A luxury reopening of the legendary Arai Mountain — 75% un-groomed, gate-managed tree skiing, and the Lotte hotel at the base. Expert-leaning but beautifully run.
Runs
13
Vertical
951m
Summit
1280m
Base 329m
Annual snow
15m+/season
Premium
Best season Mid-December to early May
Why Lotte Arai Resort
A luxury reopening of the legendary Arai Mountain — 75% un-groomed, gate-managed tree skiing, and the Lotte hotel at the base. Expert-leaning but beautifully run.
World-class powder; reopened to international acclaim
Plan your trip
Lotte Arai Resort reopened in 2017 as a luxury freeride mountain — 949 m vertical, 11 m of annual snowfall, and Japan's most ambitious modern ski resort. Joetsumyoko Station (Hokuriku Shinkansen) is 1 hr 48 min from Tokyo, then a 20-min free shuttle.
Trains, shuttles, and rentals from the airport.
Free shuttle bus from Joetsumyoko Station West Exit to Lotte Arai Resort — 20 min, reservation required.
Hand-picked stays across the resort's two zones.
Single self-contained resort — the Lotte Arai Resort hotel (multiple wings) plus the Lodge Arai cabins and the modern Arai Hotel apartment-style suites.
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
72
Plenty for advanced skiers — proper black runs, real consequence.
From terrain split, run profile, vertical drop, expert features.
Powder profile
Sea-of-Japan storm cycles — deep, heavier snow.
Heavier, frequent storm cycles — deep refills, denser snow.
15
m+
per season
Frequent deep days through midwinter
Expert runs
5 of 13
Estimated from advanced terrain split.
Vertical drop
951m
Big-mountain vertical.
Steepest pitch
—
Pitch not published.
Backcountry gates
None
In-bounds skiing only.
Tree skiing
Yes
Tagged for proper tree runs.
Moguls
Few
Mostly cord and powder.
Best for
Terrain & features
Photo: Ski Mania / Public domain · Source
Getting there
Nearest airport, train and bus options, and what the drive looks like in winter conditions.
From airport
75 minutes by Shinkansen from Tokyo
Train / bus
Shuttle from JR Joetsumyoko Shinkansen Station 75 minutes by Shinkansen from Tok
Overview
Shuttle from JR Joetsumyoko Shinkansen Station
From airport
75 minutes by Shinkansen from Tokyo
Live conditions
Off-seasonThe mountain is resting.
Next season
Opens late November
Current temp 16°C, wind 10 km/h. We’ll resume the daily report once snowfall picks up.
Forecast data via Open-Meteo. Refreshes hourly. Always verify with the resort before driving up.
Nearby resorts
More resorts in Niigata
destination resort
Home of the Dragondola — at 5.5km the world's longest gondola, linking Naeba to Kagura. The Prince Hotel anchors a full Niigata ski town.
powder-focused
Niigata's high-altitude powder magnet — base elevation above 1,200m means season lasts into Golden Week, and gate-managed backcountry is easy to access from the top.
day trip
The only resort in Japan with a Shinkansen station at the lift base — you can literally ski in a suit on your lunch break. Beginner-heavy, famously accessible.
day trip
Yuzawa's most walkable resort — the NASPA hotel sits on the slope, the Shinkansen station is a short shuttle away, and the runs are firmly beginner–intermediate.
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 NiigataNiigata airport transfers
