Originally Posted by
price123
To resurrect an older thread, I have a question. I am planning to go to Japan in December 2012 (Yes I plan holidays that far in advance). We are planning to spend a few nights in Tokyo and some time in a skiing resort (we will be in Japan 16-22nd December. I suppose my questions are:
1) Where should skiing be good this early in the season?
2) I would like to use the new E5 trains if possible. Is there good skiing on this route?
3) Is there a resort that fits 1+2 but where it is easy to get to see the snow monkeys?
4) Can anyone recommend a decent hotel/ryokan in an area that fits 1+2?
So far I have only looked at Nagano, but not sure if it fits points 1+2. I suppose I could go to 2 destinations if there was not too much travelling. I should probably add that we are beginner to intermediate skiers (ie blue and red runs).
The main Nagano resorts are
Hakuba,
Shiga Kogen, and
Nozawa Onsen.
Hakuba resorts usually open mid-december while Shiga resorts advertise mid to late November openings. Nozawa advertises a November opening also.
Shiga resorts would be the most convenient to
Jigokudani Yaen-Koen, the monkey park. The road up to the Shiga resorts goes by Kanbayashi which is the turnoff to the parking area for the monkey park trailhead. Hakuba isn't that far away if you have a rental car.
Some links to review:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/japan...ing-japan.html
http://www.skijapanguide.com/index.php
http://www.japaneseguesthouses.com/db/nagano/index.htm