Madarao Kogen Ski Resort

Madarao has more official tree-run courses than any resort in Japan, but the key word is "official" — trails like SAWA and Bear Family Adventure are maintained runs carved through the forest, not unmarked backcountry. You get the thrill of skiing through trees without the danger. For families, this is a huge draw: you'd never take your kids into real backcountry, but here they can experience that forest-riding feeling on a safe, managed course.

Madarao Kogen Hotel connects directly to the slopes and has everything you need — restaurants, rental shop, and baths. This matters because once you're at Madarao, there's essentially nothing else around. No convenience stores, no nearby restaurant strips, no village to walk through. It's isolated. Plan on 3 nights, treat the hotel as your base for everything, and you'll have a great time. One heads-up for international visitors: the rooms are renovated and clean, but the building is older, so bathing is in the communal onsen (大浴場) — no private bath in the room.

Madarao and Tangram are connected at the summit with a joint lift pass, which is great for variety. But be careful: if you miss the signage on the way down, you can easily end up on the Tangram side without meaning to. Getting back to Madarao from there means riding lifts all the way back up to the top. Pay attention to the signs at every fork, especially on your first day.