Naeba Ski Resort 2026-27: Kids Ski Free, Adults ¥9,800
The free children’s ticket is still a ticket. Go to the lift ticket counter and ask for the special children’s ticket before you queue for the lifts. Adults are anyone of junior high school age or older, so a junior high student pays the full adult price.
At the counter you can say こどものリフト券をください (kodomo no rifuto-ken o kudasai). It means: a children’s lift ticket, please.
The picture below shows the rule at a glance: lift tickets cost nothing for kids up to the end of elementary school.
This guide covers dates, prices, terrain, snow, routes, rentals and the busiest days. Prices and dates come from the resort’s own pages, read in October 2026.
Naeba ski season 2026-27: nights and the Dragondola
The Naeba Ski Resort official winter page lists three periods for the 2026-27 Naeba ski season. The resort opens on Friday 18 December 2026 and closes on Sunday 4 April 2027. Night skiing is planned from 18 December 2026 to Sunday 21 March 2027.
The Dragondola, the long gondola that leaves from the Naeba side, is planned from Saturday 26 December 2026 to Monday 22 March 2027. The resort’s access page calls it Japan’s longest gondola at 5,481 m. A sightseeing round trip on it costs ¥4,000 for adults.
The Naeba Ski Resort FAQ says night skiing runs every day until 8:00 p.m. during the top season. Strong wind or bad weather can stop it. The lifts and courses that open at night also change with the snow, so check the lift status page on the day.
The resort phone line takes calls from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. In the night-skiing period it stays open until 8:30 p.m. every day.
Several services start before the lifts turn. The free shuttle bus for hotel guests and the hotel rental counters both begin on Saturday 12 December 2026. The table below puts every start and end date in one place.
| What | Starts | Ends |
|---|---|---|
| Ski resort open | 18 Dec 2026 | 4 Apr 2027 |
| Night skiing (planned) | 18 Dec 2026 | 21 Mar 2027 |
| Dragondola (planned) | 26 Dec 2026 | 22 Mar 2027 |
| Free shuttle for hotel guests | 12 Dec 2026 | 4 Apr 2027 |
| Narita Airport highway bus | 12 Dec 2026 | 22 Mar 2027 |
| White Snow Shuttle from Tokyo | 19 Dec 2026 | 22 Mar 2027 |
| Hotel rentals (Buildings 2 and 4) | 12 Dec 2026 | 4 Apr 2027 |
| Day rentals at the South Gate | 18 Dec 2026 | 28 Mar 2027 |
Plan around the shorter periods. In the first week the Dragondola is not running yet. If you come after 22 March 2027, both the Dragondola and the highway buses from Narita and Tokyo have stopped.
The photo shows the Dragondola cabins on their long run over the mountains.
Lift ticket prices: Naeba only or Mt. Naeba with Kagura
The Naeba Ski Resort lift ticket prices 2026-27 page lists four tickets for adults. All prices include tax and are what you pay at the ticket counter.
- Mt. Naeba 1-day ticket: ¥11,800
- Naeba Area 1-day ticket: ¥9,800
- Naeba Area 8-hour ticket: ¥8,300 for 8 hours in a row.
- Naeba Area 4-hour ticket: ¥6,300 for 4 hours in a row.
The Mt. Naeba ticket also works at Kagura Ski Resort, which has three areas: Kagura, Mitsumata and Tashiro. Buy it if you want to ski both resorts on the same day. The Naeba Area ticket covers the Naeba side only.
The 8-hour and 4-hour tickets have two limits. You cannot ride the Dragondola with them, and you cannot use them at Kagura. A one-day ticket works until the lifts close that day.
The chart below compares the three tickets most visitors choose between.
Children up to elementary school age ski free on every ticket type, including Mt. Naeba. They need the special children’s ticket from the counter.
| Place | Naeba Ski Resort |
|---|---|
| Price | Adults: Naeba Area 1-day ¥9,800, Mt. Naeba 1-day ¥11,800. Children up to elementary school: free |
| Hours | Season 18 Dec 2026 to 4 Apr 2027. Night skiing planned to 21 Mar 2027, until 8:00 p.m. |
| Access | Echigo-Yuzawa Station east exit, then bus. Taxi about ¥11,000 |
| Official site | Naeba Ski Resort lift ticket prices 2026-27 |
Cheaper tickets for members
Seibu Prince Global Rewards is the hotel group’s loyalty club. It has no joining fee and no annual fee. Members pay ¥10,800 for the Mt. Naeba 1-day ticket and ¥9,000 for the Naeba Area 1-day ticket at the counter. That saves ¥1,000 and ¥800 a day. Members have no separate advance online product.
Buying online before you go
The resort sells tickets online through a system called Webket. The online notes say sales close at 11:00 p.m. on the day before you ski. The FAQ on the same page adds that same-day purchase works too, if you buy at least 15 minutes before you collect the ticket.
You can pay only by credit card: VISA, Mastercard, JCB and cards linked to those brands. After you pay, a QR code arrives by email. Show it on a charged phone, or print it, and swap it for a lift ticket at the counter.
Check the date before you pay. The resort does not accept changes, cancellations or refunds after purchase. The page also lists a season pass that works at three resorts: Naeba, Kagura and Muikamachi Hakkaisan.
Gondola rides without skis
Non-skiers can ride the Prince No. 1 and No. 2 gondolas for the view. A round trip costs ¥3,000 for adults and a one-way ride costs ¥2,000. The chairlifts are for skiers and snowboarders only.
The mountain: 24 courses and 889 m of vertical
Naeba is a big resort by Japanese standards. The winter page gives these numbers for the Naeba ski area:
- Area: 134 ha.
- Courses: 24, plus 1 park.
- Longest run: 4,000 m.
- Total length of all runs: 17,986 m.
- Steepest pitch: 32°.
- Vertical drop: 889 m.
The FAQ splits the 24 courses into 42% beginner, 25% intermediate and 33% advanced. There are 12 lifts in total: 3 gondolas, 4 high-speed quad chairs and 5 pair lifts. The photo shows the slopes and the hotel at the base.
The base sits at 900 m. The upper Takenodaira slope reaches 1,600 m, and snow-making machines run on the hill. The resort says you can ski unless the winter is extremely short of snow.
Powder and snowboarding
Four courses are left ungroomed, including the Takenoyama summit slope and the Women’s Riesen Slalom run. After fresh snow these hold powder. On days with good cover the resort also opens the Splash Bowl, and closes it when conditions are poor. Staff groom every other course daily.
Snowboarders can ride the whole mountain. On the chairlifts, skiers must wear their skis, but snowboarders can carry the board with the leash on their wrist.
Kids and beginners
Small children have two places to start. Waku Waku Family Snow Land is a paid area with a snow escalator, tubing and a snow train. The free beginner practice slope is fenced off with nets.
Ski schools take children from age 5 in group lessons. The Pandaruman Kids School in Building 6 teaches from age 3. Group lessons need no booking, but the FAQ suggests booking private lessons for New Year and weekends.
Food, lockers and hot springs
Restaurants sit next to the Dragondola top station and the No. 2 gondola top station, and the day center has a food court. Day lockers cost ¥200 to ¥600. Day visitors can use the paid Hiuchi no Yu bath in the day ski center, while hotel guests have their own bath.
Snow at Naeba by month
The nearest long-term weather record comes from Yuzawa town, in the valley below Naeba. The Japan Meteorological Agency Yuzawa climate normals average 30 years of data, from 1991 to 2020. The town gets 1,054 cm of snowfall in a normal year.
January is the snowiest month, with 377 cm of new snow. February follows with 288 cm, and December brings 210 cm. The bars below show each month from November to April.
| Item | Value | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Nov | 12 cm | |
| Dec | 210 cm | |
| Jan | 377 cm | Snowiest month |
| Feb | 288 cm | |
| Mar | 159 cm | |
| Apr | 20 cm |
The deepest snow on the ground peaks later than the snowfall. The normal maximum depth in Yuzawa is 92 cm in December, 173 cm in January and 202 cm in February. March still holds 159 cm, and April drops to 52 cm.
The screenshot is the agency’s own table for the Yuzawa station. It is in Japanese; the last two columns are total snowfall and deepest snow, in cm.
January is cold but not extreme in the town. The average is -0.4°C, with a daily high of 2.8°C and a daily low of -3.2°C. February is similar, with an average of -0.1°C and a low of -3.4°C.
The slopes are colder and snowier than these town figures. The ski base starts at 900 m and the top lifts reach 1,600 m. For a resort-by-resort view of snow depth, see our Japan ski report for 2026-27.
Getting to Naeba from Tokyo and Narita
Most visitors come by Shinkansen. Take the Joetsu Shinkansen from Tokyo Station to Echigo-Yuzawa Station, then go out the east exit for the buses. The FAQ also lists the Joetsu Line and the Hokuhoku Line.
The steps below show the usual route from Tokyo for a hotel guest.
From Echigo-Yuzawa Station
The Naeba Prince Hotel access page lists three ways from the east exit:
- Free hotel shuttle: for Naeba Prince Hotel guests only, from 12 December 2026 to 4 April 2027. You must book it.
- Route bus and Kagura-Naeba express bus: both run in winter. The hotel will post the winter timetables once they are set.
- Taxi: about ¥11,000 from the east exit to Naeba Prince Hotel. Two local companies take bookings. Confirm the fare and payment when you book.
The photo shows Echigo-Yuzawa Station, where you change from the Shinkansen to the bus.
A rail pass can cover the Shinkansen leg. The JR EAST PASS costs 35,000 yen for 5 days, and children pay 17,500 yen. It covers all JR East lines, including the Joetsu Shinkansen. The old JR EAST PASS for the Nagano and Niigata area stopped selling on 13 March 2026.
From Narita Airport
A highway bus runs between Narita Airport and Naeba Prince Hotel from 12 December 2026 to 22 March 2027. You can book from one month before the travel date. This is the only direct route listed from an airport. Our Narita Airport guide explains the terminals.
Outside those dates, go into Tokyo first. The Narita Airport to Tokyo Station page lists the Narita Express at 53 min for 3,140 yen. From Tokyo Station you continue on the Joetsu Shinkansen.
By bus from central Tokyo
The Naeba White Snow Shuttle runs from Sunshine City Prince Hotel in Tokyo to Naeba Prince Hotel, via Sarugakyo Onsen. It operates from 19 December 2026 to 22 March 2027. The hotel will post times later.
By car
Day parking costs ¥1,000 on weekdays and ¥2,000 on weekends and holidays. Hotel guests pay ¥1,000 per night. Drop-offs are free for up to 20 minutes. Day visitors use car parks 3, 4 and 5, and the car parks are open 24 hours.
Fit winter tires or chains. The FAQ calls normal tires very dangerous in winter. The nearest gas station is about 1.4 km toward Gunma on Route 17. From Naeba, Kagura’s Tashiro base is about 10 minutes by car and Mitsumata about 20 minutes.
Rentals, skis and sending your gear ahead
You can rent a full set at Naeba. The Naeba Ski Resort rentals and services page lists five rental counters with different dates.
- Hotel Buildings 2 and 4: 12 December 2026 to 4 April 2027, 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
- Hotel Building 6: 18 December 2026 to 28 March 2027, 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
- Brand Viking, day center: 26 December 2026 to 22 March 2027, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
- Salomon Station, South Gate: 18 December 2026 to 28 March 2027, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., from 7:45 a.m. on weekends
On night-skiing days, the counters stay open until night skiing ends. Day visitors can also use the Building 2 counter from 29 March to 4 April 2027.
Rental prices
A ski set (skis, boots and poles) or a snowboard set (board and boots) costs ¥7,500 a day for adults. Children up to elementary school pay ¥6,000. After 4:00 p.m. the set drops to ¥6,000 for adults and ¥5,000 for children.
A jacket and pants set costs ¥5,500 for adults and ¥4,500 for children. Helmets cost ¥2,000 and ¥1,500, but stock and sizes are limited. The counters do not rent gloves, hats, goggles or socks, so bring your own or buy them at the shops.
Book on the website if you want gear held for you. The counters take online bookings only, not phone calls. Children’s wear runs from 90 cm to 150 cm, and children’s boots start at 16 cm.
Tuning your own skis
Naeba has no tune-up shop. Each lift station has a work bench with screwdrivers for quick binding fixes. Wax your skis before you travel, and check our page on ski and snowboard wax on planes first.
Sending skis with Ski TA-Q-BIN
You can send your skis from a city to the resort. The Yamato Transport Ski TA-Q-BIN page says each parcel must weigh 30 kg or less. Drop the bag off at least two days before you arrive, or three in some areas.
Book the round trip and the return is easy. You hand the bag in at the resort desk, with no new waybill and no payment. The round trip also takes 200 JPY off each parcel.
Skis need a cover: 400 JPY for skis and 600 JPY for a snowboard. Address the parcel to Naeba Prince Hotel and write your building number and stay date. The Yamato counter in Building 4 holds the bags; bring your receipt to collect them.
Flying in with your own gear? Our page on skis and snowboards on planes covers airline rules. For suitcases, see luggage forwarding in Japan.
New Year and January crowds at Naeba ski area
Interest in Naeba peaks in midwinter. Searches for naeba ski rose from 6,600 in October 2025 to 27,100 in January 2026, 4.1 times as many. February 2026 also reached 27,100, and December 2025 had 22,200.
| Month | Searches |
|---|---|
| Sep 2025 | 5400 |
| Oct 2025 | 6600 |
| Nov 2025 | 9900 |
| Dec 2025 | 22,200 |
| Jan 2026 | 27,100 |
| Feb 2026 | 27,100 |
| Mar 2026 | 14,800 |
| Apr 2026 | 12,100 |
| May 2026 | 8100 |
| Jun 2026 | 6600 |
| Jul 2026 | 14,800 |
| Aug 2026 | 6600 |
The busiest days follow the Japanese holiday calendar. New Year’s Day falls on Friday 1 January 2027, which makes a three-day break from 1 to 3 January. Government offices close from Tuesday 29 December 2026 to Sunday 3 January 2027. Our New Year 2026-27 guide lists what else closes.
Naeba treats 29 December to 3 January as a holiday period, so day parking costs ¥2,000 on every one of those days. Coming of Age Day falls on Monday 11 January 2027, giving a three-day weekend from Saturday 9 to Monday 11 January. The January holidays page has both dates.
Lift queues show the pattern. The FAQ says weekdays have almost no wait. Weekends can reach about 15 minutes, and at New Year or on long weekends some lifts take 20 minutes or more.
The photo shows Naeba Prince Hotel, where most visitors stay, in deep winter snow.
February has two more holidays: National Foundation Day on Thursday 11 February 2027 and the Emperor’s Birthday on Tuesday 23 February 2027. See the February holidays page for details. Groups from Taiwan and Korea also travel over Lunar New Year; our article on Lunar New Year in Japan lists those dates.
To beat the crowds, ski on a weekday and buy your ticket online the day before. Book school lessons and rentals early for New Year.
Still choosing a resort? Compare Naeba with other options in our Japan ski season 2026-27 guide, the Nozawa Onsen ski resort guide and the Hakuba Happoone guide.
FAQ
Do kids ski free at Naeba?
Yes. Children up to elementary school age ride the lifts free all season, on both the Naeba Area and Mt. Naeba tickets. Ask for the special children’s ticket at the lift ticket counter. Junior high students and older pay adult prices.
Can you use a Naeba lift ticket at Kagura?
Only the Mt. Naeba ticket works at Kagura. It costs ¥11,800 for adults for one day and covers the Kagura, Mitsumata and Tashiro areas. The Naeba Area ticket and the 8-hour and 4-hour tickets do not work at Kagura.
How do you get from Echigo-Yuzawa Station to Naeba?
Go out the east exit. Hotel guests ride a free shuttle from 12 December 2026 to 4 April 2027, and must book it. Others take the route bus or the winter express bus, or a taxi for about ¥11,000.
When is night skiing at Naeba in 2026-27?
Night skiing is planned from 18 December 2026 to 21 March 2027. In the top season it runs every day until 8:00 p.m. Strong wind or bad weather can cancel it.
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