajima Park course, located in the center of Sapporo City, offers nighttime
events where you can experience walking skiing under fantastic illuminations.
Hokkaido
Sports Yukikaki
Japan Sports Yukikaki Association
Sports Yukikaki is a new ingenious competition in a snow country designed to help elderly
people who can no longer shovel snow by themselves. It sets rules for snow shoveling, which is tough and
hard work, so that everyone can enjoy it. Led by local junior high and high school students, the project
aims to enhance interaction with the elderly living in the community and revitalize the local community
by removing snow from residential roads used by the elderly.
At the World Sports Yukikaki Championship, warm homemade food is served every year, and even hungry
stomachs can be satisfied.
Niigata Prefecture
Snowball fight
Koide Snow Festival Executive Committee
Uonuma International Snowball Fight is a winter event held every February in Uonuma City,
Niigata. Since 1989, the event has been held more than 30 times under the leadership of the Koide Snow
Festival Executive Committee, aiming to utilize snow as a local resource under the banner of “the
birthplace of the snowball fight”.
The snowball fight is intended to be played with a sense of fun, and the players enjoy the snowball
fight using a koshiki, a playground tool unique to heavy snowfall areas. In addition, team members wear
matching costumes and perform to enliven the crowds.
