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.
Runs
22
Vertical
1085m
Summit
1789m
Base 900m
Annual snow
7m+/season
Premium
Best season Mid-December to early April
Why Naeba Ski 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.
World's longest gondola (Dragondola); shuttle from Echigo-Yuzawa Shinkansen
Plan your trip
Naeba is one of Honshu's biggest resorts and home to the Naeba Prince Hotel — the famous Dragondola links it to Kagura for 24 km of combined terrain. Echigo-Yuzawa Station (Joetsu Shinkansen) is the access hub, ~80 min from Tokyo.
Trains, shuttles, and rentals from the airport.
Free shuttle bus from Echigo-Yuzawa East Exit to Naeba Prince Hotel — 40 min, exclusive to Prince guests, reservation required.
Hand-picked stays across the resort's two zones.
Dominated by the giant 1,200+ room Naeba Prince Hotel at the slope base; nearby Mitsumata village has cheaper pensions.
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
62
Plenty for advanced skiers — proper black runs, real consequence.
From terrain split, run profile, vertical drop, expert features.
Powder profile
Yuzawa storm magnet — heavy, frequent refills.
Heavier, frequent storm cycles — deep refills, denser snow.
7
m+
per season
Frequent deep days through midwinter
Expert runs
7 of 22
Estimated from advanced terrain split.
Vertical drop
1085m
Big-mountain vertical.
Steepest pitch
32°
Stiff black-run pitch.
Backcountry gates
None
In-bounds skiing only.
Tree skiing
Limited
Mostly groomed terrain.
Moguls
Few
Mostly cord and powder.
Best for
Terrain & features
Photo: SLIMHANNYA / 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 90 minutes by Shinkansen from Tokyo
Train / bus
Shuttle from JR Echigo-Yuzawa Shinkansen Station Approximately 90 minutes by Shi
Overview
Shuttle from JR Echigo-Yuzawa Shinkansen Station
From airport
Approximately 90 minutes by Shinkansen from Tokyo
Live conditions
Off-seasonThe mountain is resting.
Next season
Opens late November
Current temp 15°C, wind 3 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
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.
family-focused
One of the Yuzawa cluster's more varied mountains — longer runs, a dedicated beginner zone, and direct Shinkansen access.
Trail map
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At the resort
Book accommodationOfficial resort siteGetting there
Domestic flights to NiigataNiigata airport transfers
