The Overview
Michael Fulton
Melbourne-based skier and snowboarder with 50+ resorts across 5 continents. Specialises in Australian resorts and international resort comparisons.
Myoko Suginohara operates across 1,124 metres of vertical drop between 731 and 1,855 metres elevation, with 16 runs covering terrain suitable for all abilities. The resort claims Japan's longest continuous ski run at 8.5 kilometres from summit to base. Annual snowfall averages 13 to 15 metres, driven by storms crossing the Sea of Japan that collide with the mountain's high-elevation terrain. Myoko Suginohara joined the Ikon Pass network for the 2025-26 season, offering passholders access to one of nine ski areas in the broader Myoko Kogen region.
Terrain divides into two zones: the Suginohara Zone at lower elevations and the Mitahara Zone reaching the 1,855-metre summit. Beginner and intermediate runs account for 80 per cent of the resort's 16 marked trails, with wide groomers dominating the lower mountain. The upper Mitahara Zone holds steeper pitches and tree skiing between widely spaced birch and beech, offering off-piste options when fresh snow arrives. A terrain park operates on the lower mountain with jumps, boxes and rollers.
The base village of Suginosawa Onsen retains traditional Japanese character, with family-run lodges, onsen bathhouses and limited evening dining. Weekday lift queues rarely exceed two minutes, though the gondola may queue 10 to 30 minutes on weekends and public holidays. The resort offers free lift access for children under 13 and discounted tickets for seniors aged 55 and above. On-mountain restaurants serve regional specialities including roast pork with ginger sauce and local soba noodles.
Myoko Suginohara operates as part of the Mt Myoko All Mountain Pass system, which grants access to Akakura Onsen, Akakura Kanko and Ikenotaira resorts within the Myoko Kogen area. The 2025-26 season runs from 5 December 2025 to 29 March 2026. The resort suits intermediate cruisers seeking long fall-line runs, families with mixed abilities benefiting from free children's passes, and advanced riders looking for accessible tree skiing and sidecountry terrain between storm cycles.
1124m
Vertical
16
Runs
222 acres
Skiable
15m
Annual snow
The Terrain
16 runs across 222 acres skiable
Myoko Suginohara spreads 16 runs across 222 acres skiable of terrain. It leans beginner at 40%, with 6 beginner runs to find your feet and 3 advanced or expert runs when you want to push.
Terrain split
16
runs
16 runs across 4 grades
Beginner6 runs · 40%
Intermediate6 runs · 40%
Advanced3 runs · 20%
Expert0 runs · 0%
Time it right
When to visit Myoko Suginohara
The 2025-26 season spans 5 December 2025 to 29 March 2026, delivering approximately 115 operating days across mid-December to late March. Myoko Kogen typically opens lifts in early December following initial snowpack establishment, with full terrain access by mid-month. Spring operations extend into late March, when lower elevation runs transition to corn snow and upper mountain terrain holds winter conditions. Lifts operate from 8.30am to 4.30pm on weekdays and 8am to 4.30pm on weekends and holidays.
Annual snowfall averages between 13 and 15 metres, placing Myoko Suginohara among Japan's snowiest ski areas. The resort's 1,855-metre summit elevation exceeds both Hakuba Happo One and Nozawa Onsen, providing a 600-metre elevation advantage over coastal lowlands where storms originate. Moisture-laden systems from the Sea of Japan collide with the mountain, producing frequent dumps of light, dry powder. Snowmaking equipment supplements natural snowfall on lower runs, though the resort relies predominantly on natural accumulation given the region's consistent storm cycles.
January and February deliver peak powder conditions, with the second week of January historically recording the heaviest snowfall averaging 74 centimetres across a typical week. Early season conditions in December offer uncrowded slopes with developing base depths, whilst March provides longer daylight hours and stable spring snow on sun-exposed aspects. Visibility during active storms can limit upper mountain skiing, pushing traffic into tree zones where spatial reference remains clearer. Weekday visits avoid domestic crowds that concentrate on weekends and Japanese public holidays.
The resort does not operate night skiing or floodlit terrain. Snowmobile tours operate as an additional activity during winter months. Children under 13 ski free throughout the season, making school holiday periods particularly busy with Japanese families. No major international competitions or festivals anchor the calendar, though local events occasionally take place at the base area. The season's timing aligns with other Myoko Kogen resorts, allowing multi-resort exploration under the Mt Myoko All Mountain Pass.
Season 2025-2026
5 Dec 2025
Opens
29 Mar 2026
Closes
114
Days open
15 m
Annual snow
Getting there
Getting to Myoko Suginohara, and where to stay
Myoko Suginohara sits in southwestern Niigata Prefecture on the eastern slopes of 2,454-metre Mount Myoko, part of the Myoko-Togakushi Renzan National Park. The resort occupies a north-south ridgeline within the broader Myoko Kogen highland plateau, which stretches between 600 and 1,300 metres elevation. The base village of Suginosawa Onsen lies at 731 metres, approximately 5 kilometres south of the larger Akakura Onsen village. Niigata Prefecture borders Nagano Prefecture immediately to the south, placing Myoko Kogen at the intersection of two major snow belts.
Myoko-Kogen Station, the nearest rail hub, sits 10 to 15 minutes by taxi from the resort base, serving the Shinano Railway Kita-Shinano Line. Nagano city lies 30 kilometres to the south, connected by a 40-minute train journey on the Shinano Railway. The larger city of Joetsu sits 20 kilometres north. The Myoko region merged from the historic city of Arai and surrounding mountain towns in 2005, creating the modern municipality of Myoko City with a population near 31,000 spread across 445 square kilometres.
The Joshinetsu Expressway provides primary road access, with the Myoko Kogen Interchange located 5 minutes from Suginohara's base area. From Tokyo, the drive covers approximately 285 kilometres and requires 3.5 hours via the expressway through mountainous terrain. From Nagano city, the journey north takes one hour by car on Route 18 and connecting mountain roads. Overnight highway buses operate from Tokyo, arriving at Myoko Kogen in approximately 4.5 to 5 hours depending on road conditions and stops.
Tokyo Narita Airport sits 280 kilometres southeast, whilst Tokyo Haneda Airport lies slightly closer at 260 kilometres. Both airports connect to Myoko Kogen via Hokuriku Shinkansen to Nagano Station, followed by the Shinano Railway to Myoko-Kogen Station, totalling 3 to 5 hours including transfers. Niigata Airport, 160 kilometres northeast, offers domestic and limited international flights, with onward bus or car travel required. Direct airport shuttle buses operate from both Tokyo airports to Myoko Kogen, eliminating transfers and delivering passengers to resort doorsteps in approximately 5 hours. Train travellers use JR East services to Nagano, then switch to the Echigo Tokimeki Railway for the final leg to Myoko-Kogen Station.
Where to stay
Search all stays →Hotels and lodges near Myoko Suginohara, powered by Stay22.
Latest News
From the SnowStash desk
Saalbach Hinterglemm Resort Review: 270 km of Piste, 70 Lifts and a Three-Resort Pass
Four connected areas, 70 lifts and a World Championship course, yet Saalbach Hinterglemm still runs like a family holiday. Two days on snow and a Worlds Super-G later, here is who it suits, what the Ski ALPIN CARD covers and why Epic Pass holders should pay attention. Big on blues, light on steeps.
30 Sept 2026
Sölden Plans Four-Race World Cup Opener on the Rettenbach Glacier from 2027
Sölden's World Cup opener has been two giant slaloms on the Rettenbach glacier for as long as most fans can remember. From 2027/28 it could be four. Director Jack Falkner wants to add two Super-Gs, backed by a nod from Vincent Kriechmayr, and turn the opening into a full week where the ski world gathers in the Ötztal. FIS and the ÖSV are yet to sign off. This year, it's still just the two GS races on 24 and 25 October.
29 Sept 2026
Hokkaido Ski Resort Opening Dates 2026/27: Sapporo Kokusai Leads Off on 20 November
Hokkaido's lift season now has dates. Sapporo Kokusai opens first on 20 November, Niseko United, Kiroro, Rusutsu and Furano follow on 28 November, and Kamui closes the list on 12 December. Everything hinges on snow, and with a strong El Niño in play, the JMA gives Hokkaido's Japan Sea side a 40% chance of below-normal snowfall. Honshu's Japan Sea coast looks shakier.
28 Sept 2026
Swiss Ski Resorts Post Second-Highest Winter Revenue on Record Despite a Warm Season
Switzerland logged 25.7 million ski days last winter, only 2.3% off the record, in a season that ranked sixth-warmest since records began. Revenue hit CHF 895.8 million, second only to 2024/25. Zermatt led on visits and takings, foreign guests hit a ten-year high, and 12 resorts never opened at all. Snowmaking, late storms and high altitude carried the numbers. Anything sitting at 1,000-1,200 m had a far rougher time.
26 Sept 2026
Aspen Snowmass Marks 80th Anniversary With $3.75 Throwback Lift Tickets
Aspen Snowmass turns 80 this December, and it's marking the milestone with $3.75 lift tickets on the anniversary itself - the original 1946 price. A discounted long weekend, $19.46 dining specials, lodging deals up to 46 percent off, and a season of anniversary programming round out the celebration across all four mountains.
17 Sept 2026
Doppelmayr Group Posts 9.1% Revenue Growth in 2025/26, Passing 1.3 Billion Euros
Doppelmayr closed its 2025/26 business year with revenue up 9.1 percent to 1.3 billion euros, driven by projects including the Big Sky Explorer Gondola, Deer Valley's Mayflower East Village Gondola, and the first TRI-Line installation at Hoch-Ybrig. Headcount grew too, with the ropeway manufacturer now employing almost 4,000 people worldwide.
16 Sept 2026
Hintertux Glacier Replaces 40-Year-Old Gondola to Tuxer Fernerhaus
Hintertux Glacier is retiring its 40-year-old gondola to the Tuxer Fernerhaus. The replacement carries 10 people per cabin instead of four, with seat heating and nearly 40 percent more hourly capacity. Doppelmayr's new line opens at the end of October 2026, right as the glacier's high-altitude terrain becomes accessible again for the new season.
16 Sept 2026
FIS Weighs Holding World Championships in Almost Every Winter, Starting 2032
The International Ski and Snowboard Federation is looking at a major shake-up to its title events calendar. From 2032, World Championships could run not just in odd-numbered years but in every non-Olympic winter too, effectively putting a global title event on the calendar almost every season. The FIS Council has approved the concept following a feasibility study, though an accelerated rollout as early as 2028 is also under consideration.
4 Sept 2026
Myoko Suginohara Lift System
Five lifts serve the resort's 1,124-metre vertical span: one gondola, two quad chairlifts and two double chairlifts. The Suginohara Gondola stretches 2.7 kilometres from the base area to approximately 1,500 metres elevation, accessing the mid-mountain Mitahara Zone. Both quad chairs measure 1.7 kilometres in length and feature weather protection. The two double chairs provide access to beginner terrain and connect lower mountain zones, though one return chair from the gondola base ranks among the slowest lifts in the region.
The gondola serves as the primary uphill artery, carrying skiers and riders from the 731-metre base to mid-mountain in a continuous flow. Mitahara Chairlift 3, a quad chair, completes the journey to the 1,855-metre summit and unlocks access to the resort's signature 8.5-kilometre top-to-bottom run. The lift system efficiently separates beginner zones from advanced terrain, with lower chairs dedicated to progression areas. Three of the five lifts offer weather protection through enclosed cabins or windscreens, reducing closure risk during storms.
Base-to-summit ascent requires two stages: the gondola climb followed by the Mitahara 3 quad chair to reach the highest elevation. Skiers returning from long descents can reload via the gondola or use the double chair to lap mid-mountain runs without returning to the base. The elongated north-south layout means most vertical is gained through the primary gondola, with lateral traversing minimised compared to sprawling resort complexes. Tree runs and powder stashes sit within short skating distance of marked trails.
The resort upgraded its gondola system in recent years under Prince Hotels ownership, maintaining modern eight-passenger cabins on the main installation. Lift infrastructure prioritises uphill efficiency over high-speed detachable technology, with the two modern quads balancing capacity and ride time. Bottlenecks remain minimal on weekdays, though weekend crowds concentrate at the gondola during morning first tracks. The lift network permits extended 8.5-kilometre descents without interruption, a defining characteristic unavailable at most Japanese ski areas.
5lifts across 3 types
1
Gondola
2
Quad Chairs
2
Double Chairs
Myoko Suginohara lift system
Myoko Suginohara is served by 5 lifts, listed here by type. Check which lifts are turning against the live conditions before you plan your first laps - early lifts and high-speed chairs get you to the best snow fastest.
More Myoko Suginohara intelligence: trail map, snow report, webcams, resort overview.