Yuzawa

Japan

Naspa Ski Area Yuzawa (湯沢) is in Niigata prefecture and the most convenient ski resort town in Japan.

The canonical backwoods hot spring and skiing resort, Nobel prize winner Yasunari Kawabata's classic novel Snow Country (雪国 Yukiguni, see box) takes place in Yuzawa. Or so the Yuzawans claim; to be quite strict, the novel never mentions the name of its setting, but Kawabata wrote the novel while staying in Yuzawa so perhaps it's not too big a leap to make.

Iwappara Ski area

  • Gala Yuzawa Snow Resort, +81 25-785-6543. Gala Yuwaza is a ski resort with 15 runs and nine lifts.Gala Yuwaza has a respectable dining area and a spa (Onsen & unisex swimming pool, so take your bathing suit) for soaking after skiing. One-day lift ticket, ¥4300 adults/¥2100 children; one-day rental of skis, poles and boots, ¥4800 adults/¥1500 children.
    • JR East actively promotes Gala Yuzawa: The Gala One-Day Ticket includes a round-trip on the bullet train between Tokyo and Gala Yuzawa, round-trip lift ticket and a 20% discount off of ski equipment rentals. This ticket permits departure from/return to any JR station within the 23 wards of Tokyo, connecting to the bullet train enroute. Adults ¥11900/Child ¥6500 for ordinary class travel on weekdays; the price is higher on weekends and during the New Year's Holiday, and lower during the off-peak. Foreigners who purchase this ticket will receive gifts at the Gala Yuzawa resort as part of a tourism promotion campaign. Holders of the JR East Rail Pass can purchase a special Snow Play Set Ticket for ¥1000, which includes a round-trip lift ticket, and rental of a cap, gloves, boots and a sled for one day. The trip on the bullet train is, of course, fully covered by the rail pass.
  • Ipponsugi, 2511-1 Yuzawa Yuzawa-machi, Minamiuonuma-gun Niigata-ken.
  • Iwa-ppara Ski Resort, 731-79 Tsuchitaru Yuzawa-machi Minamiuonuma-gun Niigata (Shuttle services are available for transportation from Echigo-Yuzawa Station.. One-day lift ticket:¥4000 Adults(over12)/¥3000 Senior(over55)/¥2500 Junior/¥1000 Child.
  • Kagura Ski Resort.
  • Kandatsu Kogen Ski Resorts, 4121-1 Kandatsu Yuzawa-machi Minamiuonuma-gun (Free shuttle services are available from Echigo-Yuzawa Station. One-day lift ticket:¥4200 Adults(over12)/¥3500 Senior(over55)/¥3200 Junior.
  • Naeba Ski Resort, Mikuni Yuzawa-machi Minamiuonuma-gun Niigata (50 minutes by bus from Echigo Yuzawa Station, +81 25-789-2211.
  • NASPA Ski Garden, Yuzawa 2117-9 Yuzawa-machi, Minamiuonuma-gun Niigata-ken (Regular shuttle buses run from Echigo Yuzawa Station. The resorts courses range from very easy gentle slopes - suitable for small children and beginners - to the very steep and difficult, complete with three steep mogul courses. One-day lift ticket and lunch, ¥4300 Adults(over12)/¥3300 children/¥14400 Family(2 Adults and 2 Children).
  • Yuzawa Nakazato Ski Resort, Tsuchitaru Yuzawa-machi Minamiuonuma-gun Niigata.
  • Yuzawa Kogen.
  • Yuzawa Park Ski Resort.
  • Ishiuchi is a ski resort area adjacent to Echigo-Yuzawa, easily accessible by Shinkansen (Bullet Train) from Tokyo.

Gala Yuzawa Snow Resort, +81 25-785-6543. Gala Yuwaza is a ski resort with 15 runs and nine lifts.Gala Yuwaza has a respectable dining area and a spa (Onsen & unisex swimming pool, so take your bathing suit) for soaking after skiing. One-day lift ticket, ¥4300 adults/¥2100 children; one-day rental of skis, poles and boots, ¥4800 adults/¥1500 children.

  • JR East actively promotes Gala Yuzawa: The Gala One-Day Ticket includes a round-trip on the bullet train between Tokyo and Gala Yuzawa, round-trip lift ticket and a 20% discount off of ski equipment rentals. This ticket permits departure from/return to any JR station within the 23 wards of Tokyo, connecting to the bullet train enroute. Adults ¥11900/Child ¥6500 for ordinary class travel on weekdays; the price is higher on weekends and during the New Year's Holiday, and lower during the off-peak. Foreigners who purchase this ticket will receive gifts at the Gala Yuzawa resort as part of a tourism promotion campaign. Holders of the JR East Rail Pass can purchase a special Snow Play Set Ticket for ¥1000, which includes a round-trip lift ticket, and rental of a cap, gloves, boots and a sled for one day. The trip on the bullet train is, of course, fully covered by the rail pass.

Ipponsugi, 2511-1 Yuzawa Yuzawa-machi, Minamiuonuma-gun Niigata-ken.

Iwa-ppara Ski Resort, 731-79 Tsuchitaru Yuzawa-machi Minamiuonuma-gun Niigata (Shuttle services are available for transportation from Echigo-Yuzawa Station.. One-day lift ticket:¥4000 Adults(over12)/¥3000 Senior(over55)/¥2500 Junior/¥1000 Child.

Kagura Ski Resort.

Kandatsu Kogen Ski Resorts, 4121-1 Kandatsu Yuzawa-machi Minamiuonuma-gun (Free shuttle services are available from Echigo-Yuzawa Station. One-day lift ticket:¥4200 Adults(over12)/¥3500 Senior(over55)/¥3200 Junior.

Naeba Ski Resort, Mikuni Yuzawa-machi Minamiuonuma-gun Niigata (50 minutes by bus from Echigo Yuzawa Station, +81 25-789-2211.

NASPA Ski Garden, Yuzawa 2117-9 Yuzawa-machi, Minamiuonuma-gun Niigata-ken (Regular shuttle buses run from Echigo Yuzawa Station. The resorts courses range from very easy gentle slopes - suitable for small children and beginners - to the very steep and difficult, complete with three steep mogul courses. One-day lift ticket and lunch, ¥4300 Adults(over12)/¥3300 children/¥14400 Family(2 Adults and 2 Children).

Yuzawa Nakazato Ski Resort, Tsuchitaru Yuzawa-machi Minamiuonuma-gun Niigata.

Yuzawa Kogen.

Yuzawa Park Ski Resort.

Ishiuchi is a ski resort area adjacent to Echigo-Yuzawa, easily accessible by Shinkansen (Bullet Train) from Tokyo.

  • Sake Museum Ponshu-kan. Ponshu-kan, enjoy different varieties of sake tasting. In the storeroom more than 100 varieties of sake are on display at a temperature of 15 degrees. You can also take a dip in a bath of sake next-door

Sake Museum Ponshu-kan. Ponshu-kan, enjoy different varieties of sake tasting. In the storeroom more than 100 varieties of sake are on display at a temperature of 15 degrees. You can also take a dip in a bath of sake next-door

  • There is a great food court at the base station of the central ski resort. Lunch at Yuzawa Gogen is one of the good choice. Taking the Ropeway at Yen 1200.

There is a great food court at the base station of the central ski resort. Lunch at Yuzawa Gogen is one of the good choice. Taking the Ropeway at Yen 1200.

  • Yuzawa Town Tourist Association, Kandatsu 300,Yuzawa Town,Niigata,Japan, +81-25-785-5505.

Yuzawa Town Tourist Association, Kandatsu 300,Yuzawa Town,Niigata,Japan, +81-25-785-5505.