Bandai
磐梯町37°34′ N 139°59′ ETownPop. 3,350Tohoku
Bandai suits skiers who want to sleep at the foot of NEKOMA Mountain's South Area, the former Alts Bandai, with Aizu-Wakamatsu 15 minutes away by train. The trade-off is that no bus runs from Bandai-machi Station to the slopes this season.
Photo ys-energy · Wikimedia Commons · Public domain and others, credited in the gallery
Who should base here
Stay in Bandai if you want first chair at NEKOMA's South Area and a bed at the base, with the castle town of Aizu-Wakamatsu close by for a day off.
Bandai is a town of about 3,400 people at the foot of Mt. Bandai, and its slopes hold what used to be Alts Bandai. Hoshino Resorts now runs the ski area as the South Area of NEKOMA Mountain, with the Bandaisan Onsen Hotel at the base and BunkLodge NEKOMA, a low-cost lodge opening for its first season from 12 January 2027, with a drying room, tuning space, a lounge and a large bath.
Getting here without a car means a bus from a bigger station. The booked shuttle from Koriyama takes about 70 minutes and costs ¥1,800 for an adult, and the route bus from Aizu-Wakamatsu takes about 45 minutes for ¥1,000 with no booking. From 8 January to 6 March 2027 the Bandai Shokudo canteen in the South Area resort centre turns into BeerHouse Matatabi from 16:00, for après drinks and dinner.
Worth knowing
- Park in the free B, C or D lots at the South Area. Lot A costs ¥1,000 on weekends, on holidays and over New Year, and a shuttle runs from lot B to the centre on those days from 26 December to 28 March.
- The Aizu-Wakamatsu bus needs no booking, which makes it the easy choice for a spontaneous day.
Quick answers about Bandaiよくある質問
Is there a bus from Bandai-machi Station to NEKOMA Mountain?
Not in 2026/27. NEKOMA says the Bandai-machi Station bus does not run this season, so use the Koriyama shuttle or the Aizu-Wakamatsu route bus.
What happened to Alts Bandai?
Alts Bandai is now the South Area of Hoshino Resorts NEKOMA Mountain. The former Nekoma ski area on the Urabandai side is the North Area.
Is Bandai a good place to stay?
Stay in Bandai if you want first chair at NEKOMA's South Area and a bed at the base, with the castle town of Aizu-Wakamatsu close by for a day off.
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