Yuzawa
湯沢36°56′ N 138°49′ E8 resorts
Yuzawa suits Tokyo riders who want to ride the same day they leave the city, with resorts a short shuttle from Echigo-Yuzawa, and its trade-off is that no single ticket covers the whole valley.
Compare the 8 resorts
| Resort | Top | Vertical | Runs | Lifts | Piste | Steepest | Advanced + Expert | Day ticket | Night | Off-piste |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Naeba Ski ResortNiigata | 1,789 m | 889 m | 24 | 12 | 19.4 km | 37.1° | 24% | ¥9,800, about CAD 88 or USD 62 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) | Yes | Gates |
| Kagura Ski ResortNiigata | 1,845 m | 1,225 m | 30 | 17 | 5.7 km | 18.3° | 35% | ¥8,500, about CAD 76 or USD 54 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) | No | Gates |
| Iwappara Ski ResortNiigata | 983 m | 586 m | 20 | 7 | 10.2 km | 28.7° | 11% | ¥5,500, about CAD 49 or USD 35 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) | Yes | – |
| Kandatsu Snow ResortNiigata | 1,000 m | 529 m | 16 | 6 | 11.2 km | 34.4° | 37% | ¥6,800, about CAD 61 or USD 43 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) | Yes | – |
| GALA YuzawaNiigata | 1,181 m | 823 m | 16 | 11 | 19.3 km | 32.6° | 14% | ¥8,000, about CAD 72 or USD 51 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) | No | – |
| Ishiuchi Maruyama Ski ResortNiigata | 919 m | 659 m | 25 | 14 | 16.8 km | 28° | 15% | – | Yes | Runs only |
| Maiko Snow ResortNiigata | 910 m | 651 m | 26 | 10 | 20 km | 30.7° | 16% | ¥7,300, about CAD 66 or USD 46 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) | Yes | – |
| Joetsu Kokusai Ski ResortNiigata | 929 m | 713 m | 4 | 19 | 23.1 km | 29.9° | 6% | ¥5,800, about CAD 52 or USD 37 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) | Yes | – |
Get between them
Most resorts run free shuttle buses from the east exit of Echigo-Yuzawa station: about 7 minutes to Kandatsu, about 10 to GALA Yuzawa and Ishiuchi Maruyama, and 20 to 30 to Maiko. An in-season express bus runs from Echigo-Yuzawa via Kagura Mitsumata and Tashiro to Naeba. Joetsu Kokusai has its own station on the JR Joetsu Line. In 2026/27 a shuttle bus replaces GALA's Landau ropeway to Yuzawa Kogen.
Echigo-Yuzawa sits on the Joetsu Shinkansen, and a cluster of resorts spreads out from its east exit. Yuzawa town's own list runs from Naeba and Kagura in the south up through Iwappara, Kandatsu and GALA Yuzawa. Across the town line in Minami-Uonuma, Ishiuchi Maruyama, Maiko and Joetsu Kokusai fill the valley farther north. Most of them meet the train with free shuttle buses.
Shared tickets join some neighbours. The Mt. Naeba ticket covers Naeba and Kagura with the Dragondola between them. YUZAWA SNOW LINK covers GALA Yuzawa, Ishiuchi Maruyama and Yuzawa Kogen, and Iwappara and Joetsu Kokusai accept each other's day tickets. No pass covers the whole valley.
For 2026/27, GALA has closed its South area, and Joetsu Kokusai has dropped its halfpipe and park. Kagura opens first, on 28 November 2026, and runs latest into mid-May. Kandatsu runs night riding to 02:00 on Fridays and Saturdays, and Joetsu Kokusai and Naeba light their slopes every evening of the main season.
Worth knowing
- Check which resorts your ticket covers before you ride the shuttle; the valley has three separate shared tickets.
- GALA Yuzawa station runs only in winter, and JR had not announced its 2026/27 dates by 11 October 2026.
Quick answers about Yuzawaよくある質問
Which resorts make up Yuzawa?
Yuzawa links 8 resorts: Naeba Ski Resort, Kagura Ski Resort, Iwappara Ski Resort, Kandatsu Snow Resort, GALA Yuzawa, Ishiuchi Maruyama Ski Resort, Maiko Snow Resort, Joetsu Kokusai Ski Resort.
How do you get between the resorts of Yuzawa?
Most resorts run free shuttle buses from the east exit of Echigo-Yuzawa station: about 7 minutes to Kandatsu, about 10 to GALA Yuzawa and Ishiuchi Maruyama, and 20 to 30 to Maiko. An in-season express bus runs from Echigo-Yuzawa via Kagura Mitsumata and Tashiro to Naeba. Joetsu Kokusai has its own station on the JR Joetsu Line. In 2026/27 a shuttle bus replaces GALA's Landau ropeway to Yuzawa Kogen.
In the journal and guides
