Map of Ski Areas in Japan

Japanese Ski Resorts Map

I have come across several videos and sources citing that skiing in the United States is more expensive than skiing in Europe. This includes plane tickets to Europe from the United States!

Unfortunately, it is true. Skiing in Europe is cheaper than in the United States.

As someone who likes to travel I decided to look into other places where skiing is common. To my surprise, Japan has many ski runs and resorts.

Unfortunately, for Americans, it is cheaper to ski in Japan than it is in the USA. Even with flight costs! So I decided to make this map with ski areas in Japan.

For a deeper look into skiing in Japan, Amazon has Skiing in Japan. From the legendary deep powder of Hokkaido to the scenic alpine resorts of Honshu, Skiing in Japan takes you inside the mountains, towns, and traditions that make Japan unlike anywhere else on Earth.

Ski in Japan

There are many benefits to skiing in Japan, besides prices.

Japan is celebrated for some of the best skiing conditions in the world.

The reason is its snow quality and snowpack, which is ideal for both avid skiers and those new to the sport.

Japan's snow is light and powdery, thanks to cold Siberian winds that pick up moisture as they pass over Kamchatka and the Sea of Japan, depositing fresh snow that is dry and fluffy.

There is also consistent snowfall during the winter months, from November to April. This gives travellers a long skiing season to enjoy. Source: Alpenglow.

Furthermore, the traditional charm of Japanese culture, which adds to the whole experience.

The geography of Japan has resulted in incredible hot springs (onsen), which make the Japanese skiing experience a must.

To learn about skiing in Hokkaido, Japan's northernmost main island, Amazon has Japan Hokkaido Winter Ski Travel Guide 2026: Explore Niseko, Furano, Rusutsu & Sapporo — Complete Ski Resorts, Snow Destinations, Onsen Escapes & ... Through Earth’s Most Thrilling Adventures).

This guide takes you into the heart of Japan’s snow kingdom. Whether you’re chasing untouched powder, soaking in natural hot springs, or discovering the flavors of a northern winter.

Map of Arctic Permafrost

Best Ski Resorts in Japan

On this map there are over 600 locations to choose from. This bucket list will help you choose what you are looking for.

Rusutsu

Rusutsu is located in southern in Hokkaido, Japan's northernmost island.

This is Hokkaido's largest resort. It occupies over 3 mountains!

Rusutsu has 18 lifts, 37 courses, and slopes for beginners, intermediate and advanced skiers in equal numbers.

Skiers love this resort for its dry fluffy snow, few crowds, access through bus and shuttle. But above all its focus on skiers with families.

For an amazing family vacation at Rusutsu, Expedia has the perfect stay for you. More information on this link!

Niseko

Niseko is also on southern Hokkaido. It has a vertical drop of 940m (3,084 ft).

This resort is popular with foreign visitors.

Its main attraction is its lively village, atmosphere and wide range of bars. The resort has various events to the delight of its visitors.

Its fame has brought large crowds and higher prices than nearby resorts.

For a fun stay in Niseko with Expedia click here!

Shiga Kogen

This is Japan's largest ski area, with 1.64 sq mi (4.25sq km). It also has its second highest elevation.

The large area is because a dozen ski resorts joined together to create the largest ski location in Japan.

Located on Japan's main island of Honshu. Shiga is northeast of the city of Nagano.

This ski area is made up of 18 smaller, interconnected ski fields, with 48 lifts in total.

Starting in 2015, the resort became open to snowboarders.

It may take 2 days to cover the entire resort, but a single lift ticket gives you access to the nearly 50 lifts, gondolas and ropeways in the area.

Zao Onsen

Zao Onsen is known for skiing but also for trekking.

Zao is located on the main island, north of the city of Fukushima.

The top of the mountain is famous for soft rime which, under rare conditions, transforms trees into snow monsters.

This is one of Japan's oldest ski resorts and offers over 24 ski lifts.

Furano

Furano consists of 2 zones, Furano and Kitanomine, which have 28 trails in total.

You can reach the summit directly by a 101 passenger Furano Ropeway and see a great view of the Daisetsu Mountain Range.

Hot springs near the ski area and sightseeing in Furano town are some of the reasons that make this resort one of the best in Japan.

Map of World Conifer Forests

Resources for Ski Resorts in North America Map

The ski resort's data, names, location, run type, and elevation were downloaded from Skimap.org.

The Shapefiles for this map were downloaded from Natural Earth.

Made by Luz K with D3.js.

This map will be updated with improved and recent information! To receive updates on this and more nature maps, join my email list!!!!!!!

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