Urabandai

Urabandai spreads 3 runs across 74 acres skiable of terrain. It leans beginner at 50%, with 2 beginner runs to find your feet and 1 advanced or expert run when you want to push.

Operations run from 19 December 2025 through 22 March 2026, with lifts spinning Friday through Monday plus national holidays including 11 February and daily from 26 December to 5 January during the New Year period. The roughly 13-week season aligns with the Tohoku region's reliable winter window. Hours hold at 8:30 to 16:00 throughout the season with no extended spring operations.

The north-facing slopes receive 7 metres of average annual snowfall, benefiting from moisture-laden systems tracking inland from the Sea of Japan. Base elevation at 900 metres and summit at 1,200 metres provide adequate cold retention for natural snow preservation without extensive snowmaking infrastructure. The frozen surface of Lake Hibara, visible from upper slopes, confirms the area's sustained winter cold. Snow quality peaks during January and February when temperatures drop low enough to form Yellow Falls, the frozen waterfall accessed via snowshoe treks from the resort.

Mid-January through mid-February delivers the most consistent powder conditions and the deepest base depths, though weekend crowds increase during this prime period. Early season and March offer thinner visitor numbers on groomed surfaces. Late March sees spring corn development on sunny aspects. The resort operates only four days weekly outside holiday periods, making weekday visits impossible for much of the season.

The Yellow Falls snowshoe programme runs 27 December 2025 through 22 March 2026, providing guided winter trekking to the ice formation during operating days. No night skiing programme exists despite weekend demand at larger neighbouring resorts. The resort closed on 22 March 2026 after the most recent season, maintaining a consistent late-March closure date.