Selected by 1,300 readers, "I really don't want to tell you! 10 favorite local ski resorts"

We are announcing the results of the lift ticket giveaway campaign/reader survey conducted by STEEP last December.
First up is "Favorite local ski resorts that you don't really want to tell anyone about." While there were opinions such as "What is the definition of local?" and "Is it okay to tell people about ski resorts that you don't want to tell anyone about," we have decided on the top 10 local ski resorts across Japan that are loved by many readers. Maybe your favorite ski resort is ranked? If there is a ski resort that catches your eye, we encourage you to go skiing right away to experience its unique charm.

No. 1 Sakae Club Ski Resort

Sakae Club Ski Resort is a village-run ski resort in Sakae Village, a village that loves powder snow and tomatoes, located at the northernmost tip of Nagano Prefecture. It's a two-minute drive from National Route 117 and 25 minutes from Nozawa Onsen. This ski resort, which uses 100% natural snow and is a favorite among powder enthusiasts, gets busier the worse the weather. With a high chance of encountering powder snow and almost no waiting time for the lifts, you can fully satisfy your powder cravings

There are many events held, such as raffles and free lift tickets for elementary school students on Children's Ski Day, and sweet sake, mushroom soup, red bean soup, and chocolate bananas are also served.
In the restaurant, you can eat all you want of local tomato tsukemen noodles and Nozawana pickles from Sakae Village, made by the staff. The radish pickles are also rumored to be excellent.
The cheapest weekday season pass in Japan* is also attractive! Enjoy skiing and the charm of Shinshu villages to the fullest!
*Weekdays excluding New Year's holidays: 12,000 yen

[Information]

Address:
2903 Kitashin, Sakaemura, Shimominochi-gun, Nagano Prefecture,
Opening period: December 21, 2024 - March 23, 2025
Lift fee: 4,500 yen
(weekday adult one-day ticket)
Access: 45 minutes from Toyota-Iiyama IC, 55 minutes from Shiozawa-Ishiuchi IC
Official website: https://sakaeclub.securesite.jp/

[Comment from the ski resort]
We are very pleased to be ranked among the "Favorite Local Ski Resorts."
Sakae Club Ski Resort is a very compact ski resort, but above all, we strive to be a homely ski resort. We value communication with each and every customer, and we hope that this ski resort will become a "place of relaxation" like returning to your hometown in the countryside. We truly hope that you will make this your home slope and return again and again. With

three lifts and nine lanes, the resort offers a wide variety of runs, suitable for everyone from beginners to advanced skiers
The most attractive feature is the ungroomed runs, which allow you to enjoy the abundant natural snow of this heavy snow region. We expand the ungroomed runs, especially on weekdays, allowing you to enjoy deep powder snow even within the confines of the runs. The long, steep "Kuma no Su" course is ideal for practicing carving turns. We are seeing an increasing number of customers coming for alpine boarding and basic skiing training.

The view from the summit offers a magnificent panorama of Mt. Naeba, the Hokushin Five Mountains, the Echigo Sanzan Mountains, and

even the Northern Alps in the distance. Our recommended food is the "Tomato Tsukemen" made with Sakae Village's specialty "Tomato Juice," which has a refreshingly tart and rich dipping sauce that is absolutely delicious. Our "free homemade Nozawana pickles" service, which we have been offering since we opened, is also very popular. We will

continue to value face-to-face communication with our customers, and hope to give as many customers as possible a taste of the local atmosphere of home.

No. 2 Hida Nagareha Ski Resort

The Hida Ryuha Ski Resort, the largest in the Hida region, is known as a hidden resort known only to those in the know. The reason for this is the spectacular panoramic view of the Tateyama mountain range and the Northern Alps from the summit. There's an observation restaurant at the top, where, if you're lucky, you might even be able to see a sea of ​​clouds or a sea of ​​trees.
Another attraction is the natural hot spring "Neutrino," located on the slopes and featuring an open-air bath and a jacuzzi. It's known for its relieving fatigue and skin-beautifying properties, and even non-skiers can relax in the spacious tatami-floored area.
And best of all, the powder snow means almost no wait time for the lifts. The varied terrain, made up of ridges and valleys, offers fun for everyone, from children to adults, with medium-steep slopes and spacious, gentle slopes. It's a 30-minute drive from Takayama Interchange, and there's a large, free parking lot. Why not take a little trip a little further to enjoy the natural beauty of Oku-Mino?

[Information]

150 Fusekata, Kamioka-cho, Hida City, Gifu Prefecture,
506-1154 Business period: December 14, 2024 to March 9, 2025
Lift ticket: 3,500 yen
(weekday adult one-day ticket)
Access: 30 minutes from Takayama IC, 40 minutes from Hida Kiyomi IC
Official website: https://hida-nagareha.com/

[Comment from the ski resort]
We are very pleased to be ranked.

Our ski resort is not large, and our facilities are not as comprehensive as those of larger resorts, so we are honored to receive this recognition. We will continue to
focus on improving our facilities, but even more so, we will strive to improve our intangible aspects to ensure our guests can enjoy the resort safely.
　
Despite being a local ski resort, we feel that the number of inbound tourists is increasing year by year. While our foreign language support is limited, we will do our best to improve everything we can and accommodate our guests.

As a facility where you can enjoy winter sports, hot springs, and dining all in one place, we offer local cuisine and other services to ensure you fully enjoy Hida and Kamioka. We hope you will enjoy the superb powder snow, challenging terrain, gentle slopes, and spectacular 360-degree views, as well as the Hida flavors and skin-beautifying hot springs.

3rd place: Shinshu Matsumoto Nomugi Pass Ski Resort

Nomugi Toge Ski Resort professes its "No Amateurs Allowed" philosophy. It is one of only 2.5% of ski resorts in Japan that are over 2,000m above sea level, and its high altitude means that the snow quality is clearly different from other resorts. With many medium-steep slopes, even advanced skiers will find it extremely challenging. You can enjoy speedy turns on the moderately steep slopes.
From the summit, where you can see Mt. Mitake and Mt. Norikura, you can enjoy a spectacular 4,000m downhill.
the staff blog, which is full of love .

[Information]

Address:
1173-13 Nakagawa, Matsumoto City, Nagano Prefecture,
Business period: December 20, 2024 - March 23, 2025
Lift fee: 3,000 yen
(weekday adult one-day ticket)
Access: 55 minutes from Matsumoto IC, 60 minutes from Shiojiri IC
Official website: http://gakutoresort.jp/

[Comment from the ski resort]
Thank you for choosing us as your favorite local ski resort. We

offer the spectacular views, quality snow, and firm runs that only an altitude of 2,130m can offer, so we hope as many people as possible will experience the exhilaration.

No. 4 Seki Onsen Ski Resort

Seki Onsen Ski Resort is known for its deep snowfall typical of a heavy snow region and an atmosphere that makes you feel like you've traveled back in time to the Showa era. It has a quaint single lift in a hot spring resort town lined with inns and guesthouses. At the foot of the mountain, restaurant Taube, where you can feel the warmth of wood, you can enjoy koshihikari rice grown with the cold meltwater from the local Sekiyama mountains, as well as homemade dishes. In fact, Seki Onsen is the first in Japan to claim that it uses 100% natural hot spring water, and all of its inns offer a luxurious hot spring experience. It
also hosts backcountry tours and is a mecca for spring skiing. Its popularity has been gradually spreading recently, but now is the time to soak in the hot springs and feel nostalgic.

[Information]

Seki Onsen, Myoko City, Niigata Prefecture,
949-2235 Business period: December 21, 2024 - May 5, 2025
Lift ticket: 4,000 yen
(weekday adult one-day ticket)
Access: 20 minutes from Myoko Kogen IC, 15 minutes from Nakago IC
Official website: http://sekionsen.jp/

[Ski Resort Comment]

Thank you for ranking in our "We Don't Want to Tell You! Top 10 Favorite Local Ski Resorts" list.

Located in one of Japan's snowiest regions, Myoko Seki Onsen Ski Resort boasts abundant, high-quality snow and is Japan's oldest ski resort. It's also highly regarded as an introductory backcountry ski resort, offering both powder runs and Myoko's famous hot springs. This

compact ski resort, with two lifts and one restaurant, is family-run and supported by local customers. While the lifts are occasionally closed due to snow, we strive daily to ensure our guests can enjoy the exquisite powder snow unique to this snowy region.

In addition to skiing, our restaurant, Taube, offers a unique menu, including handmade pizza and pasta, steaks weighing over 300g, and locally grown koshihikari rice. We also offer takeout, delivery, and shuttle service for non-skiers.

We hope you'll visit the snowy Seki Onsen Ski Resort.

No. 5 Matsunoyama Onsen Ski Resort

Located a two-minute drive from Matsunoyama Onsen town, it has two lifts and a compact but diverse range of courses, catering to everyone from beginners to advanced skiers who want to hone their skills with permanent poles. Lift tickets are very reasonable, and the weekday-only one-day package costs just 3,100 yen, including a one-day lift ticket, a 1,000 yen lunch voucher, and a bathing ticket!
There are also plenty of snow activities to enjoy, even if you don't ski, and can come in boots, such as airboarding, snow biking, and snow skating.
Matsunoyama Onsen town is a five-minute drive away, where you can warm up in one of Japan's three most medicinal hot springs, and then enjoy a stroll around the restaurants and souvenir shops.

[Information]

Address:
909 Tensuishima, Matsunoyama, Tokamachi City, Niigata Prefecture,
Business period: December 21, 2024 - March 31, 2025
Lift fee: 3,000 yen
(weekday adult one-day ticket)
Access: 120 minutes from Shiozawa-Ishiuchi IC, 60 minutes from Echigo-Kawaguchi IC
Official website: https://www.matsunoyama-ski.com/

[Comment from the ski resort]
We are very happy that you chose us! We look forward to your continued support.

No. 6 Yamaboku Wild Snow Park

Yamaboku Wild Snow Park, part of the Shiga Kogen UNESCO Ecopark, spreads across the southern slope of Mt. Kasagatake, 2,076 meters above sea level. An astounding 70% of its slopes are ungroomed natural slopes. In summer, the park is known as the "Tyrol of Shinshu" as it functions as a farm, creating a European atmosphere. The powder snow that falls on the plateau is light, and the slopes are varied, making the most of the natural terrain. Enjoy powder to your heart's content on the 13-kilometer "Takochi Course," the longest in Japan.
Yamaboku Wild Park also offers unique events, such as a night cruise with only a headlamp.
The food at the five restaurants adjacent to the slopes is all unique and of a quality that goes beyond ski resort food. After skiing, warm your body and soul by touring eight hot springs scattered around "Yutsuduki no Sato," each with its own unique water quality and location.

[Information]

Address: 3681-35
Yamada Ranch, Takayama Village, Kamitakai District, Nagano Prefecture,
Business period: December 21, 2024 to March 16, 2025
Lift fee: 2,500 yen
(weekday adult one-day ticket)
Access: 45 minutes from Suzaka Nagano Higashi IC
Official website: https://yamaboku.co.jp/

[Comment from the ski resort]
We're very pleased to hear that we made it into the survey.

First of all, what sets us apart from other ski resorts is our wide variety of lunch options. Whether it's the Jingisukan set meal or hand-made soba noodles at Shokudo Ichiban, the grilled cheese curry and pizza at Miharachaya, or the original ramen at Redwood Inn, you're sure to find something you're looking for!

Our ski resort boasts 100% natural snow and super-dry powder snow. The slopes also offer a variety of terrain, offering great freedom of movement.
While we don't have night skiing facilities, we do offer "YAMABOKU Glide at Night," where you can ski with a headlamp. Come to Yamaboku for an experience you won't find at other ski resorts! We also want our guests to experience as much ungroomed snow as possible, so we preserve as much powder as possible. Competition is low, so you can enjoy to your heart's content! We also offer a backcountry tour called "2nd STAGE" every weekend. This is another popular program, so we highly recommend it! It's

the last frontier known only to those in the know. Once you try it, you'll be hooked! We look forward to seeing you!

No. 7 Aizu Kogen Nango Ski Resort

Aizu Kogen Nango Ski Resort boasts one of the best permanent half-pipes in Japan and a well-equipped park. It's
popular with snowboarders, but it also has a beginners' park and a kids' park where you can keep an eye on your children from the center house.
The view from the summit is fantastic, and the Nango blue water on a clear day is breathtaking. Not only the park but the slopes are also well-maintained, with a variety of courses that can be enjoyed by beginners and advanced skiers alike.

For lunch, we recommend the cute and humorous original menu, such as the limited-edition special curry rice in the shape of a rabbit, which is also the ski resort's logo, and the pork cutlet curry in the shape of a half-pipe. Rumor has it that they serve incredibly large rice balls. Be sure to go and check it out for yourself.

[Information]

293 Yunoiri, Kai, Minamiaizu-machi, Minamiaizu-gun, Fukushima Prefecture,
967-0631 Business period: December 21, 2024 to March 23, 2025
Lift fee: 4,500 yen (5,000 yen for those 30 years old and over)
(weekday adult one-day ticket)
Access: 120 minutes from Aizuwakamatsu IC
Official website: https://www.nango-ski.com/

[Comment from the ski resort]
The ski resort is located in a heavy snowfall area, and is a very inconvenient ski resort, "no buses," "no trains," and "the expressway is extremely far."
All staff are fond of Nango, ingenuity and ingenuity to welcome customers who have visited this ski resort so that they can enjoy it once.

With this ranking as encouragement, we will continue to work hard to continue being a ski resort that you can enjoy in the future. thank you very much.

No.8 Suhara Ski Resort

approximately 30 minutes from Uonuma Interchange, Suhara Ski Resort is easily accessible and offers a wide variety of courses, satisfying skiers of all levels, from beginner to advanced.

A high-speed, hooded quad lift allows for comfortable skiing even in bad weather, taking you straight to the summit. The long distance to the bottom offers unique terrain, including banks, walls, and jump spots, making it a popular choice among freeride competition athletes. Check out

here The resort also features a spacious, free parking lot and a kids' room. Numerous events, including test rides and rice cake pounding competitions, are also held here. There are plenty of great deals to keep you coming back, including lunch packs with included lunch vouchers, a repeat customer discount with an original app that earns you points, and hot spring discounts when you show your lift ticket!

The restaurant is constantly exploring new menu items, and the original, limited-time menu items are not to be missed!

[Information]

Address:
1846-13 Suhara, Uonuma City, Niigata Prefecture,
Business period: December 25, 2024 to March 16, 2025
Lift fee: 3,500 yen
(weekday adult one-day ticket)
Access: 30 minutes from Uonuma IC or Horinouchi IC
Official website: https://www.suhara-ski.com/

[Comment from the ski resort]
Enjoy the addictive heavy powder that can only be found in one of Japan's heaviest snowfall regions. The recommended course is the unagglomerated "Blizzard Course" for advanced skiers, which features two streams running through it, interesting terrain, and the deepest powder of the ski resort.

The restaurant's popular dish is the "Shifuku Katsu Curry," made with a thick cutlet and a specially developed curry roux. We also recommend the luxurious pork bone ramen and roast beef dish, which combines the best of both worlds.

No. 9 Bibai National Ski Resort

Located just an hour from Sapporo, Bibai National Ski Resort offers easy access and reasonable lift tickets. Even with just one lift, a wide variety of runs are available, and skiers can enjoy the carefully groomed northern slopes all day long. Warm and thoughtful service caters to skiers' needs, including hot snacks to satisfy their hunger, complimentary welcome drinks, and hot water for instant noodles.
After skiing, head to the Blue Cave Hot Springs "Pipa no Yu Yurinkan," a hot spring inn nestled on high ground. From the high ground, you can see not only Bibai City but also the three towns of Naie, Urausu, and Tsukigata, with a spectacular view of the Pinneshiri (Kabato Mountain Range). Discounted lift tickets are also available that include the hot spring. Its popularity is growing, and it's unclear how long it will remain known as Sorachi's hidden gem. Due to warm weather causing snowmelt, the resort will close for the season on Sunday, March 16th, so be sure to get your last skiing experience now!
* Temporary business hours (final): Saturday, March 22, 2025 to Sunday, March 23, 2025 (Nastar Race Youth Dream Grand Prix)

[Information]

Address: Bancho, Higashi Bibai-cho, Bibai City, 072-0000
Business period: Mid-December 2024 to mid-March 2025
Lift fee: 2,700 yen
(weekday adult one-day ticket)
Access: 8 minutes from Bibai IC
Official website: https://bibaiski.jp/

10th place White Valley Minakami

Starting this season, the former White Valley Ski Resort has been renamed White Valley Minakami. It is easily accessible from the Kanto region, and elementary school students receive free lift tickets on the first and third Saturdays of each month. They are running unique initiatives such as "Premium Powder Day," where 90% of the upper slopes are ungroomed, a "Ski Resort Entirely Reserved" plan available only on weekdays, and coffee at the restaurant for 100 yen if you purchase an original tumbler with the new logo. They also hold events that children can enjoy, such as a "Snow Treasure Hunt" and a "Mystery Solving Guild."
It is said that morning tickets are best for enjoying the powder. Check the weather forecast and aim to go after it has snowed.

[Information]

Lodge White Valley, Tanigawa Onsen National Forest, Minakami-machi, Tone-gun, Gunma Prefecture,
379-1619. Opening period: Saturday, December 21, 2024 - Sunday, March 16, 2025.
Lift fee: 5,200 yen
(weekday adult one-day ticket).
Access: 7 km from Minakami IC on the Kan'etsu Expressway.
Official website: https://www.whitevalley.jp/

[Ski Resort Comment]
Thanks to your generous support, we were able to make this ranking! We are truly grateful.

Starting in the 2024 season, White Valley Ski Resort will be rebranded as White Valley Minakami! This name reflects our desire to share the charms of Minakami with more people and further promote the resort. We aim to be a ski resort that can be enjoyed by a wide range of skiers, from children to advanced skiers. We offer a regular

ski school to help beginners improve their skills. For advanced skiers, we occasionally hold "Premium Powder Days," where the upper 90% of the slopes are ungroomed, providing a truly satisfying experience. We

also offer a wide selection of rental items so you can come empty-handed, including winter kick bike rentals for children and family-friendly mystery-solving and treasure hunt events. Additionally, we are currently running a campaign offering

free lift tickets for elementary school and university students, or for one family member, on certain days of the week! Instagram , so please follow us!

Our entire staff looks forward to seeing you!