X-JAM Takaifuji

A small cluster of hotels, lodges and pensions sits around the base of X-JAM, most of them family-run and aimed at Japanese weekend visitors. Yu Resort Hotel, Hotel Delight Kitashiga and Chateautel Kitashiga are traditional ski hotels, and Lodge Bears, People Lodge and Pension TOMO are cosy places where dinner is included and the owners may know more about the park setup than the staff. They are basic, warm and close to the lifts, and that is the whole offer. There is no nightlife beyond the vending machine.

The other option is to stay around the hotels at Yomase Onsen, just around the hill, where Hotel Meiko sits at the bottom of the lifts on the other side of the shared ticket. It is equally quiet, with a little more onsen focus.

For a more memorable stay, head down to the valley. Shibu Onsen Kokuya in Shibu Onsen is a classic ryokan with a beautiful bath, and Shibu's narrow streets, wooden inns and nine public baths make for a lovely evening walk in yukata (light cotton robes). Yudanaka is a little more practical, with more choice and the train station on the doorstep. Both are around 20 minutes from X-JAM by taxi. If you have not stayed in one before, our guide to what ryokan accommodation is is a useful primer.

X-JAM rides more like a park with a ski hill around it than the other way round. The longest run, Free Wall into Pyokotan and Acchicchi, is about 2 km and links the top of the hill to the base, and Free Wall is also the steepest pitch at 28 degrees. Everything else is wide, gentle and well groomed, which makes it easy for beginners and very easy to ski fast on a quiet weekday. The low elevation means the snow is at its best in January and February, when cold storms leave a soft layer that holds well on the edges of the runs. After about 11 am the obvious lines are done, and the base gets slushy in spring or warm spells. The park is the real draw, with a long line of kickers, boxes and rails so you can usually find a feature that suits your level. There are a few unpatrolled tree zones on the mountain, used at your own risk and with rescue costs charged if something goes wrong, and everything else outside the course markers is off-limits. When you have had enough, ride the No. 3 pair or the Ottamage connecting course over to Yomase Onsen for its higher summit and a steeper face.

Take the Hokuriku Shinkansen from Tokyo to Nagano, then the Nagano Electric Railway to Yudanaka at the end of the line. From the station, X-JAM is 10 km away, about 20 minutes by taxi, and Nagaden Taxi has an office in Yudanaka. There is no regular ski shuttle, so plan on a taxi or a pickup from your accommodation. Coming from overseas, Haneda is the easier airport, as it connects quickly to Tokyo station for the Shinkansen. Our guide to getting around on a Japan ski trip explains the rail passes and connections.

By car, take the Joshinetsu Expressway to Shinshu-Nakano IC, then the Shiga-Nakano road and local routes 292 and 403 into Yamanouchi. Allow 20 to 30 minutes from the interchange and around three and a half hours from central Tokyo in good conditions. Winter tyres are essential and chains are wise. The last climb to the car park is short but can be icy on cold mornings, and on weekends the parking fills up with park crews by mid-morning, so arrive early.

X-JAM Takaifuji is made for park riders. If you like to spend the day lapping the same jump line, learning a new rail trick or filming your mates, this place will feel like home. It is also a great hill for beginners and nervous intermediates: half the terrain is easy, the runs are wide and the gradient never gets scary. Families get a ski school, rental, a base centre that has everything in one building, and a free lift pass for kids of primary school age and younger on the third Sunday of every month.

It is less suited to experienced skiers who do not care about parks. There is little steep terrain, the vertical is short and the lifts are slow, so it gets repetitive fairly quickly. Combining it with Yomase Onsen on the same ticket helps, but for a real powder day, Ryuoo, Shiga Kogen or Nozawa Onsen are a better choice. If you are not sure which type of resort suits your group, try our Japan ski resort finder. Park fans comparing options should also check our best terrain parks in Japan.

On-mountain food centres on the Chante ski centre at the base, whose second-floor restaurant covers Japanese, Western and Chinese dishes, plus snacks and drinks for a tea break. The local highlight is the Borders Bar, open only for lunch, which makes proper kebabs wrapped in tortillas and burgers with handmade patties. It is the kind of place a hill full of snowboarders would invent. A few smaller places, such as Rest Terrace Winds and Restaurant Sun, spread the lunch rush on busy days.

For dinner, head to the valley. Yudanaka and Shibu have small izakaya, soba restaurants and ramen bars, and Shiga Kogen Beer, brewed in Yamanouchi by a local sake brewery, appears on many menus. Enza Cafe near Yudanaka station is a good place for coffee or a lighter meal on a rest day. Après is low-key: a bath, a good meal and an early night. Our Japan ski resort food and drink guide covers what to order.

• Lift hours: 8:15 to 16:20, varying with weather and daylight. There is no night skiing.
• One ticket, two hills: The day pass also covers Yomase Onsen. A cheaper ticket covering only the No. 1 pair lift suits beginners who do not need the rest of the mountain.
• Kids ski free: On the third Sunday of each month, children of primary school age and younger get a free day pass. Ask at the ticket window.
• Off-piste: The unpatrolled tree zones are used at your own risk and rescue costs are charged. Everywhere else outside the markers is closed.
• Weather: The low base softens quickly in warm spells and in spring, so ride early and head for the top of the hill or Yomase Onsen when the bottom goes heavy.
• Language: English is limited. Lessons are mostly in Japanese, so arrange anything specialised in advance.

Nearby resorts worth pairing

Yomase Onsen is already on your ticket, so treat the two as one big day. Ryuoo, just across the valley, adds a ropeway and over 1,000 m of vertical. Shiga Kogen is the obvious upgrade for altitude and mileage, Nozawa Onsen is worth a day for its village and steeper runs, and Madarao is the choice for marked tree runs.