Not Just Niseko!!

Niseko is famous for a reason — but it is one corner of one island. Japan has 655 ski resorts in our guide, spread across 37 prefectures: Olympic mountains in Hakuba, the giant linked slopes of Shiga Kogen, onsen ski towns like Nozawa and Zao, and hundreds of small local hills that most international visitors never find. This guide exists to spread skiers out — browse by region and find the Japan that Japanese skiers know.

Find ski resorts in Japan by region

Not Just Niseko: where else should you ski?

Start with these areas — each one rivals the famous names for snow, terrain or atmosphere, with fewer people and lower prices:

Shiga Kogen

30 resorts · Nagano

Hakuba Valley

8 resorts · Nagano

Nozawa Onsen

1 resorts · Nagano

Myoko

7 resorts · Niigata

Kiroro

1 resorts · Hokkaido

Rusutsu

1 resorts · Hokkaido

Appi Kogen

1 resorts · Iwate

Yuzawa & Minami-Uonuma

19 resorts · Niigata

Zao Onsen

2 resorts · Yamagata

Furano

1 resorts · Hokkaido

Bandai & Inawashiro

11 resorts · Fukushima

Read the full guide: Beyond Niseko — great Japanese ski resorts most visitors miss

Popular ski areas

Ski Japan articles

• Japan Ski Season: When Is the Best Time to Ski in Japan?
• Japow: Why Japan's Powder Snow Is World-Famous
• Beyond Niseko: Great Japanese Ski Resorts Most Visitors Miss
• Ski Resorts Near Tokyo: The Best Slopes You Can Reach by Train
• Beginner & Family Ski Resorts in Japan: Where to Learn
• Ski & Onsen: Japanese Ski Resorts Where You Can Soak After Skiing

All prefectures