Japan is a Winter Wonderland — Here are 7 Destinations to Prove It
Traditional gassho-zukuri farmhouses, some of them 250 years old, populate the mountainside village of Shirakawa-gō (Photo: Fabian Mardi)
*Post updated on Dec. 28, 2021
Winter travel isn’t for everyone, but for those who love to go where the snow blows, Japan is one of the ultimate cold-weather destinations. With miles and miles of mountainous terrain and numerous volcanoes, you’re never too far from a ski slope — or a hot spring.
Getting the true winter experience in Japan requires traveling outside of the city and into the countryside, where a truly snow globe-like experience awaits. If you don’t know a thing about the island nation, don’t worry: I did the hard work for you (well, part of it at least). After cross-referencing several “best-of” lists, I came up with this collection of destinations which proves one thing above all else, and that is the fact that Japan truly is a winter wonderland.
Here are seven destinations that can back up that claim:
1. Shirakawa-gō
It would probably be a sin not to begin this list with Shirakawa-gō. In researching destinations for this post, this mountainside village in Gifu Prefecture showed up everywhere — and it’s not difficult to see why it’s considered a winter getaway by so many.
Declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1995, the village is filled with traditional gassho-zukuri farmhouses, which are constructed with steep, thatched roofs to help withstand the astronomical amounts of snow that get dumped on this region.
But that’s hardly a reason to stay away; in fact, it’s a large part of the reason people are drawn here. Day trips from nearby Takayama to Shirakawa-gō’s main village, Ogimachi, are easy enough, but to get the full experience you really need to stay in one of the farmhouses, many of which are utilized as minshukus (family-operated bed and breakfasts). Who knows, you may even get lucky and witness an overnight snowstorm blow through.
2. Hakuba
Brought into the spotlight thanks to the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Hakuba lays claim to nearly a dozen ski resorts, leaving you with no valid excuses not to hit the slopes. The city, located just west of Nagano, is found squarely within the Northern Alps of Japan, which only adds to its allure as a top-notch winter destination.
People travel far and wide to tackle Hakuba’s world-class runs (PowderHounds has a useful guide to the area’s 200+ slopes), but there are still things to do even if you don’t ski or snowboard. You could take a dip in one of the many onsens (hot springs) in Hakuba Valley, pay a visit to Matsumoto Castle, or check out one of the other suggestions included on this list from Japan Objects.
A pair of macaque monkeys enjoying the hot springs at Jigokudani Monkey Park (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)
3. Ginzan Onsen
Speaking of onsens, one of the most popular hot spring areas around is Ginzan Onsen, a small town found in Yamagata Prefecture. Formerly hanging its hat on the production out of its silver mines, the town has turned its eye toward tourism in the last few decades. Walking through the main stretch of town along the Ginzan River, visitors will find a number of wooden inns, gas street lamps, and, hopefully, the sensation of natsukashii — a Japanese word used to describe a feeling or yearning for times gone by.
There are a couple of public baths that can be found in the town center for a few hundred yen, but, if you’re willing to pay a little more, private experiences also abound. Additionally, you can find Shiragone Falls just south of town, as well as the Nobezawa Silver Mine Ruins. For a look at all the area has to offer, check out Lonely Planet’s guide.
4. Sapporo Snow Festival
The Sapporo Snow Festival popped up just about everywhere I looked, earning widespread mention as one of the most exciting winter celebrations anywhere around the world. Held annually in February, the festival typically draws hundreds of thousands of people to the city of Sapporo on the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido.
The week-long celebration got started back in the 1950’s when a handful of folks decided to get creative and build some impressive ice sculptures in Sapporo’s Odori Park. Since then, the event has snowballed (pun intended) into a massive affair, featuring parades, parties, pop-ups, and, of course, the enormous snow and ice sculptures that got it all started back in the day.
5. Jigokudani Monkey Park
Heading back to Nagano Prefecture, one of the most iconic and unique wintertime experiences in Japan is getting a look at the wild monkeys bathing in the hot springs at Jigokudani Monkey Park. While the monkeys live in the area and can be found there anytime during the year, winter is easily the best season to pay them a visit. Visitors can get up close and personal with the primates as they warm themselves up in the steaming-hot water, all while enjoying the snowy mountainous backdrop.
The only drawback, if it could even be considered one, is that you must trek through roughly a mile of dense forest to gain access to the primary spring where the monkeys can be found. This puts Jigokudani Monkey Park in the odd position of being fairly well known, but not visited nearly as much as one might imagine.
The JR Tadami Line rolls along through the wintery Japanese countryside (Photo: Matador Network)
6. Niseko
Found about 40 miles southwest of Sapporo on the island of Hokkaido, Niseko is such a popular destination for foreigners that billboards and menus at restaurants are written in English. The town is known for the heavy dose of powdery snow it receives each winter, making it a haven for skiers, snowboarders, and other winter sports enthusiasts. It helps, too, that the area boasts almost 25 miles of groomed slopes, 35 lifts, 50 runs, and sprawling swathes of beautiful back-country trails.
As the writers at Ski Magazine put it: “Niseko’s snow is legendary. Featured in pretty much every ski publication around the globe and countless ski flicks, it is literally what dreams are made of. With all of this coverage, Niseko is anything but a secret and these days skiers flock from abroad in throngs to get their piece of the #Japanuary pie, gobbling up pow quicker than you can say powder day.”
7. Winter Scenes Along the JR Tadami Line
This one isn’t so much a single destination as it is several. The JR Tadami Line is a rail service that runs over 80 miles through Fukushima and Niigata prefectures, offering travelers some breathtaking winter scenes along the way. The service connects the cities of Aizuwakamatsu and Uonuma, traveling through mountain valleys, pine forests, and rivers spanned by beautifully constructed bridges.
The slow journey through the countryside gives you time to sit back and relax as you watch a living, breathing snow globe unfold outside your window. For more info about fares and trip planning, follow this cute little link right here.
-LTH