Kagura Ski Resort

Kagura has two entry points — Mitsumata and Tashiro — but I strongly recommend Tashiro for families. The courses on the Tashiro side are mostly beginner-friendly, the crowds are thinner because it's 10 minutes further from Yuzawa, and you get the rare experience of skiing down toward a lake. I've done this solo with two kids and it worked without friction.

Even in the mild 25–26 season, Kagura held over 150cm of base snow in late April — more than a month after Happo-One closed on April 19. This is why I recommend making Kagura your priority powder day if you're visiting Yuzawa late in the season or after a long warm spell. Few Honshu resorts can offer this.

Kagura and Naeba share a lift pass, and the Dragondola — Japan's longest cable car at 25 minutes each way — connects the two. If you're staying at the Prince Hotel in Naeba, Kagura is a worthwhile day trip for the better snow. Both resorts also offer free lift tickets for children 12 and under, which matters when you're calculating a family budget. Just plan the timing carefully: a round trip costs roughly an hour in gondola time alone.

• Kagura Ski Resort sits in Yuzawa Town, Niigata Prefecture, and is made up of three inter-linked zones—Kagura, Mitsumata, and Tashiro—forming part of the wider Mt Naeba area.

• At altitudes that top out around 1,845 m, the slopes are regularly blanketed in light, dry powder.

• That elevation also delivers one of Japan’s longest lift-served seasons, typically running from late November to mid-May.

• Wide, mellow groomers welcome beginners and intermediates, while ungroomed tree runs and side-country gates keep powder hunters busy.

• Tashiro links to neighbouring Naeba via the 5.5 km “Dragondola,” unlocking an even larger playground under a single ticket.