Minakami
みなかみ36°42′ N 138°59′ E5 resorts
Minakami suits riders who want several small resorts and an onsen town within 75 minutes of Tokyo by Shinkansen, and it sells no shared lift ticket, so each hill needs its own pass.
Compare the 5 resorts
| Resort | Top | Vertical | Runs | Lifts | Piste | Steepest | Advanced + Expert | Day ticket | Night | Off-piste |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TenjindairaGunma | 1,502 m | 756 m | – | 4 | 6.6 km | 33.6° | 20% | ¥9,000, about CAD 81 or USD 57 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) | No | Gates |
| HodaigiGunma | 1,400 m | 570 m | 16 | 7 | 3 km | 22.7° | 30% | ¥7,400, about CAD 67 or USD 47 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) | No | Runs only |
| Norn MinakamiGunma | 1,220 m | 400 m | 5 | 4 | 5.5 km | 26.6° | 0% | ¥6,300, about CAD 57 or USD 40 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) | Yes | Runs only |
| Minakami KogenGunma | 1,248 m | 395 m | 12 | 4 | 7.8 km | 30.8° | 13% | ¥5,500, about CAD 49 or USD 35 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) | No | – |
| Okutone Snow ParkGunma | 962 m | 409 m | – | 5 | 6.1 km | 31.5° | 15% | – | – | – |
Get between them
Each resort runs its own link from Jomo-Kogen on the Joetsu Shinkansen. Mt.T has a direct morning bus at 7:58 from 5 December 2026, and the Kan-etsu Kotsu line bus reaches the Tanigawadake ropeway in about 45 minutes. Norn runs a booked free shuttle of about 30 minutes, Hodaigi a free shuttle on set days of about 85 minutes, and Minakami Kogen its booked paid liner. Okutone sits on the Kan-etsu Kotsu bus route towards Yunokoya.
Minakami is the town at the head of the Tone River in northern Gunma, and Jomo-Kogen station on the Joetsu Shinkansen is its gateway. Its ski areas run from Norn Minakami by the expressway up to Hodaigi and Minakami Kogen in the Fujiwara valley. Mt.T sits on the Tanigawadake ropeway, and Okutone lies on the road to Yunokoya.
The resorts share no lift ticket. Mt.T is on the Ikon Pass, and Hodaigi joins Kawaba, Marunuma Kogen, Oze Iwakura and Oguna Hotaka in the POWDER5 Gunma hour tickets. Each resort runs its own bus or shuttle from Jomo-Kogen, so pick a base near the bus line you will use most.
Minakami counts 18 hot-spring areas in the town, and Mt.T calls Minakami 18 Onsen the largest hot-spring resort in Gunma.
Worth knowing
- Pair Mt.T's 7:58 direct bus with the 6:36 Joetsu Shinkansen from Tokyo for first lifts on a day trip.
- Buy the POWDER5 Gunma hour ticket if you plan to mix Hodaigi with Kawaba or the Katashina resorts.
Quick answers about Minakamiよくある質問
Which resorts make up Minakami?
Minakami links 5 resorts: Tenjindaira, Hodaigi, Norn Minakami, Minakami Kogen, Okutone Snow Park.
How do you get between the resorts of Minakami?
Each resort runs its own link from Jomo-Kogen on the Joetsu Shinkansen. Mt.T has a direct morning bus at 7:58 from 5 December 2026, and the Kan-etsu Kotsu line bus reaches the Tanigawadake ropeway in about 45 minutes. Norn runs a booked free shuttle of about 30 minutes, Hodaigi a free shuttle on set days of about 85 minutes, and Minakami Kogen its booked paid liner. Okutone sits on the Kan-etsu Kotsu bus route towards Yunokoya.
In the journal and guides
