Kashimayari

Kashimayari is part of Hakuba Valley and sits at its southern end, in the city of Omachi. It is the closest Hakuba Valley resort to the Tokyo side, so it is often used as the gateway to the area. The resort has 16 courses and 8 lifts, with a base around 830 metres and a top around 1,550 metres. The level split is about 40% beginner, 45% intermediate, and 15% advanced, so it suits a wide range of skiers. Many of the runs look out over Lake Aoki, and the long top-to-bottom run reaches about 5 kilometres.

The resort is built around families. It runs a Pokemon Snow Adventure area with a long snow tubing park and a snow escalator for first-time skiers. There is a central beginner area near the car park, which is easy for parents with small children. Local skiers also use Kashimayari because it is usually less crowded than the larger Hakuba resorts, and lift queues are short.

Access is flexible. By car, it is about 4 hours from Tokyo using the expressway to the Azumino interchange. Without a car, you can take a train to Shinano-Omachi Station and use the free resort shuttle bus, which runs from mid-December to late March and does not need a reservation. There is also an express bus between Nagano Station and the Hakuba area, and a paid Omacchi-go bus that links Hakuba village with Kashimayari. The resort sells English-supported tickets through the WAmazing service.

Official website: Kashimayari Ski Resort Family Park