Maiko Snow Resort is located in Minamiuonuma city, close to the Shiozawa Ishiuchi IC exit on the Kanetsu Expressway and about ten minutes from the central area of Yuzawa town. The resort has two main bases (Maiko and Nagamine) and three main areas (Maiko, Nagamine and Okusoeji). Part of what is now the Maiko area originally opened in 1959 and the resort has changed names a number of times over the years. The Maiko area is home to gentler slopes, snow parks and Maiko Kogen Hotel. The Nagamine area features the main Day Centre and Maiko Gondola which goes up to the popular slopes of the Okusoeji bowl area of the resort. The best snow conditions can usually be found at Okusoeji as well as some fine mountainous scenery.
Minamiuonuma city and neighbouring Yuzawa town - located just over 200km to the north north-west of the Tokyo region in Niigata Prefecture - are together home to over 20 individual ski and snowboard resorts, including some of the most well-known ski resorts in Japan. With easy and quick access by both train and road and a wide choice in a relatively compact area, this region is one of the most popular ski destinations in Japan. The region usually enjoys very heavy and consistent snowfall each winter and with Yuzawa town also being the inspiration and setting of the famous Nobel prize-winning novel Yukiguni (Snow Country), it can certainly lay claim to being the original 'Snow Country'.
Niigata Prefecture is located in the central region of Honshu to the north of Tokyo and has a 250km long coastline facing the Sea of Japan. Convenient transportation links make Niigata very easy to get to from Tokyo and other surrounding regions. Most of the larger ski and snowboard resorts in Niigata Prefecture are concentrated in the southern regions around Yuzawa town, Minamiuonuma city and Myoko city.
Ski and snowboard lessons are available at Maiko Snow Resort. There are a number of independent ski and snowboard schools that cover the Yuzawa area and offer lessons in English - please check the Lessons in English section for current listings on SnowJapan.
Equipment Rental
Ski Rental:
Available
Snowboard Rental:
Available
Ski and snowboard equipment rental is available. Ski and snowboard wear rental is also available.
Children's facilities
There are two 'Smile Kids Parks' at Maiko Snow Resort - one by the Day Ski Centre and the other in the Maiko Area. Each are 500 yen to enter.
'Maiko Snow Land' is a 400m sledging course next to the Maiko Family lift in the Maiko Area. Entry is free and the area is open 10:00am-4:00pm on Saturdays and 10:00am-3:00pm on Sundays and holidays. Sledge rental is available for a 300 yen (one time) and 500 yen (two times).
Banana Boat rides and Snow Mobile Experience rides are also available in the Maiko Area.
There is a 'Kids Room' (child car) on the 2nd Floor of the gondola base building. Charges are 1,200 yen per hour, available for children ages 2-6.
Park information
There are few snow park areas at Maiko Snow Resort including the Maiko Snow Park 'Garden', 'Bank Yard' and the 'Electric Step Up Park' - located in the Maiko Area of the resort. There is also an ungroomed 'Peak Performance Off-Piste Zone' in the Nagamine Area, which opens depending on snow conditions.
Maiko Snow Resort Season & Opening Times
Typical season is from Mid December until Early April
October
November
December
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
Daytime
Weekends and holidays
Normally open from 8:00am until 5:00pm
Weekdays
Normally open from 8:30am until 5:00pm
'Nighta' (night skiing)
Weekends and holidays
Yes
Weekdays
Yes
Opening information
Maiko Snow Resort is normally open from 8:30am until 5:00pm on weekdays and from 8:00am until 5:00pm on weekends during the daytime.
Nighta is scheduled for from 4:00pm until 8:00pm in part of the Maiko Area during the main season, from Friday 28th December 2018 until 16th March 2019.
Maiko Snow Resort Lift Ticket Charges
Adults
Child
Elementary School age
Older Child
High School age
Senior
55 years & over
1 Day
4,700 yen
2,900 yen
4,200 yen
4,200 yen
2 Days
8,200 yen
5,200 yen
7,300 yen
7,300 yen
3 Days
11,500 yen
7,300 yen
10,200 yen
10,200 yen
4 Days
14,600 yen
9,200 yen
12,900 yen
12,900 yen
5 Days
17,500 yen
10,900 yen
15,400 yen
15,400 yen
6 Days
20,200 yen
12,400 yen
17,700 yen
17,700 yen
7 Days
22,700 yen
13,700 yen
19,800 yen
19,800 yen
5 Hours
4,200 yen
2,600 yen
3,700 yen
3,700 yen
Nighta
500 yen
500 yen
500 yen
500 yen
Sanroku
2,200 yen
2,200 yen
2,200 yen
2,200 yen
1 Lift Coupon
400 yen
400 yen
400 yen
400 yen
Gondola (1 time)
1,100 yen
600 yen
800 yen
800 yen
The 5 Hour ticket is valid for 5 hours from the time of purchase.
The full day lift ticket passes include access to nighta.
The 'Sanroku Ticket' is valid on the Number 1, Number 2 and Family ski lifts in the Maiko Area of the resort for the whole day.
Children's Day: Third Sunday of the month - 1 day pass for elementary school children is free
Women's Day: Every Wednesday (except 2nd January 2019) - 1 day pass for men is 3,600 yen (other extras included)
Men's Day: Every Thursday (except 3rd January and 21st March 2019) - 1 day pass for men is 3,600 yen
Getting to Maiko Snow Resort
By public transport
Train
8.8km from Echigo Yuzawa Station on the Joetsu Shinkansen line
2.7km from Ishiuchi Station on the Joetsu Line
8.8km from Echigo Yuzawa Station on the Hokuhoku Line
Information
Maiko Snow Resort is less than 3km from the small local Ishiuchi Station. However, most people arriving by train use the free shuttle bus from the East Exit of Echigo Yuzawa Station which is just under 9km from Maiko Snow Resort.
Echigo Yuzawa Station is serviced by the local Joetsu line and the Joetsu Shinkansen bullet train line and connections to the Hokuhoku line are also available.
A free shuttle bus is available from the East Exit of Echigo Yuzawa Station to Maiko Snow Resort. The journey takes about 30 minutes.
A taxi journey from Echigo Yuzawa Station to the Maiko Area costs around 2,900 yen and to the Day Centre area costs around 3,400 yen.
By Car
0.6km from the Shiozawa Ishiuchi IC on the Kanetsu Expressway
9.6km from the Yuzawa IC on the Kanetsu Expressway
13km from the Muikamachi IC on the Kanetsu Expressway
Nearest national route: Route 17 (1.7km away)
Nearest prefecture road: Prefecture Road 28
Direction
There are two bases at Maiko Snow Resort.
The Maiko Area is less than 1km from the Shiozawa Ishiuchi IC exit of the Kanetsu Expressway. At the IC exit, go straight ahead and follow the road up to the main parking area on the right hand side.
The Nagamine Area is where the main Day Centre and Gondola is located and for many this is considered the main base of Maiko. At the Shiozawa Ishiuchi IC exit traffic lights, turn left and after just over 1km follow the signs by turning right to head up to the resort car park.
The 2018-2019 winter season is approaching! Hurray!
At the time of writing more than 60% of the ski hills in Japan have still not updated their own information for the upcoming season. We are continuing to manually update the information on these ski resort pages of SnowJapan but for the moment things are unavoidably a mix of old and new. In most cases ski resorts open and close around the same dates each season, so even if the planned season dates shown on this page are still from the 2017-2018 season, that is usually a good indication of what to expect this time round.
For more details and explanations about the information presented on this page,
please read this.
It is very important to us that the information presented on SnowJapan is correct and up-to-date. Checks and updates are made throughout the year. If you find information that you feel needs checking and updating, please let us know by contacting us. We appreciate your support.
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Quad lifts
Triple lifts
Pair lifts
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