Getting to the slopes
Airport transfers, overnight coaches, the Shinkansen, a rental car. Which one suits you depends on where you are going and how you travel.
What you can arrange in English
These operators offer their site in English. Accepted payment methods and what details they ask for vary — check before you book.
| Klook Ad | A Hong Kong-based booking site, with transfers from New Chitose to Niseko, Rusutsu and others. Sold in English and Chinese. |
| KKday Ad | A Taiwan-based booking site, with airport transfers and shared coaches to the slopes. Sold in English and Chinese. |
| WILLER | One of the largest overnight coach operators. Some coaches have wide-spaced seats that make the long ride sleepable. |
| Japan Rail Pass | An unlimited-travel pass sold only to visitors. Worth it if you are moving between regions; poor value if you are staying in one place. |
| ANA | Booking direct with the airline is the most reliable route. |
| JAL | Booking direct with the airline is the most reliable route. |
Airport transfers
Shared coaches and private cars running straight from the airport to the slopes. Worth it when you are carrying skis and want to avoid changing trains. From New Chitose to the Hokkaido resorts, this is how most visitors travel.
Highway and overnight coaches
Direct from the cities to the slopes. An overnight coach puts you on the hill at opening and saves a night's accommodation. Services from Tokyo and Osaka to the main Nagano and Niigata resorts run almost daily.
| Operator | Language | |
|---|---|---|
| Rakuten Travel — Highway Buses Ad | Japanese only | Search the main routes in one place, including the New Chitose and Nagano services. Japanese only. |
| WILLER | English | One of the largest overnight coach operators. Some coaches have wide-spaced seats that make the long ride sleepable. |
Rail and Shinkansen
Echigo-Yuzawa is about 80 minutes from Tokyo by Shinkansen, and some slopes are within walking distance of the station. Nagano and Toyama are on the network too. Trains keep running when roads do not.
| Operator | Language | |
|---|---|---|
| JR SKI SKI | Japanese only | JR East's winter campaign, bundling the Shinkansen with lift passes and lodging. Japanese only. |
| Japan Rail Pass | English | An unlimited-travel pass sold only to visitors. Worth it if you are moving between regions; poor value if you are staying in one place. |
Rental cars
Useful for the smaller ski areas, and for visiting several in a day. Winter tyres come as standard in snow regions. We do not recommend it if you have not driven on snow before — many ski areas are reachable without a car.
| Operator | Language | |
|---|---|---|
| Rakuten Travel — Rent-a-Car Ad | Japanese only | Compare the Japanese rental agencies in one place. Winter tyres are fitted as standard in snow regions. Japanese only. |
Flights
For Hokkaido and parts of Tohoku, flying can be faster. Haneda to New Chitose takes about ninety minutes. Domestic tickets are most reliable booked direct with the airline, so we simply point you there.
Choosing between them
Carrying skis? Take a transfer. Changing trains with a board bag is harder than it sounds. From New Chitose to the Hokkaido resorts, this is how most visitors travel.
Want first tracks? Take an overnight coach. Leave the city at night, arrive in the morning, and save a night’s accommodation.
Want certainty in a storm? Take the train. Echigo-Yuzawa is about eighty minutes from Tokyo, and the trains keep running when the roads do not.
Visiting the smaller hills? Rent a car — but not if you have never driven on snow.
Check prices with the operator. Links marked “Ad” may earn us a commission. The order they appear in reflects nothing about our relationship with them.