Palcall嬬恋滑雪度假村

A 3,193m gondola to near 2,100m

Palcall Tsumagoi reaches about 2,100 metres at the top, which is high for the Kanto region and helps keep the snow dry. The main gondola, Palcabin, is the longest in the Kanto region at about 3,193 metres and takes skiers from the base to near the summit. The longest run is about 4,500 metres, so beginners can enjoy a long, gentle descent.

A nursery, a kids park, and free child tickets on holidays

The resort is built for families. There is a kids park, a paid nursery called Mother Goose that looks after children in two-hour blocks, and a free family space inside the centre house with a play area and a nursing room. On Sundays and holidays, children's lift tickets are free, which helps families control costs.

Ski with the first light, about 2 hours from Tokyo

A well-known feature is the sunrise gondola, which runs early in the morning in spring so visitors can ski with the first light over the mountains. The resort is about 2 hours from Tokyo and approaches from the Karuizawa side, which avoids heavy snow driving. There is an English website and an English booking service for overseas families.