Tohoku is the northern part of the main island of Honshu and has a number of resort regions that offer great snow condition. Tohoku basically stretches from Fukushima and Yamagata all the way up to the northern tip of Aomori Prefecture. The main snow regions here include Hakkoda in Aomori, resorts to the west of Morioka City, including Shizukuishi, Appi Kogen and Hachimantai, the area around Zao in Yamagata, and the Bandai/Inawashiro region of Fukushima. Although the Tohoku area is often maybe too often thought of as being too far from Tokyo to be convenient, the Shinkansen and expressways make it a good alternative, especially for those interested in better snow conditions and less crowds.  There are some excellent places to see in Tohoku and the region is worth exploring.

Yamagata Zao Onsen's ski lifts have been running since the 1920’s, making it one of Japan’s oldest resort areas. Unlike some of the built-up newer ski areas around the country, Zao is refreshingly devoid of the modern hotels and has a much warmer old-style feel to it not unlike Nozawa Onsen in Nagano Prefecture. Home to the famous "Snow Monsters" (created from frost and snow built-up on the sturdy evergreens around the mountain), Zao has a good variety of courses to choose from – it can get extremely cold in mid season.

For those really looking to get away from the crowds, Tazawa-ko in Akita Prefecture is a good place to check out. Hardly ever crowded, this picturesque ski resort area is located above the deepest lake in Japan – Tazawa-ko – and there are three different resorts to choose from. Appi Kogen is a testament to the lavish spending of the bubble era. It is one of the newer resorts in Japan and has modern facilities, few lift lines and a lot of territory to ski or snowboard.

Of the less well known areas in Tohoku, two are standouts. Onikobe in Miyagi prefecture is another product of the bubble era. Purpose built by Mitsubishi, the main hotel is ski-in ski-out. The lower slopes are extensive and well serviced by lifts. The upper slopes comprise a ridge and powder bowl, the two being connected by an ungroomed steep section, with extensive tree runs. Jangle Jungle (Yamagata) is geared towards boarders, and draws from all over Tohoku. The terrain is not particularly challenging, but if you want jumps, humps, bumps, rails and a halfpipe, it is well worth a visit.

Hunter Mountain, although technically in Tochigi (not Tohoku), is the closest to these northern resorts to Tokyo. The best way to get to Hunter Mountain is by car and it makes a good day trip from Tokyo. It is a beautiful drive unless you happen to get stuck in traffic on a busy weekend. Although the resort is not especially big and it doesn't have much advanced terrain, it is a well-run comfortable resort with an American-style feel complete with signs in English.

More information: