Skiing in Gunma

Gunma sits inland, north-west of Tokyo, and offers the closest serious skiing to the capital. Resorts here cluster around the volcanic Mt. Tanigawa and Oze National Park — Tanigawa-dake itself is steep and avalanche-prone backcountry, but the lift-served resorts on its flanks are forgiving. Marunuma Kogen and Oze Iwakura are the destinations that get singled out for snow quality, sitting high enough to hold cold storms. Tambara Lakeside is more about access — a 90-minute drive from Tokyo for families who want one day on snow and back to the city the same night. Gunma is also home to Kusatsu and Kawaba, where the ski-and-onsen tradition runs deep. Travel: Joetsu Shinkansen from Tokyo Station to Jomo-Kogen or Echigo-Yuzawa, then bus. Or drive on the Kan-Etsu Expressway, which stays open through most storms. The region trades headline depth for proximity — Gunma resorts get less snowfall than Niigata 30km west, but you can be on a chairlift in two hours from a Tokyo apartment, which is the trade most casual visitors actually want.