Snow Near Tokyo in November and December 2026: What’s Open, and When

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If you land in Tokyo between late October and mid-December, most of Japan’s famous mountains aren’t open yet. A handful near Tokyo are. Here is what opens when this season, checked on each resort’s own website on 24 October 2026, and what a first day of the season was like for me.

The short version

Opening dates move with the weather. Check the resort’s own site the week you go.

What a first day is actually like

I’ve started a season at Hunter Mountain. In 2024-25 it opened on 30 November with a single advanced run at the top, and by 12 December the whole top-to-bottom run, about 3 km, was open on snowmaking. I went just after that. Even at the beginners’ lift at the bottom, the snow was deep enough that no brush was showing.

There weren’t many runs open, and the variety was thin. For a first day, I didn’t care. Three kilometres of top-to-bottom is plenty for finding out what your legs remember. Do that a few times and the day is gone, and so are your thighs.

Two things I’d tell anyone going this early:

• Expect a few runs, not a mountain. Hunter opened its 2024-25 season with a single run, and Yeti opened 2025-26 on one course of machine-made snow. Everyone is on the same strip, so keep your speed down and give people room.
• Go on a weekday if you can. At Hunter, on a February weekday, I didn’t wait at any lift I used, and I heard the long weekend after it was very crowded. A small open area makes that worse, not better.

Which one I’d pick

Hunter Mountain, if you’re here after 12 December. The shuttle from Nasushiobara Station on the Tohoku Shinkansen is free and runs from that date (book ahead). Before then you’d need a car. In 2024-25 the top-to-bottom run was open by 12 December. My full Hunter Mountain guide has the shuttle times.

Fujiten, if you want an evening rather than a day. I drove from Shinjuku Station at about two in the afternoon and was riding under Mt Fuji by four. The resort plans to open in mid-December, and its night sessions start on 26 December. Night riding at Fujiten.

Until 28 November, Yeti and Karuizawa are the only ones on this list that are open. I haven’t ridden either of them. Karuizawa is the easier one without a car: the resort’s own site puts it about 10 minutes’ walk from Karuizawa Station, with a free shuttle that doesn’t need booking.

GALA Yuzawa, but not before 19 December. It’s the closest to the Shinkansen of anything here, and it’s easy to assume it’s open the week before. From 12 to 18 December the gondola runs for sightseeing only.

If you’re here later in the winter

From late December, the choice gets much wider, and the snow gets better. Japan’s snow season, month by month is how I’d decide when to go, and day trips from Tokyo compares six resorts within a day trip of the city. If you’re thinking of driving, read driving to the snow in Japan first.

Plan the trip

• Flight + hotel package, US departures · Australia departures
• Japan eSIM for checking opening news and train times on the day
• Lift tickets and shuttle bookings: on each resort’s own site

(As noted at the top, the Expedia and Klook links are affiliate links.)

FAQ

Can I ski or snowboard near Tokyo in November? Yes, on a small scale. Snow Park Yeti opened on 23 October and Karuizawa Prince Hotel Ski Resort opens on 31 October. Hunter Mountain and Kagura open on 28 November.

Which is easiest without a car? Karuizawa, from 31 October: Shinkansen to Karuizawa, then a walk or the free shuttle. From 12 December, Hunter Mountain’s free shuttle from Nasushiobara Station. From 19 December, GALA Yuzawa.

Is GALA Yuzawa open on 12 December? Only for sightseeing. The gondola runs from 12 to 18 December, but skiing and snowboarding start on 19 December.

Is early season worth it? For a first day back on snow, I think so. Just expect a few runs and a lot of people on them, not the whole mountain.

Sources and dates