A remote volcanic plateau near Mt Norikura — limited lift-served terrain, but serious high-altitude backcountry for those who know the range.
Runs
12
Vertical
748m
Summit
2000m
Base 1450m
Annual snow
11m/season
Hidden gem
Best season Mid-December to early April
Why Norikura Kogen Ski Area
A remote volcanic plateau near Mt Norikura — limited lift-served terrain, but serious high-altitude backcountry for those who know the range.
Volcanic plateau; remote backcountry access
Plan your trip
Norikura Kogen sits on the eastern flank of Mt Norikura — wide gentle slopes, big family snow-play area, and the Norikura Onsen hot-spring village at the base. Matsumoto + 60 min by bus.
Hand-picked stays across the resort's two zones.
Norikura Onsen village at the lift base — traditional ryokan, pensions, hot-spring inns. Quiet, atmospheric.
Terrain in detail
ExtremeTrue expert terrain — steep, deep, and demanding. Difficulty, powder character, and the stats that matter on the mountain itself.
Hardcore index
83
True expert terrain — steep, deep, and demanding.
From terrain split, run profile, vertical drop, expert features.
Powder profile
Inland alpine — variable depending on storm direction.
Drier on cold storms, deeper when the Sea of Japan fires.
11
m
per season
Frequent deep days through midwinter
Expert runs
7 of 12
Estimated from advanced terrain split.
Vertical drop
748m
Solid sustained pitch.
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: Ski Mania / Public domain · Source
Getting there
Nearest airport, train and bus options, and what the drive looks like in winter conditions.
From airport
3 hours from Tokyo
Train / bus
Bus from JR Matsumoto Station 3 hours from Tokyo
Overview
Bus from JR Matsumoto Station
From airport
3 hours from Tokyo
Live conditions
Off-seasonThe mountain is resting.
Next season
Opens late November
Current temp 6°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 Nagano
destination resort
Hakuba's crown jewel and 1998 Olympic venue, offering Japan's most challenging piste skiing with epic vertical.
resort town
Two interconnected Hakuba faces — 47's terrain park and Goryu's wide groomers under one lift ticket, plus the valley's best night-skiing.
powder-focused
The snowiest resort in Hakuba Valley and Japan's finest steep in-bounds tree skiing — the Hotel Green Plaza at the base makes it the most underrated ski-in option in the country.
family-focused
Japan's widest beginner piste, plus the Tsugaike DBD — lift-served backcountry zone on the top of the mountain. Rare resort that works for a first-timer AND a freerider.
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 Tokyo HanedaNagano airport transfers
