Best Ski Resorts Near Tokyo for Weekend Powder Trips
Powder missions you can do in 48 hours
Tokyo makes the ultimate powder launchpad. With high-speed trains, efficient buses, and rental cars that actually start in sub-zero, you can wake up in the city and be stacking turns before most people hit their second coffee. The trick is picking mountains that deliver when the storm line drifts south.
This guide is built for quick strikes — leave after work, ride hard for two days, slide back into the city with tired legs and a grin. We’ve prioritised resorts with reliable snowfall, real vertical, and logistics that don’t eat your weekend. Plenty of these hills also have night skiing so you can pad the clock.
There’s something here for every style of rider. Want steep and wild terrain when the window opens? Go big. Want mileage and corduroy with friends who are warming to powder? Go wide. Pack smart, watch the radar, and let the bullet train do the heavy lifting.
At a glance
For fast city-to-snow missions, go GALA Yuzawa (Shinkansen to gondola), Kagura (high, cold snow) or Kandatsu (long hours). Chasing storms and preserved snow quality points you to Kagura, Mt. T when the wind allows, and high-elevation Shiga Kogen. If you want mileage and night sessions, pick Ishiuchi Maruyama, Joetsu Kokusai, or Kandatsu; for walkable village vibes choose Nozawa Onsen or Naeba. Gunma with a bit more bite is White World Oze Iwakura and Mt. T; mixed-ability crews are best served by Joetsu Kokusai, Naeba, or Shiga Kogen.
OnsenTrain-to-liftsFreeride / Trees (guided)Storm MagnetBackcountry (guided)High, snowy, and made for weekend strike missions
Kagura is the powder rider’s Yuzawa ace — high elevation, good exposure, and a lift system that gets you into quality snow quickly. The Mitsumata and Tashiro zones give you long, leg-burning cruisers between storms; on refills, you’ll find playful pitches and designated zones that hold soft turns well beyond first bell. It skis bigger than it looks thanks to clever traverses and sneaky fall-line shots. Base in Echigo-Yuzawa for easy trains, plentiful rentals, and budget eats, then bus or drive to first lifts. When the tap is on, few “near Tokyo” options keep snow this cold, this long. It’s the reliable pick when your crew wants to bet the weekend on powder.
1225mVertical drop
18Total lifts
Night skiing
OnsenFreeride / Trees (guided)Storm MagnetRemoteBackcountry (guided)Steep, deep, and worth the weather window
Rebranded as Mt. T, this mountain is the connoisseur’s choice — a fast gondola into big-mountain feel when the rope drops and the wind behaves. Expect proper pitches, rollovers that demand attention, and storm days that stack quickly. It’s not a park-and-cruise family hill; it’s an advanced rider’s playground where terrain takes the headline. The Minakami base area keeps costs in check with simple pensions and easy food options, and there are onsens everywhere to unkink the legs. Watch wind forecasts, pick your moment, and you’ll score lines that feel a world away from the city clock.
750mVertical drop
4Total lifts
0Night skiing
OnsenTrain-to-liftsTerrain parkVillage hang-outsShinkansen to gondola — the purest Tokyo powder hack
Nowhere distils the Tokyo-to-turns pipeline like GALA. Step off the Shinkansen in your boots, collect rentals in-station if you need them, and ride the gondola straight to snow. The upper bowls are perfect for confidence-building powder turns, while groomers run wide and consistent for mileage. When storms hit, you can chase wind-drift and side pockets all morning, then link across to neighbouring areas if inter-resort connections are running. It’s the ultimate “I only have one day” mountain — or a strong anchor day in a Yuzawa double-header with Kandatsu, Ishiuchi, or Kagura.
800mVertical drop
11Total lifts
0Night skiing
Train-to-liftsTerrain parkNight skiingVillage hang-outsLong hours and fall-line fun on repeat
Kandatsu is the time-on-snow specialist. Generous operating hours and tidy, consistent fall-line groomers make it easy to rack up runs. On stormy northerlies, the surface resets often; between systems, aspect and grooming keep it lively. Being minutes from Echigo-Yuzawa means train-to-lifts weekends are simple — stash your bag, ride all day, onsen, ramen, train home. The park crew sets a clean progression line for freestyle-curious riders, and the vibe is upbeat without the stress. Pair it with GALA or Kagura for a two-resort blitz.
480mVertical drop
7Total lifts
Night skiing
Train-to-liftsTerrain parkNight skiingVillage hang-outsWide-open cruisers with pockets of powder
Ishiuchi kisses the Yuzawa ridgeline and skis bigger than the first impression suggests. The middle and upper faces serve up broad groomers where you can lean the edges and fly, plus spur lines that collect soft snow when the wind plays ball. Night skiing adds a bonus session to your weekend — crisp surfaces and pretty valley views. With multiple base areas, restaurants, and quick bus links from Echigo-Yuzawa, it’s easy to stage a low-friction day here even with a mixed-ability crew. When conditions line up, it’s quietly one of the most satisfying near-Tokyo resorts to lap.
665mVertical drop
11Total lifts
Night skiing
OnsenTrain-to-liftsNight skiingVillage hang-outsMiles of terrain and an old-school ski town feel
Joetsu Kokusai sprawls — in a good way. It’s a network of long pistes, rolling benches, and varied aspects that let you chase quality throughout the day. Intermediates can cover serious ground; advanced riders can sniff out wind-loaded edges and mellow tree lines when it’s dumping. The value proposition is strong: quick train access to the valley, plenty of budget beds, and cafeteria classics that fuel big days without big spending. Add night skiing and you’ve got a weekend that feels longer than the calendar says.
820mVertical drop
14Total lifts
Night skiing
Ski-in / Ski-outTrain-to-liftsTerrain parkNight skiingVillage hang-outsBig resort energy, quick access from the city
Naeba brings scale — long boulevards for carving, pockets of steeper terrain, and a lively base scene that wakes up on weekends. Lodging ranges from ski-in/ski-out to simple pensions down the road, and buses from Echigo-Yuzawa make car-free trips realistic. On powder mornings, work the side pitches and gullies off the main chairs before fanning out; on bluebird, go full mileage mode. It’s a strong choice for mixed crews who want a “destination” vibe without burning the full week.
889mVertical drop
11Total lifts
Night skiing
OnsenTrain-to-liftsNight skiingVillage hang-outsPowder, culture, and the perfect weekend village
Few places balance snow and soul like Nozawa. The upper mountain stacks genuine powder turns when systems swing south, and there’s enough vertical to string long descents back to town. Tree zones reward line choice, while groomers keep improving riders happy. The real magic is the village — steaming onsen lanes, bakeries, izakaya, and a walkable grid that makes short trips feel like actual holidays. With the Shinkansen to Iiyama and efficient transfers, you can be clinking glasses in a hot pool by sunset and making first chairs the next morning.
1085mVertical drop
16Total lifts
Night skiing
OnsenTrain-to-liftsNight skiingVillage hang-outsHuge network, high elevation, storm-day stamina
Shiga is a world of its own — a high-elevation network of connected areas where you can chase the best surface all day. When it’s dumping, visibility can be tricky but the payoff is days of preserved snow thanks to altitude and aspect. Crews can roam from mellow pistes to steeper faces and keep linking new combos without repeating runs. Base around Yudanaka and Shibu for the classic onsen-town vibe and quick buses. For weekenders who value scale and snow quality, Shiga is a reliable bet.
980mVertical drop
48Total lifts
Night skiing
OnsenTerrain parkVillage hang-outsRemoteGunma’s sleeper — real pitches and rewarding lines
Tucked into northern Gunma, Oze Iwakura brings proper vertical and some of the best carving groomers within weekend striking distance of Tokyo. On the right wind, powder pockets stack fast, especially along the upper faces and between-run ribs. It’s a favourite for riders who like a bit more bite underfoot without getting into truly committing terrain. Stay in Katashina or Minakami for affordable pensions and hearty dinners, and plan an onsen stop on the drive home. If your crew wants a touch more spice without complicated logistics, this one hits the sweet spot.
690mVertical drop
11Total lifts
Night skiing
Stroller-friendlyTrain-to-liftsTerrain parkVillage hang-outsUltra-fast access and bonus turns when time is tight
Is Karuizawa the deepest? Not usually. Is it the fastest way to turn a spare day into a ski day? Absolutely. The Shinkansen drop is so close you can be on snow before brunch, and snowmaking plus grooming keep surfaces fun even between storms. It’s the go-to when the forecast is uncertain, your schedule is tight, or you’re tuning up friends who are new to the game. Add outlet-mall snacks, cafés, and a neat little town loop, and you’ve got a low-stress weekend that still scratches the itch.
215mVertical drop
9Total lifts
Night skiing