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7 best ski resorts in Japan in 2026
As the snowiest country on Earth, Japan is a premier ski destination. Every winter, cold, dry air from Siberia passes over the warm Sea of Japan, where it picks up moisture and turns areas like the Japanese Alps (where annual snowfall often exceeds 400 inches) into a winter wonderland. And, with nearly 500 resorts packed into a country just slightly smaller than California, Japan is equipped to take full advantage of Mother Nature’s bounty.
With such a wealth of wonderful options, it can be difficult to decide which ski resort in Japan is the best for you. The country features some of the deepest snowpack, most immaculate tree runs, and most delicious ski resort food you’ll find anywhere on the planet. Not only that, but many of these resorts give you quite the bang for your buck due to their accessibility by public transit (including the legendary bullet trains), and affordable lift tickets, sometimes costing just one-tenth the cost of similar popular US resorts. While the options here are abundant, I’ve pared them down to a list of seven of our favourite spots in the land of the rising sun. Read on for the best ski resorts in Japan.
In this article:
Niseko United
The undisputed epicentre of Japan’s mythical “Japow,” Niseko United is nestled high in the mountains of Hokkaido, Japan’s northern island. You might think of this constellation of four interconnected resorts (Grand Hirafu, Hanazono, Niseko Village, and Annupuri) as the country’s answer to Aspen, transforming Mount Niseko-Annupuri into a world-class ski destination. While the buzz and international feel mean lift lines can be long during peak season, the sheer quality and consistency of the snowfall here are arguably worth it. The famed gate system – a way for resorts to control daily access to backcountry terrain based on weather conditions – opens up vast swathes of legendary tree skiing and deep bowls, all serviced by a lift network that makes lapping the deep, dry snow one of those bucket-list experiences for any skier or snowboarder.
Where to stay: This area has plenty of options ranging from hostels and B&Bs to high-end hotels and townhouses. On the Niseko Village side of the mountain, I loved The Green Leaf (now part of the Tapestry Collection by Hilton), which is ski-in, ski-out and features warm, plush rooms, a stunning onsen (Japanese hot spring) and spa right in the hotel, and a well-regarded bar and restaurant. The Ritz-Carlton Reserve Higashiyama is a high-end option on that side of the mountain, featuring finely-appointed rooms, an onsen, and a refined Omakase-style restaurant, Sushi Nagi. If you’d like something a little more private, Kasara has gorgeous three-bedroom townhouses, each with a private onsen. On the Hanazono side of the mountain, Zaborin is a tranquil, Two-Key Michelin retreat with unrivalled luxury. It is a high-end ryokan (traditional inn) with 15 private villas, each boasting its own indoor and outdoor onsen, and a free shuttle to the slopes or into town. But for ski-in, ski-out hotels, you’d be hard-pressed to do better than the Park Hyatt Niseko Hanazono, which features beautifully furnished rooms (some with private onsens) as well as some of the best fine dining in the region.
If you prefer to stay in the heart of the action in Hirafu Village, I loved The Niseko Landmark View, with its spacious and nicely appointed two- and three-bedroom apartment-style rooms – and the best views of Mount Yotei (a mini Mount Fuji). It’s just a three-minute walk from the Grand Hirafu gondola. The new and luxurious ski-in, ski-out Sansui Niseko received Michelin One-Key status in 2024 and 2025 and is another excellent option. The AYA Niseko is another beautiful, upscale ski-in, ski-out property with a well-established reputation as one of the best ski resorts in Japan.
Niseko United is a premier partner on the Ikon Pass – a multi-resort pass that grants passholders access to over 60 destinations worldwide, with no blackout dates, for a single fee. Passholders will get seven days of unrestricted access to Niseko United. For those purchasing tickets directly, a one-day all-mountain adult pass is approximately 10,500 Japanese yen (around £50). While this is premium pricing for Japan, it reflects the resort’s world-class scale and infrastructure.
Where to après, eat, and drink:
The surrounding restaurants make Niseko a dream destination not only for powder hounds, but for foodies as well. Hokkaido is known for its noodles and seafood, and the meal I remember most fondly was at one of the most highly-regarded soba houses in all of Japan: the tiny 12-seat restaurant called Rakuichi Soba (once featured by Anthony Bourdain on No Reservations), where the buckwheat noodles are hand-made the traditional way by Soba Master Tatsuru Rai. Reservations are extremely hard to come by, but you may be able to get a walk-in seat at lunch. If you want premium sushi, then look to Sushi Shin by Miyakawa. It’s a 3-Michelin-star transplant from Sapporo, located in the Park Hyatt, offering an intimate, world-class edomae sushi experience.
For something theatrical, The Barn by Odin offers exceptional bistro fare and cocktails in a stunning glass building. For more noodle options, look to Soba Kaiseki Ichimura in Hirafu or local favourite Ramen Nakama, which features an ume-shio ramen you likely won’t find in the UK. In Niseko Village, Gogyo by Ippudo dishes out legendary Tonkotsu ramen by day and transforms into a sophisticated izakaya (what you might think of as a Japanese gastro-pub) by night. For casual but flavourful to-go options, Hirafu has two food truck areas that shouldn’t be missed. For drinks, seek out the legendary Bar Gyu+ (a.k.a. the “Fridge Door Bar”) for its curated Japanese whisky list, or Toshiro’s Bar for inventive, award-winning cocktails in a sophisticated lounge.
Hakuba Valley
Japan’s second-most popular ski area often gets more snow than anywhere else. Set against the dramatic, soaring peaks of the Japanese Alps on the mainland, Hakuba Valley feels worlds away from Hokkaido’s rolling hills. This is a sprawling collection of 10 distinct ski areas, each with its own fierce personality, all accessible on one pass. Happo-One, the valley’s crown jewel and former Olympic host, serves up immense vertical, with steep and challenging faces. Head to Hakuba 47 & Goryu for pristine groomers and park riding, or venture to the northern end for Cortina’s legendary, deep tree-skiing in a more permissive off-piste environment (though hiring a backcountry guide is recommended, especially when it’s deep). The valley is enormous – Happo-One alone features an impressive 3,500 feet of vertical drop. Across all 10 resorts, there are over 90 lifts and 130 runs, with a terrain breakdown that heavily favours intermediate and advanced skiers.
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