If you are spending the winter in Japan, you have to check out its top-rated ski resorts. Known for their high quality, light, powder snow, these Japanese resorts take the snow season very seriously and have excellent areas and equipment for maximum enjoyment of various ski activities.

Niseko

People skiing on the snow slope and Mt.Yotei as a background in Niseko Ski area, Hokkaido

Regarded as the most popular ski resort in the country, Niseko is usually fully-booked many months before winter starts as visitors from all over the world want to spend their holidays in the majestic, snow-covered mountains of the region.

Adventure seekers who are looking to ski, snow board and enjoy other winter activities, will surely not leave disappointed as Niseko resorts are well-equipped and prepared for this rush of guests. In addition to that, the area has many pension homes, hotels, restaurants, bars and other establishments, giving everyone varied options on how to make the most of their time there.

Getting to Niseko is quite easy as many buses (Niseko Bus, Hokkaido Access Network, Hokkaido Chuo Bus and Good Sports Whiteliner) and trains (Niseko Liner, local trains and rapid trains) go there from Sapporo and other major cities.

Rusutsu

View from the top of ski trails in Rusutsu, Hokkaido, Japan

Not too far from Niseko is another resort town called Rusutsu. Its ski area is massive, covering three mountains that are covered with fine, white snow and have well-kept trails.

In the middle of the resort, there is a hotel complex that consists of the Rusutsu Tower, Highland Lodge, North and South Wings, and many trailside log cabins, all linked to each other by a monorail.

Apart from enjoying skiing and other snow activities, guests can also have fun at the resort’s amusement park, which contains 8 adrenaline-pumping rollercoasters and dozens of other attractions, and a golf course. It also has several shops, restaurants, pools, and hot spring bath facilities.

Shiga Kogen

Shiga Kogen Ski Resort, Yokoteyama Gerende

Made up of 21 ski resorts in the mountains of Nagano Prefecture, the Shiga Kogen Ski Area is Japan’s largest ski area. It has dozens of lifts, ropeways and gondolas, giving visitors easy access to its various facilities.

The northern portion of the resort is dedicated to snowboarding, skiing and other winter sports, while the southern area consists of ski runs and various hot spring resorts, leading up to the peak of Mount Yokote.