Skiing and snowboarding are not the cheapest of pastimes anywhere in the world. Japan is no exception, but at times surprisingly inexpensive compared to other countries. Transportation costs, equipment rental and accommodation can all add to the expense of a weekend in the mountains. However, taking part in winter sports in Japan is not as expensive as you may imagine.

Each resort has it's own lift ticket pricing strategy, but most are fairly predictable. The main choice at most places being:
 

There are often a selection of other tickets on offer at each resort - each resort will have their own policies and so check before you choose which ticket to buy.  The Resort listings on SnowJapan show the main lift tickets prices for each resort.  Some resorts offer one-ride tickets (or packages of one ride tickets) and others have tickets that include or exclude gondola lifts or parts of the resort. Some others may even include access to adjacent or nearby resorts.

Recently, with the numbers of skiers and boarders decreasing year on year, some of the smaller resorts have brought down their prices to attract customers to their slopes. Some have also began offering reasonable package deals that include transportation, hotel charges and lift tickets. For people living in Japan, some resorts offer season passes, which can be a great deal if you plan on hitting the slopes often. Check each resort for more detailed information.

Most rental gear you will find in Japan is of great quality and well maintained.  It can easily become expensive though - you could find yourself paying 4000 yen a day to get kitted out.  If you plan on staying for more than a day or two, it is definitely worth bringing your own gear with you. Sizes used to be a big problem, but nowadays most resorts have a large enough variety of gear to fit most people. That being said, if you do need overly large sized equipment or ski-ware, it would be much easier to bring your own stuff.

Night skiing is usually limited to a few floodlit runs (not all of the resort) and in some cases just one run. It can be great fun, but after a particularly sunny day, the conditions can resemble an ice rink. Another good thing about a "nighter" is it is a good way to avoid any crowds.

In the past many resorts restricted access to snowboarders.  Times have changed though and now most Japanese resorts welcome snowboarders unconditionally. There are still a few resorts remaining that are "skiers only" but they are the tiny minority.

If you are arriving by train, many of the popular resorts have shuttle buses running from the major stations.  Many of these are free but some resorts will charge you for the bus service (usually a few hundred yen).

Most resorts have car parks which traditionally were 1000 yen for the day, but over the last few years many resorts are offering the car parks for free on weekdays.  It will still often be 1000 yen on weekends and holidays though....

Some snow resorts are now also offering other new facilities to attract more visitors. Families with children will be pleased to know that some resorts offer childcare facilities and ski lessons in English. Snow Tubing is also becoming more popular at some resorts. Other resorts offer snowmobile rides.

There are also companies that specialize in backcountry ski and snowboard tours, snowshoeing and even snow rafting. Many of these companies specialize in white water rafting and other adventure sports in the warmer months and have recently begun expanding their services year round.  Check the SnowJapan Services page for some more information.

One way to cut down on expenses is to join one of the many packaged ski tours. It’s impossible to miss all the colorful brochures that appear in huge racks outside travel agencies and train stations each fall. Most travel agencies offer ski and snowboard packages to popular resort areas. Although foreigners generally scorn package tours in Japan because are restrictive and pricey, most package ski tours are fairly unobtrusive and normally just include transportation, accommodation and lift tickets. Meals are often included as well, so if you don’t want to eat at the hotel all weekend, it may be worth asking about. If you don’t feel comfortable making travel plans in Japanese, some agencies have English-speaking staff, and there are smaller agencies that specialize in foreign customers as well.