Japan's longest season — opens in April when everyone else is closing and skis well into summer. Mostly open terrain, spring snow, lift-accessed backcountry.
Runs
7
Vertical
300m
Summit
1600m
Base 1300m
Region
Tohoku
Yamagata Prefecture
Hidden gem
Best season April to late July
Why Gassan Ski Resort
Japan's longest season — opens in April when everyone else is closing and skis well into summer. Mostly open terrain, spring snow, lift-accessed backcountry.
Longest season in Japan; open through July
Plan your trip
Gassan is Japan's spring-skiing icon — the only resort in Japan that opens in April and runs through July, on a sacred mountain in Yamagata's Dewa Sanzan. No winter operation; pure spring corn snow only.
Hand-picked stays across the resort's two zones.
No on-mountain hotel — base in Tsuruoka City for heritage ryokan and the Dewa Sanzan shrines.
Pass, lessons, gear, and guides for powder days.
Adult 1-day ¥4,500. April–July season only — Japan's longest spring skiing operation, corn snow each morning.
Terrain in detail
SeriousPlenty for advanced skiers — proper black runs, real consequence. Difficulty, powder character, and the stats that matter on the mountain itself.
Hardcore index
71
Plenty for advanced skiers — proper black runs, real consequence.
From terrain split, run profile, vertical drop, expert features.
Powder profile
Cold Tohoku storms — drier than the Sea of Japan coast.
Drier on cold storms, deeper when the Sea of Japan fires.
—
m
per season
Snowfall data not published — frequency is the regional baseline.
Expert runs
4 of 7
Estimated from advanced terrain split.
Vertical drop
300m
Compact mountain.
Steepest pitch
—
Pitch not published.
Backcountry gates
Open
Lift-accessed sidecountry — register at the gate.
Tree skiing
Limited
Mostly groomed terrain.
Moguls
Few
Mostly cord and powder.
Best for
Terrain & features
Photo: 663highland / CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source
Getting there
Nearest airport, train and bus options, and what the drive looks like in winter conditions.
From airport
Approximately 2 hours from Yamagata Airport
Drive
Rental car recommended Approximately 2 hours from Yamagata Airport
Overview
Rental car recommended
From airport
Approximately 2 hours from Yamagata Airport
Live conditions
Live
Fresh, last 24 hours
0
cm
No fresh snow
Rain right now
Temp
6°C
Above freezing
Wind
20 km/h
Calm
Base depth
0 cm
7-day total
6 cm
Forecast snowfall
72h fresh
0 cm
7-day forecast
Wed
14° / 7°
Today
9° / 3°
Fri
6cm
4° / 0°
Sat
9° / 0°
Sun
8° / 3°
Mon
12° / 4°
Tue
15° / 6°
Forecast data via Open-Meteo. Refreshes hourly. Always verify with the resort before driving up.
Nearby resorts
More resorts in Tohoku
resort town
A long-season resort overlooking the Sea of Japan, run by the Rockwood Hotel — a short hop from the Shinkansen and rarely crowded.
powder-focused
A single ropeway into Tohoku's most legendary backcountry — snow-monster ridges, tree runs through beech forest, and some of Japan's deepest, driest snow. Experts and guides only on most days.
day trip
A city mountain on the edge of Aomori — short lift lines, floodlit night skiing, and a reliable first day of a Tohoku trip.
resort town
Overlooking Lake Tazawa — Japan's deepest — with long cruising runs and a clean shuttle connection from the Akita Shinkansen.
Trail map
Open full sizeReady to book?
Stays, lift passes, rentals — everything you need in one place.
Book & plan
At the resort
Book accommodationOfficial resort siteGetting there
Domestic flights to SendaiTohoku airport transfers
