The Overview
Michael Fulton
Melbourne-based skier and snowboarder with 50+ resorts across 5 continents. Specialises in Australian resorts and international resort comparisons.
Naeba operates across 889 metres of vertical drop from a 900-metre base to a 1,789-metre summit on Mount Takenokoyama in Niigata Prefecture. The resort spreads over 196 hectares with 24 marked runs and receives an average of 6 metres of annual snowfall. An FIS Alpine World Cup course and the Big Slope, which maxes out at 32 degrees, anchor the advanced terrain. The resort is run by Prince Hotels and connects to Kagura via the Dragondola, Japan's longest gondola at 5,481 metres.
Terrain distribution breaks down to 30 per cent beginner, 40 per cent intermediate, 25 per cent advanced and 5 per cent expert across the mountain's 24 courses. The lower mountain spreads wide with beginner and intermediate groomers, whilst the upper slopes funnel into steeper sub-alpine faces above the tree line. Six steep runs include designated slalom courses and ungroomed powder faces after fresh snowfall. The longest run extends 4 kilometres from summit to base, and a terrain park with varied features serves freestylers and families alike.
The 1,216-room Naeba Prince Hotel sits ski-in, ski-out at the base, offering direct slope access, 20 dining outlets and comprehensive rental facilities. Lower slopes draw weekend crowds from Tokyo but upper terrain stays relatively quiet on weekdays. Night skiing operates until 20:30 daily, extending to 22:00 on Saturdays from December through March. The resort attracts a strong family demographic, with children 12 and under skiing free on all lifts.
Mt Naeba tickets grant access to both Naeba and Kagura ski areas via the Dragondola, which operates from December through March. The 2025-2026 season runs from 5 December to 29 March, though full coverage typically arrives by early January. Naeba suits intermediate skiers seeking groomed runs and families wanting comprehensive facilities. The resort also hosts Fuji Rock Festival each July, drawing over 100,000 music fans to the mountain venue for three days.
889m
Vertical
24
Runs
484 acres
Skiable
6m
Annual snow
The Terrain
24 runs across 484 acres skiable
Naeba spreads 24 runs across 484 acres skiable of terrain. It leans intermediate at 40%, with 7 beginner runs to find your feet and 7 advanced or expert runs when you want to push.
Terrain split
24
runs
24 runs across 4 grades
Beginner7 runs · 30%
Intermediate10 runs · 40%
Advanced6 runs · 25%
Expert1 run · 5%
Time it right
When to visit Naeba
The 2025-2026 season operates from 5 December 2025 to 29 March 2026, spanning nearly four months of lift-served skiing. Night skiing runs daily from 20 December through 21 March, with Saturday sessions extending until 22:00. Early season requires snowmaking support, with natural coverage building through December. Full terrain opening typically occurs by early January once base depths stabilise across all elevations.
Naeba receives 6 metres of average annual snowfall, with the higher 1,789-metre summit collecting more consistent accumulation than the 900-metre base. Niigata Prefecture's Japan Sea exposure delivers regular winter storms from December through February. Extensive snowmaking infrastructure supplements natural snow across beginner and intermediate terrain. The east-facing aspect can challenge snow preservation during warm spells, though elevation provides buffer against coastal melt cycles.
January and February deliver peak powder conditions, with mid-January through late February offering the most reliable snow quality and coverage. March brings spring corn snow at lower elevations whilst upper bowls hold winter conditions longer. Weekdays outside Japanese holiday periods see lighter crowds than Saturday and Sunday sessions. The resort hosted Alpine Ski World Cup races in 1993 and the Winter Asian Games in 1998, testament to competitive snow reliability.
Special events include First Track sessions on select January through March Sundays, offering groomed runs before regular lift opening for 2,000 yen per person. Fireworks displays illuminate the slopes on designated winter evenings throughout the season. Fuji Rock Festival transforms the mountain base each July, running 24-26 July in 2026 with over 200 musical acts. Night skiing availability makes Naeba practical for after-work sessions from nearby cities and extended evening skiing for resort guests.
Season 2025-2026
5 Dec 2025
Opens
29 Mar 2026
Closes
114
Days open
6 m
Annual snow
Getting there
Getting to Naeba, and where to stay
Naeba sits in Yuzawa town, Niigata Prefecture, 184 kilometres northwest of Tokyo in the Chubu region of Honshu. The resort occupies the eastern slope of Mount Takenokoyama at the edge of Joshin'etsukogen National Park. The base village lies at 900 metres elevation near the Gunma Prefecture border. Niigata's heavy-snowfall reputation stems from moisture-laden winter winds off the Japan Sea hitting mountain ranges inland.
Echigo-Yuzawa, 23 kilometres north, serves as the primary gateway town with hot springs, sake museums and access to 16 ski areas across the valley. Yuzawa town developed during Japan's bubble economy era and retains purpose-built infrastructure. The regional Yukiguni designation translates to "snow country", referencing Yasunari Kawabata's 1948 novel set in this landscape. Over 2 million skiers visit the Echigo-Yuzawa region annually across its dozen resorts.
The Kan-Etsu Expressway provides highway access, with exits at Yuzawa Interchange 22 kilometres away and Tsukiyono Interchange 32 kilometres distant. Route 17 connects both interchanges directly to Naeba base. Driving from Tokyo takes approximately 2.5 to 3 hours depending on traffic and conditions. Roads stay well-cleared throughout winter, with multiple tunnels easing the mountain approach from Yuzawa town.
Tokyo Narita Airport sits 260 kilometres southeast, requiring 4 hours via Narita Express train to Tokyo then Joetsu Shinkansen to Echigo-Yuzawa. Tokyo Haneda Airport offers similar rail connections with slightly shorter transfer times. Niigata Airport lies 150 kilometres northwest, connecting via airport bus to Niigata Station then 45-minute bullet train to Echigo-Yuzawa. From Echigo-Yuzawa Station, shuttle buses run 40-50 minutes to Naeba, with complimentary transfers for Prince Hotel guests and public buses for other visitors.
Where to stay
Search all stays →Hotels and lodges near Naeba, powered by Stay22.
Latest News
From the SnowStash desk
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
Mount Buller Becomes Latest Australian Resort to Call Time Early on 2026
Mount Buller closes out its 2026 season this Sunday, joining Falls Creek, Hotham and Charlotte Pass in a cluster of closures landing almost simultaneously and roughly a month ahead of schedule. The culprit is stark: Spencers Creek's benchmark snow depth hit 31.2cm on 3 September, just 18% of the 73-year average and an all-time low for this point in the season. Six of Victoria and NSW's best-known resorts will have shut their lifts early within a span of about two and a half weeks.
4 Sept 2026
Tremblant to Add New Timber Summit Ski Sector for 2027/28 Season
Tremblant has confirmed a major expansion of its Quebec ski area, with a new Timber Summit sector adding 62 acres of terrain, eight trails and a high-speed quad chairlift for winter 2027/28. It's part of a CAD 42.5 million investment that also includes a new beginner learning zone at Versant Soleil opening this coming season. The project has grown considerably since it was first announced back in 2020, when it carried a far smaller budget and an opening date that never eventuated.
2 Sept 2026
Mount Hotham to Close for the 2026 Season on Sunday, September 6
We knew when the Bird Bath Pond Skim showed up on Hotham's Instagram that the season was on its way out. It's been a rough one - I only managed two days on snow all year, at Falls Creek - and now Baw Baw, Selwyn and Hotham have all called it, possibly the worst Australian season I've seen in a decade. Hotham's last day of lift operations is Sunday, 6 September, with a Retro Day, Father's Day après and closing sales before the lifts stop turning for good.
1 Sept 2026
Thredbo to Replace Ageing Gunbarrel Quad With New Six-Seat Chairlift for 2028
Thredbo Alpine Resort has confirmed plans to replace its 37-year-old Gunbarrel quad chairlift with a new six-seat Doppelmayr D-Line, targeting winter 2028. The AUD 35 million project will keep travel time roughly the same but lift capacity from 2,800 to 3,000 skiers per hour. It's part of a broader investment push that also includes doubled snowmaking capacity at Friday Flat for 2027, with the ageing Kosciuszko Express now flagged as the resort's next major lift replacement after Gunbarrel.
31 Aug 2026
Aerial Tram Collides With Crane at Alpe d'Huez: 23 Injured
An aerial tram carrying around fifty passengers struck the boom of a construction crane on the route to Pic Blanc at Alpe d'Huez on Wednesday morning, injuring 23 people, three seriously. The cabin tipped on impact before the operator reversed it to right the car. Most of the injured were treated on site, with five taken to hospital in Grenoble, including a pregnant woman assessed as a precaution.
28 Aug 2026
Why Glaciers Are Collapsing - And What Happens When They Do
A deadly flood on the Nepal-China border, a decade-old tragedy on Italy's Marmolada, and an unstable glacier right now above a village near Zermatt - three very different mountain ranges, the same underlying story. Warming ice is destabilising terrain that was considered settled for generations, and the results range from catastrophic floods to slow-motion monitoring situations that could go either way.
27 Aug 2026
Pitztal Glacier Set to Reopen for the 2026/27 Ski Season on 26 September
Tyrol's highest ski area is gearing up to open a full month ahead of most of the Alps. The Pitztal Glacier is scheduled to start its 2026/27 season on Saturday 26 September, running through to 2 May 2027, with the lower-altitude Rifflsee area following in December. High-altitude terrain up to 3,440 metres gives the glacier a head start on snow, though as always, the actual opening extent will depend on how September's weather plays out. Early online ski pass bookings can save up to 30%.
26 Aug 2026
Naeba Lift Tickets
Naeba lift tickets & passes
The 2025-2026 season at Naeba closed on Mar 29, 2026. Check back for next season's opening date and ticket pricing.
Lift tickets FAQ
How much does a Naeba day pass cost?
Naeba day pass pricing varies by date and advance booking - see the full breakdown in the tickets panel.
Can I buy Naeba lift tickets online?
Yes, you can purchase tickets online or at the resort ticket office.
Are there discounts for multi-day passes?
Yes, multi-day packages typically offer significant savings compared to individual day passes. The per-day cost decreases with longer stays.
What is included with a Naeba lift ticket?
Full access to all lifts and trails at Naeba, including mountain safety and patrol services.
What is the difference between Naeba lift tickets and ski passes?
"Lift tickets" and "ski passes" refer to the same thing at Naeba - your access to the mountain's lifts and trails for your chosen duration.
When should I buy Naeba lift tickets for the best price?
Purchase tickets at least 7 days in advance for the best rates, and consider weekday visits for further savings over weekend rates.
Does Naeba offer group discounts on lift tickets?
Group discounts are typically available for parties of 10 or more. Contact Naeba directly for group booking information and rates.
How can I check current conditions before buying tickets?
Before purchasing, check the live snow report and mountain webcams to see current weather, snow conditions, and lift operations at Naeba.
More Naeba intelligence: snow report, webcams, resort overview.