Karuizawa Prince Hotel Ski Resort opens on Saturday, 31 October 2026. It is the first resort in Nagano to open this winter. The season is planned to run until Wednesday, 31 March 2027.
On opening day, only a small part of the resort is open. The resort says the D1 Prince slope opens on the first day, and it is about 3 m wider this season. The West area is planned to open on Saturday, 19 December 2026. Most courses open in stages through December, so if you want the full resort, plan for late December or later.
Hours and lift tickets: until 18 December, the lifts run from 8:30 to 16:30. An adult 1-day ticket costs ¥8,000 at the ticket office, or ¥7,500 if you buy online before your visit. From 19 December, the lifts run from 8:00 to 17:00, and an adult 1-day ticket costs ¥10,000 to ¥13,000, depending on the date. There is no separate senior price.
For families: children up to elementary school age ride the lifts free all season. Children under school age cannot ride a lift alone. The Snowman Park snow-play area is bigger this season, and the part next to the ski center opens from the first day. It costs from ¥2,500 per person, with a sled, and children under 3 enter free. From late December, the Debut Park beginner area is free for anyone with a lift ticket.
Lessons and rental: the resort says all of its ski schools can teach in English, and two schools can also teach in Chinese. Some schools start on 31 October, and others start on 1 December, so check the school list on the official website. A rental set (skis or snowboard, boots and poles) costs ¥7,500 for adults and ¥6,500 for children at the shop. A helmet is free with a rental set.
Karuizawa is about 1 hour 5 minutes from Tokyo Station by Hokuriku Shinkansen. The ski resort is about a 10-minute walk from the South Exit of Karuizawa Station, and a free shuttle bus also runs between the station and the resort. This makes it the easiest ski day trip from a Tokyo stay in early winter.
Other resorts near Tokyo open later in November and December. We track every confirmed 2026-2027 date in one place: When Do Honshu Ski Resorts Open?
Planning your trip? See the full Japan ski trip planning timeline.
Source: Karuizawa Prince Hotel Ski Resort official website and Seibu Prince Hotels press release, 2 October 2026. Translated and summarised by Japow Guides.
