Compact yet extraordinary - a travel report of our stay in Yuzawa Nakazato Snow Resort!

30 January, 2024
We paid a visit to the Yuzawa Nakazato Snow Resort, which is known as a small-scale, yet densely packed ski resort in the Yuzawa area. The ski slopes are compact yet extraordinary, making the resort great for enjoying sightseeing and onsen in addition to skiing. It’s an excellent ski resort that not many people know about, even in the Yuzawa area. In this article, we’d like to introduce 5 of the best things about Yuzawa Nakazato Snow Resort, based on my personal experience there.

A vast snowscape stretching in front of the station

Snowscape that stretches out in front of you as soon as you leave the station
Take one step outside of the station, and the ski slope is right in front of you. You can’t get this kind of experience at any other ski resort.

Even Gala Yuzawa Snow Resort, which is famous in the Yuzawa area for its accessibility, makes you take a gondola lift to get to the ski slopes. Being able to ski/snowboard as soon as you get off at the station is an experience unique to Yuzawa Nakazato Snow Resort.

Right in front of the slopes there’s a free rest station called the Nakazato Blue Train, which is open all the time. It used to be a car of the national railway, and has a very nostalgic feel inside. This is something you should definitely experience if you’re there!

The No. 1 High-Speed Lift will take you straight up to the summit, with a side of scenery too

The view from the No. 1 ski lift
Get on the No. 1 High-Speed Lift, or the main lift, to get directly to the summit. The lift goes straight up the steep slopes, and provides you with an amazing view at 700-meter elevation.

The courses that start from the summit are great for everyone, from beginners to advanced skiers alike, so you can get on the lift with people at different levels of experience. I personally am a beginner, and was able to go easily down the beginner’s course.

The 360-degree, panoramic view from the summit will give you a feel for the vastness of the mountains that you can’t get from down below!

Bank Yard, and its use of the terrain of the great outdoors

Snowboarder in the terrain park
Bank Yard is a more down-to-earth terrain park that recreates the fun of natural terrain. From banks to waves, it was designed with items that everybody could have fun with.

We recommend this terrain park for everybody from snowboarding beginners to skiers - just try it out!

Volcom Store, a limited-time ski gear retail shop

Limited-time ski shop
Volcom Store is open every year only for a limited time, and is the only ski gear retail shop in Japan located within a ski resort. The store is stocked with the latest items from famous U.S. ski brand Volcom.

Take advantage of this retail shop and shop the full range of Volcom products - and at discounted prices too!

Nearby is the Stone Café, so you can stop by any time - after lunch or after a day of skiing - to immerse yourself in the world of Volcom.

Side Country Powder Area, with its thrilling backcountry skiing/snowboarding experiences

Snowboarder enjoying some backcountry snowboarding
This is an area we particularly recommend. The area offers multiple courses where you can experience - for real - the beauty of the great outdoors.

It’s easy to access via the ski lift, and easy to get back to the start point as well. It’s a great and easy way to enjoy some backcountry skiing/snowboarding.

There are four courses total, but they all have their own unique natural terrain, and should be all different kinds of fun for advanced skiers/snowboarders. It’s a great place to enjoy yourself, especially right after some fresh snowfall!

Small-scale, yet densely packed ski resort that make the most out of nature

Thus concludes our travel report on Yuzawa Nakazato Snow Resort.

The slopes that stretch out in front of you as soon as you get off at the station, the vast courses and their use of natural terrain, the breathtaking scenery from near the summit - this ski resort was filled with all kinds of great things!

It’s a rather small-scale ski resort for the Yuzawa area, but they make up for it by being fun and easy to maneuver around in. They have the perfect slopes for anyone to looking to get in a bit of skiing on their winter vacation!

Pricing information and schedule may not be up to date and are subject to change without notice. Please check before your trip.

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Yuzawa Nakazato Snow Resort Niigata Prefecture

No. 8 Ski Resort
Dec. 21st to Mar. 30th
Courses17
Lifts9
Longest run distance2,000 m
Maximum gradient32 °
Courses17
Lifts9
Longest run2,000 m
Maximum32 °

Hotel + lift pass

2 people1 nightAUD 371.84〜
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AUD 40.29〜 (JPY 3,900〜)
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