For my last ski trip of the season, I headed to a place I hadn’t really considered until recently. While shopping for a ski mask, I picked up a brochure for the Togakushi Ski Resort (also called Togakushi Ski Field or Togakushi Snow World). I read online that it was an old-fashioned, smaller resort off the beaten track, and I decided to keep it in reserve. With the good February weather continuing, it’s number came up. Access was straightforward, since I had been to Togakushi highland many times before. I had even crossed a part of the resort when hiking Mt Iizuna a few years ago. The Alpico bus company even sold a combined bus roundtrip / ski pass for 5500 yen. I had to choose between leaving at 6am or 7am. The weather forecast was cloudy in the morning with sun and blue skies arriving around 2pm, so I opted for the later departure. If the Japanese Meteorological Agency was right, I would get to see what Togakushi Kogen looked like in the winter.

Early afternoon view

Late afternoon view

It was a shock to see that it was snowing lightly when I arrived at Nagano station . There wasn’t much I could do about it, but since I had half an hour before the bus left, I decided to change into my warmer ski clothes inside the station. It continued to snow during the entire bus ride, and I was starting to feel pessimistic about the day’s prospects. I arrived at the ski resort at 11am and decided to have an early lunch at Charmant restaurant. Afterwards, I would get my gear from the rental shop on the second floor or the Guest House, since starting from noon, the day prices were 1000 yen cheaper. I got the cheese burger and fries, filling but not too heavy; a good thing, since I had a full afternoon of skiing ahead of me.

View of the North Alps from the panorama slope

Dramatic view of Mt Togakushi

It was still snowing when I took my first chairlift at 12h30. I had planned to head to the highest point of the resort, Mt Menou (1748m), but it was still in the clouds. Instead, I headed to the top of Mt Kenashi (1549m – no relation to the one in Nozawa Onsen). Most people seemed to be skiing the black slopes on the West side. I was more interested in the “Sweet” slope, a red that zigzagged through the forest on the South side. It felt like a blue, except for the hairpin curves – I had to be careful not to ski straight into the forest!

Skiing the Shakunage slope

A view you might get in the Swiss Alps

I then decided to try the black “panorama” slope, also on the south side. I found out why few people were skiing it – the top layer was frozen snow, and instead of biting into the slope, my skis skidded over them helplessly. Although it was still snowing gently, the weather was slowly improving, and I could now see the northern part of the North Alps ahead. I decided that it was about time to move to the other side of the resort.

View from the top of Mt Menou

Skiing the Menou slope

The sun was shining by the time I reached the top of Mt Menou. Opposite, I could see the jagged summit ridge of Mt Togakushi. To the right was the peak of Mt Takatsuma, a hundred famous mountain, its highest point popping through the clouds. I had climbed this peak twice, once in bad weather and once in good weather. As I skied down the “shakunage” slope (meaning rhododendron), I was awed by the dramatic views of the Togakushi mountains – it reminded me of skiing in the Swiss Alps.

The views were also great at the bottom of the resort

The black slopes of Mt Kenashi

The weather kept steadily improving during the afternoon, and eventually all the clouds disappeared from the surrounding mountains. Looking north, I could also see Mt Kurohime, with Mt Myoko visible just behind, Mt Hiuchi and Mt Yake. After enjoying the “shakunage” run a few more times, I made my way back to the base of the resort to return my skis. At 5pm I was back on the bus for Nagano station, and by 6h30 I was speeding back to Tokyo on the shinkansen.

See the views of the Togakushi Ski Resort

This was the only resort I knew well since I had skied there several times during my first years in Japan. Back then, the shinkansen ended at Nagano station, and I used to go there via overnight bus from Tokyo. Nowadays, Nozawa Onsen is just a short bus ride from Iiyama station on the Hokuriku shinkansen, and is included in the Welcome Japan JR East pass. I was curious to see how the resort had changed since my last visit about ten years ago. I knew for sure that the easier access had made it more crowed. The weather forecast was sunny blue skies but with unseasonably warm temperatures – about 12 °C at the base and 7 °C near the top. I was worried that the conditions wouldn’t really be suitable for skiing. However, I couldn’t resist the chance to check out the views, and also ski the “skyline”, one of the best slopes I’ve ever done in Japan.

Nozawa Onsen Village from near the end of the skyline

I was first in line for the Nozawa Onsen liner departing at 10am sharp. It took less than half an hour to reach the bus terminal in the middle of the village. Unlike other resorts, I had to catch a (free) shuttle bus to get to the rental shops and lifts. After renting my gear from Sports Thanx, I was finally ready to take the Nagazaka gondola up at 11h30. It felt late, but at least I knew which slopes I wanted to spend time on. First, I headed to the Yamabiko area, the highest part of the resort, and also the summit of Mt Kenashi (1650m) where I was sure to get the best views. Also, since it was such a fine day, I thought the snow condition would be better high up.

View of Niigata form the top of the Yamabiko area

Halfway down the “skyline”

There was a huge line for my second chairlift of the day. Apparently, everybody else had had the same idea! Regretfully, I decided to flee the top area and head straight for the “skyline” before it got crowded as well. The “skyline” is a long slope following a narrow ridgeline from the top of the resort down to the village, alternating steep and flat sections. It has unobstructed views of the entire valley which is why it is such a spectacular and popular run. Luckily for me, it was now lunchtime, and I had several sections entirely to myself. After going back up with the gondola, I descended towards the Uenotaira area and did the “Challenge” slope, a nice red, a few times in the sun.

Skiing an easier slope lower down the mountain

Skiing a more challenging slope higher up

It was now past 2pm, and time to get some lunch. I decided to try the pizza at the recently opened Yamabiko Rest House. There was no easy way back to the Yamabiko area, and I had to combine a gondola and two chairlifts. However at the second chairlift, I encountered another long line, meaning that I would not make it to the restaurant before closing time. Instead, I headed to Panorama House Buna, where, true to its name, I could sit outside and enjoy the panorama. I had an excellent mushroom curry, the house specialty. Straight ahead, and hazy in the afternoon sun, I could make out the majestic shape of Mt Myoko where I had been on my previous ski trip.

View from Panorama House Buna in the Uenotaira area

Riding the Hikage gondola

I almost wanted to spend the rest of the afternoon lounging in the sun, but I was worried about getting sunburnt; I also wanted to get some more skiing in before the end of the day. It was 3pm and I had less than two hours before the bus back. I did one more “Challenge” run, at a slower pace on a full stomach, and then headed back to the Yamabiko area to finish with the skyline. Once again, I wasn’t the only person with this idea. Fortunately, I had been conservative with my timing, and I could afford to hang around waiting for the slope to clear while enjoying the views. Despite the warm temperatures, the snow never got slushy and wet (except at the base of the gondola), and I just had to remove one layer of clothing to ski in comfort.

The Uenotaira course, half-way up the mountain

Back at the top for the last run of the day

After returning my skis, I decided to skip the shuttle, and walk to the bus terminal less than 15 minutes away. One of the attractive features of Nozawa Onsen is its village, a maze of streets lined with traditional houses, with several public bathhouses spread throughout. It looks especially beautiful in the winter under several meters of snow. Today, however, a lot of the snow had already melted, and the scenery wasn’t quite as charming as I had remembered. I skipped the hot bath so that I could claim a good seat on the bus. There was nearly an hour wait for the shinkansen back to Tokyo, and I hung out at the small cafe inside Iiyama station enjoying Nozawa Onsen craft beer.

See what it’s like to ski at Nozawa Onsen

Since the start of the season, this ski resort had been at the back of my mind as a potential day-trip. Famous for getting lots of snow and having a very long season, it’s nearly 200 km from Tokyo, and would be the furthest resort for me so far. Most people take a local train from Nagano station, about 30 kilometers south. Since I was using the Welcome Japan JR East rail pass, I decided to ride the shinkansen to the new Joetsu-Myoko station, 20 kilometers north; there, I would catch a bus for Akakura Onsen (赤倉温泉), part of the Myoko-Kogen Ski Resort. Although I needed to leave before 6am, I would arrive before 10am; for once, I would be able to hit the slopes early. The weather was supposed to be overcast in the morning, before turning sunny after lunchtime. I had climbed Mt Myoko (2454m) several years ago in thick mist, so I was looking forward to finally seeing the views from the slopes of a hundred famous mountain of Japan.

View from the top of the Akakura Kanko ski resort

At 8h30, I arrived at Joetsu-Myoko station in Japan’s snow country (“yukiguni“). There was over a meter of snow and little sprinklers placed on the roads were preventing them from freezing (see video). I boarded the bus outside the station, and arrived at Akakura Onsen at 9h30, just as the sun was coming out. I headed at once for Yukibancho rentals on the main street. Erika, from Australia I think, set me up with skis and boots; I appreciated the explanations about my gear, which I had never gotten before. As I was about to walk out of the store, I realised that I had mistakenly brought two left-hand gloves. Without hesitation, she lent me a pair for the day – I was glad I didn’t have to start my day with a shopping trip!

The start of the Akakura Onsen ski resort

First stop: the ski rental shop

The Akakura Onsen ski area was just a few minutes down the road. For an extra 1000 yen, I bought a combined ticket that included the neighbouring Akakura Kanko ski area. I then stepped onto a short moving belt that took me through a tunnel to my first chairlift of the day. I decided to move to Akakura Kanko (赤倉観光) as soon as possible, ski over there for a while, then move back to Akakura Onsen and finish the day there. I had learned from my Shiga Kogen experience that moving between areas inside the same resort can be confusing and time-consuming!

Still overcast in the morning…

…but starting to clear later in the day

I soon felt that Akakura Kanko was the better of the two areas. Not only did it have the resort’s sole gondola lift, it also had the highest lift and longest run. Getting to the highest point, however, required some maneuvering. First, I had to take the gondola; then ski down one third of the way to a chairlift; after that, ski down a few seconds to another chairlift that would finally take me to the top. After two hours of skiing, I stopped for lunch at Burnet, a kebab place right on the slopes. I was surprised to see a huge cone of meat behind the counter, and even more surprised to see the Japanese guy serving the food wearing a tall turban. I had a satisfying “kebaboo” with “caesar cream” topped with egg and tomato for 7oo yen.

A quick stop for lunch

Great weather in the afternoon

At 1pm, the sun had come fully out of the clouds, and I was ready to hit the slopes again. Now that the morning clouds had lifted, I was able to enjoy some amazing views. Northwards was the flat coastal plain of Niigata; westwards, I could see the mountains of the Joshin-Etsu Kogen National Park in the background, and Mt Madarao and lake Nojiri in the foreground; behind me, was Mt Myoko, one of the highest peaks of the Myoko-Togakushi Renzan National Park. I had been to the area several times before, but this was the first time I saw the snow-covered mountains in clear weather.

The Akakura Kanko hotel

The mountains of Joshin-Etsu

At 2h30, I dropped by the bakery at the Akakura Kanko hotel; there, I had an amazing chocolate “melon pan“, a type of sweet bun. I suddenly realised that it was already 3 pm, and I had less than an hour to catch the bus back. I had been having such a fun time skiing in the Kanko area that I hadn’t left any time for the other half of the resort. I crossed over, and managed one more run before it was time to return the skis. At 5pm, I was back at Joetsu-Myoko station, where I checked out their well-stocked Japanese sake shop while waiting for my high-speed ride back to Tokyo.

See what it is like to ski at Myoko Kogen

After my successful trip to Madarao Kogen Ski Resort, I decided to try something more ambitious. Shiga Kogen would be my largest ski resort so far (64 lifts, divided into 10 areas), as well as the highest. Access was via a winter-only express bus; as the last bus back was fairly early, I would only have five hours to explore this huge resort. I was wondering whether it would be worth it, but since the weather was supposed to be sunny all day, it made sense to go. For once, I could look forward to skiing many different slopes in one day in ideal conditions.

Looking down from the top of the Ichinose Family area

I arrived at Nagano station before 9am and headed directly to the bus stop outside the station. There was a small booth on the pavement where I could pay for my ticket (where do they sit in bad weather?) It was a beautiful blue-sky day, and as I waiting, the sun shining in my face, a long line formed behind me. During the 70-minute bus ride, I had fine views of the mountains of Togakushi Kogen on the left side, and Mt Kosha straight ahead (see video). We passed the entrance to the Jigokudani monkey snow park, and a little later, I saw a few monkeys enjoying the fine weather in the snow next to the road.

A beautiful day for skiing

Despite its high altitude, the resort is entirely below the tree line

I had reserved my skiing gear the day before with Alpina Sports inside Shiga Kogen Yama no Eki (志賀高原 山の駅); I got off there at 10:25, the bus continuing to Oku-Shiga at the top of the valley. The ski shop seemed brand new; the staff were super efficient: I had all my gear in less than 10 minutes. I could also buy my ski pass there, and I chose one for the entire area, 600 yen more than for the central area. It was impossible to visit the whole resort in 5 hours, but at least I could try. By 11am, I was ready to ski, and I headed towards the gondola next to the shop.

The northern half of the North Alps and Togakushi Kogen

View from the top of the Terakoya area

I was surprised that my first ride of the day was down instead of up. Apparently there was no way to ski down to the start of the central area. Luckily it was a short ride. From there, I decided to up the mountain to the higher areas, leaving the smaller and lower Sun Valley area for later. I was keen to see the views from the top of the resort before the afternoon haze set in. It me took one gondola and two chairlifts to reach the Terakoya (around 2100m) at noon. Incredibly, I had spent the first hour of my short skiing day just sitting on lifts!

Ichinose Diamond area on the other side of the valley

Looking north towards Niigata prefecture

There wasn’t a cloud in sight from the highest point of the central area (around 2100m). I could see the northern part of the North Alps, as well as Mt Iizuna, Mt Kurohime and Mt Myoko (also a ski resort). This was where I had ended my summer hike in Shiga Kogen last July but I could barely recognise it. I did a couple of short runs and then decided to stop for a quick lunch at Terakoya, a restaurant serving Japanese and Western dishes. I then skied along a blue connecting slope through the forest to the top of the Ichinose Family area.

Ski lift and ski slope at right angles

Matching ski wear on a chairlift to Higashi-Tateyama

From there, I had the most impressive view of the day: I could see most of the vast resort, spread over both sides of the valley. Since it was already past 1pm, I thought it would be better to continue to the opposite side (called Ichinose Diamond). Once there, I realised that I couldn’t just take a lift to the top, and then ski diagonally across the mountain; I had to follow the various lifts as they zigzagged across the mountain side. I found that Shiga Kogen was a hard resort to understand (and probably to explain); it made no difference whether I was looking at the map or looking around with my eyes.

In the center back, Mt Myoko

Mt Iwasuge, a mountain I hope to climb this summer

After making one such zig-zag, I reached the top of the Yakebitai area (around 2000m) at the end of a gondola lift. I was now outside the central area, and I was glad I had bought the all area pass. To my right, I could see the Oku-Shiga area, at the northern end of the resort. It was now 2pm – could I continue all the way there, and still make it back to the ski rental shop and bus stop by 4pm? after estimating that it would take at most one hour and a half to get back, I set off, skating at a brisk pace along the short connecting slope between the two areas.

Waiting to get on the gondola in the Yakebitai area

View from the top of the Oku-Shiga Kogen area

I was enjoying the amazing views of the mountains of the Joshin-Etsu Kogen National Park from the top of the Oku-Shiga Kogen Gondola, when I realised that it was already past 3pm. I quickly crossed back to the Yakebitai area and immediately skied down the Panorama course, stopping at several viewpoints on the way for some quick photos. Doing the zigzag in reverse, I eventually arrived at the road separating the Ichinose Diamond and Ichinose Family areas, halfway back to my starting point.

Top of the Oku-Shiga gondola

Few people on the slopes on this side of the mountain

This was where things suddenly went horribly wrong. I was unable to find the middle part of my next zigzag and had to ask a ski lift operator for directions. At the top of the lift, I discovered that I had dropped a glove while we were talking, and I had to ski back down to get it. I was starting to seriously fall behind schedule; there seemed to be no end to the zigzags. At 4pm, I was at the top of the Higashi-Tateyama area (2000m), mournfully looking down towards Yama no Eki five hundred meters below, where the last bus back to Nagano station was leaving in less than half an hour.

Riding the Ichinose quad lift

The classic Shiga Kogen view

Determined not to give up, I raced down the mountain, following a long winding blue slope. Ironically, this was the longest run of the entire day. I arrived at the final gondola with about 10 minutes to spare, only to see that it was stopped. It was an agonizing wait while it slowly started up again. I arrived at the rental shop with only 5 minutes to spare. I returned my gear in record time, thanks again to to the efficient staff, and collected my belongings from the coin locker at the back. The bus was waiting patiently outside – it was the starting point for the return – so I hopped aboard and settled in for the ride, relieved that I had made it back on time. Less than 2 hours later, I was seated comfortably on the shinkansen for the 90 minute ride back to Tokyo.

Check out the skiing conditions at Shiga Kogen Ski Resort

Over the years, I’ve done relatively little skiing in Japan. The resorts are quite small compared to Europe, and although the snow quality is great, the weather is usually horrible. So I decided to apply the same system I use for hiking: go by shinkansen on one day trips when the weather forecast is favourable. Thanks to the Tokyo Wide Pass, and the JR East Welcome Japan Pass, many resorts in Nagano, Niigata and the Tohoku region became easily accessible. One year ago, I had a great time skiing on Hunter Mountain in Tochigi. This year, I decided to return to a mountain I had climbed a few weeks ago. Getting to the Madarao Kogen Ski Resort seemed fairly straightforward: I would ride the shinkansen to Iiyama station in Nagano, and from there catch a shuttle bus to the resort. The weather forecast wasn’t great, but it wasn’t terrible either; I could even expect a little sunshine in the afternoon. Finally, the ski resort covered two sides of the mountain, so I was hoping that would be enough ski slopes to keep me busy the whole day.

View of the slopes from Madarao Kogen

I left Tokyo under clear blue skies. I had fantastic views of the mountains of northern Kanto, tipped in white. In Nagano, however, I was greeted by snow, mist and clouds. The weather seemed to be improving, but not quite fast enough. At least there seemed to be enough snow for skiing. After getting off at the new and compact Iiyama station (built in 2015), I headed straight for the bus stop. A nice lady came over and redirected me to a ticket vending machine inside the station which I had missed. My ticket bought, I went back to wait for the bus. As the snow flakes floated down before me, I wondered what the conditions were like up on the mountain.

View of Madarao Kogen from the slopes

I was amazed to see how much the landscape had changed in just two months, during the thirty minute bus ride to Madarao Kogen hotel. It was still snowing when I got off the bus, but it wasn’t windy and it didn’t feel too cold. This was good news since there were no gondolas here, only chairlifts. Visibility was good, except for the top of the mountain, hidden in the clouds. I was glad it wasn’t whiteout conditions, and I was optimistic about the weather improving later in the day.

Good conditions for skiing lower down

I wandered into the hotel to get cover from the snow, and stumbled upon their ski rental shop. Originally, I had planned to go to the rental shop next to the ski slopes just a little further away. However, seeing that this shop was deserted, I decided to save some time and get my gear here instead. The staff was helpful and efficient, and I had all my gear in a matter of minutes. They also allowed me to use the hotel’s changing room downstairs. Once I was ready, I headed to the ticket center, next to the Shirakaba restaurant.

Less good conditions for skiing higher up

I decided to buy the Mountain Pass, valid for the Madarao Kogen Ski Resort and Tangram (on the other side of the mountain), since it was only 500 yen more. If I returned it at the end of the day, I could get 500 yen back. At 11am, I was finally ready to start skiing. I put on my skis and skated towards the ski lift, and I was surprised that the slope went down instead of up. I then realised that Shirakaba (and Madarao Kogen Hotel next to it) was on a rise separated from Mt Madarao by a small valley. I had to ski down a short slope to reach the main chairlifts.

In the afternoon, the weather improved

I started with the Superquad lift which took me two thirds up the mountain. It was fast, and had a cover that shielded me from the cold. I used it a couple of times, and found that I preferred the right side slope for going down. Then, I headed to the Tangram side, where I had been hiking last November. I could either ride to the highest point of the the mountain and take a black down. I wasn’t too keen, as the top was still in the mist. Instead, I took lift #15 halfway up, and used a gentler blue (marked green on the maps) through the forest . I remembered walking along it, and it felt funny to be zipping by on skis.

Sunny conditions on the Tangram side

At 1h30, the sun suddenly came out and blue skies appeared overhead. I enjoyed nearly an hour of sunny skiing before the clouds charged back. Even though there were only four chairlifts (Madarao Kogen had 9), only one of them had a bar for resting the skis on. This is a curious thing about Japanese ski chairlifts: they almost never have that bar, so your legs are dangling in the air for the whole ride, which I find uncomfortable and dangerous. At 2h30, I made my way back to Madarao Kogen to have lunch. To avoid skiing a black in whiteout conditions, I used a blue to ski to the base of the resort. Oddly enough, it ended at the parking, and I had to skate a hundred meters over flat terrain to reach the lifts.

Mushroom & bacon Pizza at Aki’s Pub and Cafe

I had an excellent pizza at Aki’s Pub & Cafe. I had to use Google Maps to locate it, since it stood apart from other buildings halfway down the small slope between Shirakaba restaurant and Mt Madarao. At 3h30, I was back on the slopes. The clouds were still in although it wasn’t snowing anymore. I had one hour of skiing left, but it didn’t seem that the sun would return. I chose to stick to the Superquad for my last runs. At 4pm, as I stood at the top of the lift before the final run of the day, the clouds suddenly parted and I had a glorious view of the valley below, including Shiga Kogen opposite.

Great views at the end of the day

I now had the slopes entirely to myself as most people had already finished for the day. I took my time even though the ski patrol was on my heels, stopping here and there to take photos. I returned my rental gear at 4h30 after five hours of satisfactory skiing. I’ve always had problems with ski shoes, but, these ones were quite comfortable. I had a quick hot spring bath inside Madarao Kogen Hotel before catching the 17:20 bus back to Iiyama station, where I hopped on the shinkansen for the under two-hour trip back to Tokyo.

A little unusual – finishing the day going up

Check out the conditions at Madarao Kogen Ski Resort

Madarao Kogen Ski Resort at closing time