Skip to main content

Plan your family's first ski trip in Japan — from Tokyo.

A free guidebook and planning tools: choose the right resort, book at the right time, and build your day-by-day plan. 56 Honshu resorts, checked for families by a Tokyo dad.

Planning the 2026/27 season?

See when every Honshu ski resort opens — and closes — so you can plan around your Tokyo trip.

See 2026/27 opening dates
Our selection

The 56 worth the trip.

Japan has hundreds of ski areas. Most aren't built for first-time families coming from overseas. These are the ones I'd send my own kids to — the rest, on purpose, we leave off the map.

56resorts we
stand behind
500+across Japan
we don't cover
Every resort here clears three bars
Good for kids English-friendly Easy from Tokyo

T Curated by Tak — a Tokyo snowboarder dad who's snowboarded Hakuba for 20+ seasons.

Map of Japan's Honshu ski areas — the ones we've chosen shown in orange.
Ski area data © OpenSkiMap contributors (ODbL)

When to book

Each booking has its own window — hotels fill first.

  1. 1

    Choose your resort

    Anytime

  2. 2

    Book your room

    Apr – Jun

  3. 3

    Book ski lessons

    Aug

  4. 4

    Book trains & buses

    1 month before

  5. 5

    On arrival

    On arrival

See the planning timeline

Build your plan

Turn your dates into a day-by-day plan.

The free planner turns your dates and your kids' ages into a day-by-day plan you can edit and share.

Free planning tools · no sign-up needed.

Try the free planner
About Tak

Hi, I'm Tak. As a father of two and a local snowboarder in Japan, I strictly select resorts that are safe and fun for families — not just the famous ones. Let me help you find the best snow experience.

TakTokyo snowboarder & dad · Japow Guides
Covering 56+ resorts across 19 ski areas in JapanExplore all resorts