Akita

Akita is where the Sea of Japan’s winter engine meets big beech forests and old-school hospitality. Storms march in across the water, stack up on the Ou Mountains, and drop the good stuff — dry, chalky powder that fills in gullies and glades like clockwork. It’s classic Tohoku: colder temps, fewer people, and that “did we just score this on a weekday?” grin.

Terrain-wise, think fun fall-lines and natural features over mega resort flash. Tazawako wraps around Japan’s deepest lake with clean pitches, playful side hits, and views that slap on bluebird. North of there, Ani (Mt. Moriyoshi) is a beech-tree dream with snow monsters (juhyo) and storm-day lines that ride like they’re drawn with a ruler. Thread in some smaller locals and you’ve got a circuit that rewards exploring.

Travel vibe? Low-stress and super local. Kakunodate — the samurai-town station on the Akita Shinkansen — is your slickest base for Tazawako. Nyuto Onsen hides up the valley with ryokan, log fires, and outdoor baths that steam while flakes drift down. Up north, Odate and Aniai set you up for Ani days and proper countryside eats.

Insider tip: Book a AWD rental and play the isobar game — Tazawako when the southwest hits, Ani when the north unloads. Sleep at Nyuto Onsen for the soak —> shovel —> first chair trifecta.