Okutone

Okutone runs on fall line and rhythm. Best days start on the upper chairs — Kurashishi and Bunanoki for clean early carving, then the steeper Kumaotoshi when visibility is good and legs are warm. Storms lay soft along the skier’s left edges of Yukizaru and the top of Bunanoki; ropes are firm here, so the game is course edges and rolls. The hill’s east-ish aspect keeps mornings chalky after resets, and night sessions can be gold: colder snow, quieter lines, and fresh grooming that rides silky under lights. Boundaries are enforced and there’s no off-piste, so stash hunting is about course edges, rollers, and well-timed hot-laps on the parallel chairs.

Intermediates who love groomer speed and clean arcs will be at home here, and advanced riders can scratch the itch on the steeper upper pitch before settling into long, fast runs. Park riders will find seasonal features in the mid-mountain zone. If your trip needs trees, glades, or sidecountry, Okutone alone won’t do it — pair it with Tenjindaira for the storm window and run Okutone for corduroy perfection and night turns.

Base-adjacent lodging is limited, so the move is Minakami Onsen and the nearby valleys. Classic ryokan give you the full soak-and-feast cycle: big breakfasts, quiet tatami rooms, and outdoor baths that turn legs from wood to noodles after a double-day with night skiing. It’s the kind of setup that makes early alarms painless.

Traveling with a crew? The town and station area offer simple business hotels and pensions — easy parking, walkable convenience stores, and flexible check-ins for late arrivals. You’ll be out the door fast for dawn patrol, back in just as quick for late sessions under the lights.

If you want a little extra atmosphere, pick a riverside inn in Yubiso or along the Tone River. You’re still close to the hill for first chair, but nights feel properly “mountain” — steam drifting from baths, snow stacking on cedar branches, and stars above the valley when the clouds part. Nightlife is mellow; this is an onsen-and-early-start town, not a bar crawl.

On-mountain, the rest house bangs out the ski-area staples — ramen, katsu curry, donburi — fast and hot. It’s the reliable fuel stop when you’re trying to keep momentum through a long operating window. Down in Minakami, look for cozy izakaya near the station and simple noodle shops around the onsen areas. Après is casual: soak first, then eat well, then decide whether the legs can handle a few more under the LEDs. On storm cycles, nothing beats a quick bowl of noodles and straight back to the chair for free refills.

Airports: Tokyo Haneda (HND) and Narita (NRT)
Train: Joetsu Shinkansen to Jōmō-Kōgen, then a local connection to Minakami Station; from there, a free shuttle runs to the resort on a set schedule
Car: Kan-Etsu Expressway to Minakami IC, then ~10 km on a road with snow-melting pipes. Even so, winter tires are mandatory gear; carry chains when it’s nuking. The last climb is short but can glaze over during reset events. Parking at the base is big and straightforward

• Lift hours: typically 08:00–16:00; night skiing to 22:00 through the main season, with extended late closes on select peak nights
• Backcountry / OB: no gate network, no off-piste — boundaries are firm
• Weather & snow: east-to-NE aspects preserve morning chalk; night temps lock in surfaces. Expect wind buff up high during NW blows and the odd dust on crust before a fresh reset
• Language: basic English support at tickets and rentals; most signs are Japanese
• Unique here: daily night riding to 22:00 across most of the mountain, quick highway access, kids ski free
• Nearby pairings: Mt.T, Hodaigi, Kawaba, Norn Minakami