Superb!4.8 / 5May 29, 2018
Joshua L. intermediate skier
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Learn more about Tsugaike
Pros
- Wide open slopes are great for beginners, intermediates and families
- Night skiing available
- Less crowded than bigger Hakuba Valley resorts
- Wide range of accommodation close to slopes
Cons
- Lifts on upper mountain occasionally close due to high winds
- Fog can be an issue, especially mid-mountain
- Limited advanced runs
- Small village with limited après ski
Tsugaike Ski Packages |
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|---|---|---|
| Lodging | Discount | Price |
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EARTHMANS TSUGAIKE
|
21% off | $382 |
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Hakuba Megeve
|
12% off | $420 |
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Smile Hotel Nagano
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12% off | $180 |
View all ski packages for Tsugaike |
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Overall
With wide-open slopes perfect for beginners to learn their turns, enough intermediate terrain to keep more advanced skiers and riders happy, Tsugaike is a very popular choice for families. Compared to the neighboring Hakuba Valley resorts, it’s quieter, less crowded, and presents a more authentically Japanese cultural experience. The base offers convenient lodging while the rest of Hakuba’s amenities are a short ride away!
Best month to go
January and February
January and February are the best months to visit Tsugaike as those months have the best powder. March is also an option as it offers more comfortable temperatures.
FLY TO
Narita International Airport
TRAIN TO
Tokyo station (40 mins)
TRAIN TO
Nagano via bullet train (2 hours)
train/bus to
Happo Information Center (1.5 hours) or Hakuba Station (1 hour 15 minutes)
TAXI TO
Tsugaike (20 minutes)
Base of Tsugaike (Walk)
- Ski-in/ski-out accommodation
- Handful of smaller hotels and a range of traditional style lodgings
- Some accommodation offers private onsens
Hakuba Village (5-6 mi)
- Wider variety of lodging options
- Closer to more restaurants, bars, and shopping
- Great base for exploring other Hakuba Valley ski resorts
For beginners
The wide open slopes at Tsugaike are perfect for beginners to learn on. The best spot for never-evers to start is in the Kane-No-Naru-Oka area where the spacious slopes and mellow pitch are great for practicing turns. Our top run for beginners here is the Kane-No-Naru-Oka slope, again it's nice and wide so newbies don't have to worry about colliding with others!
For intermediates
Intermediates will have a variety of runs to choose from, especially around the mid-mountain area. Our favorite area for intermediates is in the Han-no-ki area where the runs are nice and long with no flat zones to slow you down until the end when it merges into the beginner areas.
For experts
Advanced skiers and snowboarders might be disappointed here with just three runs to choose from, but that doesn't mean they can't have fun. The black Champion slope is a worthwhile mention although our top pick would have to be Uma-No-Se (Horseback) course which is the perfect off-piste area serving up plenty of powder!
Find freshies
The best powder can be found off-piste though skiers are entering at their own risk. Freshies also get tracked out quickly, so being the first on the slopes is generally ideal.
Ditch the crowds
The slopes at Tsugaike are generally uncrowded though the base lifts can get quite busy, so it's best to stay in the upper and mid sections of the mountain during the day. New Year's and weekends are can also see more skiers.
Non skiers
Non-skiers can enjoy snowshoeing, snowmoto riding (similar to snowbiking) or just soaking in onsens (hot springs) at Tsugaike. The resort also have a number of events including the annual snow festival and Mochitsuki (pounding rice cakes into mochi). Otherwise, day trips to the Matsumoto Castle and Jigokudani Monkey Park are a must!
Families
Tsugaike's abundance of wide mellow slopes make it an ideal for families to ride together and the beginner's area at the base are particularly great for little ones to learn on with discounted beginner lift tickets are available. There is even a kid's park and indoor kid's facilities to keep the young ones entertained.
Save up to 35% when you book a Tsugaike package!
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Tsugaike Reviews
Joshua L. Fabulous!4.5 / 5Dec 17, 2017
DCDennis C.
Tsugaike has something for everyone ,big wide open slopes,even beginners con ski top to bottom and plenty of runs for the more experienced skiers and borders and the lift tickets are cheaper than the other resorts around Hakuba. There is never any line ups for the lifts and the gondolier is the longest in the Hakuba with two stations. The runs... Moreintermediate skier
Good!3.7 / 5Dec 17, 2017
EFEwan F.
Fun resort with plenty of variety. Off-piste areas are fairly extensive and easily accessible. Resort is only a short drive out from Hakuba main area and is far less crowded than the central resorts.... Moreadvanced skier
Fabulous!4.4 / 5Dec 12, 2017
JZJosh Z.
Tsugaike is my pick within the Hakuba Valley on both a heavy powder or a blue bird groomer day. For the advanced there is great terrain in the side country board riders area. For the beginners and intermediates there is a great mix of rolling groomers and wide gradual flats that allow progression. The resort is well layed out and caters for all.... Moreadvanced snowboarder
Superb!4.6 / 5Dec 08, 2017
RPRyan P.
Living on Okinawa makes snowboarding a bit difficult, but the 12 hours of travelling was definitely worth it. We took a plane to narita then sky train to tokyo followed by another bullet train and a bus. Don't there are easier ways to get there, but this was the cheapest we could do. To be honest, even with a snowboard and luggage the trip wasn't... Moreadvanced snowboarder
Good!3.8 / 5Dec 07, 2017
PBPeadar B.
I visited Tsugaike in Dec 2016 as a beginner snowboarder. I really enjoyed the resort because it had lots of areas that suited my limited skill set and it was really quiet while I was there. The lines for lifts were really quick and I got to spend the whole day practising my turns!... Moreintermediate snowboarder
Superb!4.6 / 5Dec 07, 2017
JMJessie M.
Loved Tsugaike Kogen. Definitely the queen of the green! Excellent for beginner and intermediate levels and families. Delicious ramen served for lunch on the mountain. Beautiful 360 views. Easy to get to with free bus from Hakuba town.... Moreintermediate snowboarder
Very Good!3.9 / 5Dec 07, 2017
SHSam H.
The larger of the more local ridden resorts in hakuba. It's surprising large once you get there and has great runs from top to bottom. Great on piste dining and a nice easy park run too. Well worth a couple of days visit.... Moreadvanced snowboarder
Fabulous!4.5 / 5Dec 06, 2017
AMAlexander M.
Tsugaike is one of the most varied resorts in the Hakuba valley. Despite lacking the more advanced gradients of Happo One, the slopes manage to provide the perfect opportunity for skiers of all levels to hone their skills and reap the full benefits of a day on the slopes. The mountain offers numerous long wide runs perfect for carving up the... Moreadvanced skier
Fabulous!4.4 / 5Dec 04, 2017
DTDavid T.
My favourite Hakuba resort! Good runs for all levels. Better for boarders, not full of mould like happo one. Cannot be beaten for beginners (and intermediates wanting to learn tricks) with its 350m wide base full of snow, lifts and easy jumps/rails. Has a KFC mid mountain! More authentic Japanese than Hakuba village with less tourists.... Moreintermediate snowboarder