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Naeba Ski Resort

One of the largest ski resorts in Japan, Naeba is known for its dry, high-quality snow. Its wide variety of courses, which have also hosted World Cup races, can be enjoyed by everyone from beginners to advanced skiers. The 4 km downhill course is truly spectacular.

• Niigata
• Outdoors

When the weather is good and the snow conditions are beautiful, you really don't want to stop skiing at Naeba. Especially when you're carving smoothly down the slopes—even when your thighs start giving out, you still think, "Just one last run!" Then you end up doing several more.

Kagura Ski Resort

Located in Yuzawa, Minamiuonuma District, Niigata Prefecture, Kagura Ski Resort is a vast resort divided into three areas: Kagura, Mitsumata, and Tashiro. It offers runs up to 6,000 meters long, with a total of 30 courses. The resort is known for its abundant snowfall, with an average snow depth of around 350 cm throughout the season.

• Niigata
• Outdoors

Moving from Mitsumata to Kagura and then on to Tashiro, the terrain, slopes, and scenery keep changing. Instead of repeatedly taking the same lift and skiing the same run, you can spend the whole day cruising around, which is very appealing to people who enjoy exploring a ski resort.
Its biggest drawback actually comes from how large it is. Traveling between the three areas takes a lot of time. If you enter through Mitsumata in the morning and want to ski all the way to Tashiro and back, you can't just focus on skiing—you definitely need to keep an eye on the lift times in the afternoon. Missing a key lift can cause a lot of trouble.
Also, Kagura isn't the kind of modern ski resort with highly efficient lifts where you can keep doing laps. The areas are spread out and require many transfers, and popular lifts may have lines on weekends. Some runs in Tashiro are also relatively flat, so snowboarders in particular may find themselves thinking, "Why do I have to keep my speed up again?" Visitor reviews mention similar issues with holiday lines.