winter sports Archives | Tokyo Cheapo

Planning to ski or snowboard Japan's awesome powder this winter? Early-bird discounts offer a way to save huge amounts on lift passes. Depending on the resort, the price of a whole season pass might come to only a few days of lift passes purchased during the peak of the season. Do check the conditions, though. Sometimes, season pass holders get extra discounts and benefits, but there can also be restrictions on things like night skiing. Hakuba area The Hakuba Valley is Japan's top ski and snowboarding destination outside of Niseko, with multiple ski resorts and terrain to entertain everyone from beginners to back-country powder hounds. Resort Pass type Early-bird Price Normal Price Deadline Online purchase Happo-one Season (under 40) Nov 10 Official website Happo-one Season (over 40) Nov 10 Official website Hakuba Iwatake Season (Adult non-local) Dec 8 Official website Hakuba Goryu + Hakuba 47 Early-bird season (Adult) Oct 31 Official website Tsugaike Mountain Resort Season (Adult) Nov 30 Official website Read our guide to skiing in Hakuba. Nozawa Onsen While Nozawa Onsen is only a single resort, it's enormous, so warrants inclusion by itself. Resort Pass type Early-bird Price Normal Price Deadline Online purchase Nozawa Onsen Season (Adult) Oct 30 Official website Yuzawa Roughly in the center of Honshu, Yuzawa gets massive amounts of snow due to the rain effect with a huge quantity of condensation from the Sea of Japan. Most of the resorts are easily accessible from the Jōetsu Shinkansen, and you can even ski right out of the station at Gala Yuzawa. Resort Pass type Early-bird Price Normal Price Deadline Online purchase Yuzawa Nakazato Early-bird season pass N/A Official website Myōkō area With comparable snow to Yuzawa, and the recent arrival of the Shinkansen, Myōkō has been rediscovered in recent years. There is a wide choice of resorts, and it is home to both some of the cheapest and the most expensive lift passes in Japan! Resort Pass type Early-bird Price Normal Price Deadline Online purchase Akakura Onsen Season pass Sep 30 Official website Akakura Onsen Early-bird 1-day (Oct)* Oct 31 Official website Akakura Onsen Early-bird 1-day (Nov)* Nov 30 Official website Lotte Arai Resort Season pass (Economy) Official website Alpen Blick Ikenotaira Onsen Snow Resort Season pass Oct 30 Official website * - Must purchase at least three passes. Niseko Niseko is the original gangster of powder-snow resorts in Japan. With a flight into New Chitose followed by a slow bus or train into Kutchan or Hirafu, it's not as easy to reach as some of the Honshū resorts. So, you might as well stay for as long as you can! Resort Pass type Early-bird Price Normal Price Deadline Online purchase Niseko United (All mountain) 3 Day Early-bird Oct 7 to Oct 9, 2023 Official website Also read: Guide to getting ski and snowboard gear in Japan. While we do our best to ensure it's correct, information is subject to change. Post first published October 2022. Last updated October 2023.

Winter sports Posts

Early-Bird Season Passes and Discounts for Japan's Snow Resorts

Rent, Buy or Ship: A Guide to Getting Ski and Snowboard Gear in Japan

A Guide to Buying New Ski and Snowboard Equipment in Tokyo

Buying Secondhand Ski and Snowboard Gear in Tokyo