Yuzawa Park

Yuzawa Park Hotel is the reason to stay here. It sits right at the base of the slopes, so you can ski to the door, and it has two natural hot-spring baths. One, with cypress tubs, is reserved for hotel guests, and the other is open to day visitors too. Rooms are a mix of Japanese and Western styles, many suitable for families. The hotel's history links to the old Mikuni Kaido trade road, and a 400-year-old pine said to have been planted by the warlord Uesugi Kenshin still stands on the grounds.

If you want more choice, Echigo-Yuzawa is only 10 minutes away by the free shuttle. Around the station, you'll find big onsen hotels such as Yuzawa Grand Hotel and NASPA New Otani, along with cheaper business hotels and pensions. Our Echigo-Yuzawa accommodation guide compares the main areas.

Six chairs spread out from the hotel at the base, with the top of the resort at 650 m. Sky Valley is the steepest run from the summit, peaking at 31 degrees with plenty of rolls and pitch changes, and it can link into the easier Family run halfway down. Dynamic, right in front of the hotel, is the main fast run, a rolling 28 degree pitch that's great for high-speed carving. Challenge has a short, steep section at the top at 31 degrees. Yodel is left ungroomed and is the place to head after fresh snow, especially if you ride a board. For beginners, Ginga winds gently through cedar trees, and the Family, No.7 Beginner and Skyline runs are wide and mellow. The terrain park, run by the resort's own park crew, has a good range of jumps, boxes and rails for all levels. Snow here is plentiful, as you'd expect in Yuzawa, but the low altitude means it's often heavier than up the valley. There's no tree skiing, and off-piste is closed.

By train: take the Joetsu Shinkansen from Tokyo to Echigo-Yuzawa, about 70 to 90 minutes. A free shuttle bus runs from the station to the Yuzawa Park Hotel during the ski season, no booking needed. The trip takes about 10 minutes.

By car: take the Kan-Etsu Expressway to Yuzawa interchange, about 5 minutes from the resort. Parking is free, with space for about 1,000 cars.

Families with young kids, beginners and anyone who wants a ski-in, ski-out onsen hotel without the crowds will love Yuzawa Park. The free shuttle from Echigo-Yuzawa Station means you don't need a car. Park riders will enjoy the jumps and rails. Intermediates will be happy for a day, and it makes a great quiet base for visiting the bigger Yuzawa resorts. Advanced skiers and powder hunters should spend their days at Kagura or Naeba.

Restaurant Crew, in the hotel's annex, is the main lunch spot, with a calm atmosphere and a long menu of Japanese, Western and light meals. It's open daily in the ski season.

For dinner and après, head into Echigo-Yuzawa town. The station building is famous for its sake museum, where you can taste dozens of Niigata sake with tokens, and there are plenty of izakaya and restaurants nearby. Try hegi soba, buckwheat noodles made with seaweed and served on a wooden tray, and anything made with Uonuma Koshihikari rice, Japan's most famous rice.

• Lift hours: 8:30 to 17:00. The season usually runs from mid-December to the end of March. There's no night skiing.
• Cheap days: Thursdays are senior days and Fridays are ladies' days, both with cheap day tickets. Kids get special prices during the winter and spring school holidays, and on Kids' Ski Days.
• Onsen: day skiers can use the hotel's public bath in the afternoon and evening.
• Pets: dogs aren't allowed on the slopes or in the hotel, but there's a designated area.
• Snow: the low altitude means wetter snow in warm spells. Check the forecast before planning a powder day.

Nearby resorts worth pairing

Kandatsu is just up the road and has more terrain and a bigger park. Yuzawa Kogen, Gala Yuzawa and Iwappara are all within 15 minutes. For deeper snow and bigger mountains, Kagura and Naeba are about 30 to 40 minutes away.