Most Australians heading to Japan for skiing know the names: Niseko, Hakuba, Furano. Japan’s Tohoku region, the largely undiscovered northeast, offers a compelling alternative — world-class skiing paired with samurai towns, centuries-old onsen, UNESCO sites and one of the more extraordinary natural phenomena in the country.
Three resorts anchor the Tohoku ski offering. Appi Kogen in Iwate Prefecture suits first-timers and couples well: wide groomed runs, English-speaking instructors and a good ski school. Hoshino Resorts NEKOMA Mountain in Fukushima combines two former ski areas — Alts Bandai and Nekoma — into one expansive resort with terrain from beginner to advanced. Zao Onsen Ski Resort in Yamagata Prefecture is the one for the Snow Monsters: giant fir trees encased in snow and ice that build into otherworldly formations unique to these mountains, best seen on a clear winter morning.
Beyond the slopes, Tohoku rewards exploration. Nyuto Onsen in Akita Prefecture is not a single bathhouse but a collection of seven hot spring inns, each drawing from its own source with a distinct mineral composition — many with open-air baths where guests soak surrounded by snow. The historic onsen town of Higashiyama near Aizu-Wakamatsu, discovered according to legend by a Buddhist monk 1,300 years ago, sits alongside the Yukawa River and maintains a tradition of geisha hospitality that has continued for centuries.
Samurai history runs deep in the region. The Kakunodate Samurai District is among Japan’s best-preserved, with elegant residences and traditional gardens, while Tsurugajo Castle houses a museum of armour and swords. Two UNESCO World Heritage sites are within reach: the Buddhist landscapes of Hiraizumi and the 5,000-year-old Jomon settlement of Sannai Maruyama.
Food is another reason to linger. Morioka’s wanko soba — where a server continuously refills small bowls of soba as quickly as you can eat them — is a uniquely Tohoku experience. The region is also one of Japan’s finest sake-producing areas, with the Suehiro Sake Brewery in Aizu-Wakamatsu, founded in 1850, offering tours.
Most resorts are 1.5 to 3.5 hours from Tokyo by shinkansen, with resort shuttle buses operating from the station. January offers reliable powder and quieter conditions after the New Year rush; February sees peak snow with a strong events calendar. For more information: japan.travel/en/au
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