Madarao
斑尾高原スキー場36°51′ N 138°17′ E474 m vertical32 runs21.6 kmNight ridingSeasonal
Madarao suits tree and powder riders who want marked tree runs and a quiet lift line, and it is new to the Ikon Pass for 2026/27.
Photo Raita Futo from Tokyo, Japan · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0 and others, credited in the gallery
- Beginner7.8 km
- Intermediate6.4 km
- Advanced2.2 km
- Expert5 km
Figures the resort does not publish are measured from the map data.
OpenStreetMap maps 34 named runs and 9 lifts at Madarao, and the guide measures each one against the elevation model.
Open the 3D map ↓Fly the mountain in 3D立体地図
Ride every run at Madaraoコース
| Avg | Faces | Map | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pole Slope A | 935 m | 125 m | 15.6° | 9.4° | NE | ||
| Crystal | 1,301 m | 108 m | 10.8° | 4.4° | NE | ||
| Champion | 749 m | 92 m | 12.3° | 6.9° | N | ||
| UtopiaNight | 1,289 m | 86 m | 8.2° | 3.8° | W | ||
| Shirakaba | 979 m | 81 m | 17.2° | 5.8° | N | ||
| Begginer:ANight | 291 m | 58 m | 15.4° | 11.2° | W | ||
| Traverse | 621 m | 56 m | 15.5° | 4.5° | N | ||
| Path to No.5 Lift | 557 m | 53 m | 14.7° | 5.1° | NE | ||
| Path to Heidi Restaurant | 500 m | 48 m | 13.1° | 5.1° | NE | ||
| Begginer:BNight | 280 m | 31 m | 8.4° | 6.4° | SW | ||
| World Cup | 305 m | 17 m | 11.7° | 0.2° | E | ||
| GiantNight | 1,133 m | 261 m | 24° | 15.4° | NE | ||
| Sky Love | 864 m | 180 m | 22.6° | 11.8° | NE | ||
| Crystal | 1,332 m | 174 m | 24° | 12.7° | NE | ||
| Champion | 881 m | 171 m | 23.7° | 14.8° | E | ||
| Ocean View | 735 m | 166 m | 18.8° | 12.7° | N | ||
| Carving | 701 m | 126 m | 15.9° | 10.2° | N | ||
| ParadiseNight | 440 m | 76 m | 15.8° | 9.8° | W | ||
| World CupTrees | 823 m | 190 m | 30.6° | 14.1° | E | ||
| Powder Line | 497 m | 186 m | 30.8° | 25.8° | NE | ||
| Crystalクリスタル | 330 m | 167 m | 31.4° | 26.8° | N | ||
| Giant | 551 m | 130 m | 27.5° | 24.2° | NE | ||
| Powder TheaterTrees | 304 m | 168 m | 34.4° | 29° | NE | ||
| Crystal BowlTrees | 557 m | 160 m | 27.1° | 16° | N | ||
| River LineTrees | 475 m | 157 m | 28.4° | 18.3° | E | ||
| SAWA1Trees | 654 m | 144 m | 16.9° | 12.4° | NE | ||
| SAWA 3Trees | 606 m | 106 m | 17.7° | 10° | E | ||
| SAWA 2Trees | 450 m | 104 m | 18.9° | 13° | E | ||
| Kamoshika Family AdventureTrees | 519 m | 102 m | 17.6° | 11.2° | N | ||
| NINJATrees | 402 m | 85 m | 21.5° | 11.9° | N | ||
| Rabbit Family AdventureTrees | 268 m | 77 m | 21.6° | 16° | NE | ||
| Adventure AisleTrees | 538 m | 39 m | 11.8° | 2.8° | N | ||
| Bear Family AdventureTrees | 255 m | 28 m | 10.4° | 6.3° | NE | ||
| Free Ride ParkPark | – | – | – | – | – |
Lengths, vertical, pitch and aspect are measured from OpenStreetMap run lines and the elevation model. Steepest is the hardest 60 m pitch. Read them as a guide and follow the signs on the hill.
Out of five
How it rides
- Powder
- 5 out of 5
- Trees
- 5 out of 5
- Steeps
- 3 out of 5
- Park
- 3 out of 5
- Beginners
- 3 out of 5
- Quiet
- 4 out of 5
- Value
- 4 out of 5
- Après
- 2 out of 5
- Family
- 4 out of 5
- Sidecountry
- 3 out of 5
Know the zones before you goエリア
Tree runs
zoneIntermediate
Twelve official tree courses inside the managed area, with easy entries and exits.
Good for first tree runs, powder
Free Ride Park
parkIntermediate
A freeride terrain area on the status board alongside the tree lines.
Good for natural features
Beyond the ropes · Open inside the boundary
Madarao does not ban riders from leaving the ski area, and it sets no designated exit gate. Beyond the boundary there is no grooming, patrol, avalanche control or rescue. The resort's twelve official tree runs and its ungroomed courses are part of the managed area and are a different thing from the backcountry.
- Check the boundary yourself on the trail map and the signs on the hill
- Never cross a rope or net, or go through a closed area, to get out of the ski area
- Check with the landowner that you may enter the land beyond the boundary, and expect a damages claim if you harm trees or property there
- Bring the knowledge, equipment, tour plan and means of communication you need, and carry insurance that covers search and rescue
- Go with a local guide if you are new to the area; Madarao lists guide services on its site
- Read the Japan Avalanche Network bulletin before you go out
9 lifts on the map
Know the liftsリフト
Season 2026/27
Buy the right ticket
- Adult day
- ¥9,000, about CAD 81 or USD 57 (October 2026 rates)
- 2 days
- ¥17,000, about CAD 153 or USD 107 (October 2026 rates)
- 3 days
- ¥24,000, about CAD 216 or USD 152 (October 2026 rates)
Prices are from Madarao's ticket page, whose season pass matches the 2026/27 early-bird announcement. Adults are 13 and over; seniors over 55 pay ¥8,500 and children 6 to 12 ¥6,000 a day. Hour passes for Madarao only start at ¥4,400 for three afternoon hours and ¥7,400 for five hours. Day passes do not cover night riding. The Madarao lifts belong to the NAGANO 7 Powder Dream Pass, and the Mt.3 Pass adds Shiga Kogen's Yakebitaiyama and Okushiga Kogen. Ikon Pass holders get 7 days and Ikon Base Pass holders 5 days, with no reservations needed.
These passes cover days here
- Ikon PassIkon Pass: 7 days at each of the ten Japanese mountains, no blackouts. Ikon Base Pass: 5 days at each. Ikon Session Pass: Niseko United only (2, 3 or 4 day options).
Get thereアクセス
From Tokyo Station
- Bus
- The Nagano Snow Shuttle and the Myoko Shuttle run from Narita and Haneda airports to Madarao.
- Train
- Hokuriku Shinkansen from Tokyo to Iiyama, about 110 minutes on the Hakutaka, then the direct bus or a taxi to Madarao, about 30 minutes.
Local taxis from Iiyama cost about ¥5,000.
The nearest station is Iiyama, 30 minutes from the first lift. Hokuriku Shinkansen; minutes are the bus or taxi time.
Nozawa Onsen and Myoko Kogen are each about 40 minutes away, and the Nagano Snow Shuttle runs inter-resort transfers from Nozawa, Shiga Kogen and Hakuba.
Madarao sits on the Nagano–Niigata border between Nozawa Onsen and Myoko Kogen, and its bowl-shaped ski area drops off Mt. Madarao at 1,381 m. The resort leaves about 60% of its courses ungroomed and has twelve official tree runs, more than any other ski area in Japan by its own count. Japan's first freestyle skiing competition was held here.
The tree runs are inside the managed area, so you can try riding among trees without leaving the resort. The courses are short and the exits are easy, which makes this a good first stop before you head into the backcountry. Look for Powder Theater and Crystal Bowl on the status board.
A ridge links Madarao with Tangram Ski Circus, and a Mountain Pass covers both. The link closes in the first week of the season and again from 23 March, so check before you plan a day across both. Madarao opens on 12 December 2026 and closes on 28 March 2027.
Madarao joins the Ikon Pass for 2026/27 with seven days on the full pass and five on the Base Pass, and no reservations are needed.
Worth knowing
- Bring cash or exchange money before you arrive; there are no ATMs in Madarao Kogen.
- Buses from Iiyama Station are limited, so check the timetable. A taxi takes about 30 minutes and costs about ¥5,000.
- The Nagano Snow Shuttle runs from Narita and Haneda straight to Madarao for ¥10,800 to ¥16,800 one way.
Quick answers about Madaraoよくある質問
How big is Madarao?
Madarao has 32 runs and 10 lifts over 474 m of vertical, from 907 m at the base to 1,381 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 21.6 km of piste there.
How steep is Madarao?
The steepest mapped pitch at Madarao is about 34.4° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 7.2 km of the mapped total.
Can you ride off-piste at Madarao?
Madarao does not ban riders from leaving the ski area, and it sets no designated exit gate. Beyond the boundary there is no grooming, patrol, avalanche control or rescue. The resort's twelve official tree runs and its ungroomed courses are part of the managed area and are a different thing from the backcountry.
How much is a lift ticket at Madarao?
An adult day ticket at Madarao costs ¥9,000, about CAD 81 or USD 57 (October 2026 rates) in the 2026/27 main season. Ikon Pass holders ride here too.
How do you get to Madarao from Tokyo Station?
By bus: The Nagano Snow Shuttle and the Myoko Shuttle run from Narita and Haneda airports to Madarao.
When is the season at Madarao?
Madarao usually opens 12 December 2026 and closes 28 March 2027.
Within 25 km
Places to stay nearby宿
Within 30 km
Hot springs nearby温泉
Within 35 km
Towns and neighbourhoods nearby町
Within 80 km
Ski resorts nearby山
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