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Joetsu Kokusai will open on December 6th 2025
Joetsu Kokusai Ski Resort has announced that they plan to open on December 6th for the 2025–2026 season.
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Joetsu Kokusai Ski Resort
Joetsu Kokusai Ski Resort in Yuzawa offers 22 runs with 19 lifts. Season: December 13, 2025 – March 31, 2026. Updated by Tak.
Four linked zones, 22 runs, and 817m of vertical — one of Yuzawa's biggest. Direct train access and the ski-in Hotel Green Plaza at the base.
This resort typically opens in December 13, 2025. Check back for season updates.
RESORT STATISTICS
Season data shown below. Live conditions available when resort opens.
22
Courses
All levels
19
Lifts
December 13, 2025 – March 31, 2026
Season
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My Recommendation
Joetsu Kokusai is the largest single ski resort in Japan by area (approximately 380 hectares or 10 million m²) — yet the slopes stay wide, gentle, and comfortably uncrowded. Hotel Green Plaza sits right at the base and offers true ski-in/ski-out access, which is rare in the Yuzawa cluster. A reliable choice for a first family ski trip in Japan.
About the Resort
Joetsu Kokusai spreads across Minami-Uonuma in Niigata Prefecture and is divided into four inter-linked zones—Mothers, Panorama, Active, and Forest—covering roughly 10 million m² of terrain.
- Its 22 marked runs are served by nearly 30 lifts (19 chairs plus surface lifts), delivering 817 m of vertical (1,017 m → 200 m) and a top-to-bottom cruise of 6 km.
- Trail mix: 30 % beginner, 50 % intermediate, 20 % advanced—ideal for mixed-ability groups.
- “Snow Country” storms routinely drop about 10 m of powder each winter, supporting a December-to-early-April season (2024/25 plan: 13 Dec–6 Apr).
- Joetsu International Skiing Ground Station sits at the base, letting you step off the JR Jōetsu Line train and onto the snow in minutes—just 12 min from Echigo-Yuzawa Shinkansen hub.
About Tak
Tak — Founder & Editor / Every resort personally visited / How we select →
I'm a Tokyo-based snowboarder and father of two with more than 20 years on Japan's slopes. Every resort recommendation on this site comes from a personal visit, with the single exception of Maiko (clearly flagged on its page).
