Yuzawa

Located in the Japanese Alps, Yuzawa in Niigata Prefecture is known to locals as yukiguni, which means ‘snow country’. For centuries, Yuzawa residents have lived in snow-enclosed villages where, due to heavy snowfall, many homes have winter entrances on upper floors.

Yuzawa has 12 distinct ski resorts, suited to skiers and snowboarders ranging from beginner to expert, as well as offering a playground for snowmobiles, snowrafting and snowtubing. High-elevation areas, such as Kagura at 1,800 metres, offer the best powder and are usually open from mid-November through to mid-May.

Yuzawa’s charms include festivals dedicated to the joy of snow. The Echigo Yuzawa Onsen Snow Festival takes place on the evening of the first Saturday in March, with townspeople and tourists alike parading with portable Shinto shrines and chanting. Dozens of skiers descend Nunoba’s slopes with flickering torches, followed by a fireworks display.

In February, the nearby town of Koide hosts the quirky International Snowball Fight. Teams don cosplay costumes and other fancy-dress outfits and engage in ferocious yet comical snowball fights, after which participants and attendees gather in snow huts to eat grilled trout and drink sake.