December

Watch the news and you’ll see that skiing here in Japan is going through a boom period. Some slopes in places such as the Japan Alps and Hokkaido are absolutely overrun with inbound travelers from abroad. Here in Tokyo, we are also pretty lucky in that we can trek to western Kanagawa, Nagano, Gunma, and Tochigi Prefectures in search of the perfect slope to ski down. But what if you have only a few days to yourself? I mean, its not like we’re all about to take several days off for New Year’s and may need something to do.  You’re in luck because some of the best skiing on Earth is a short hop away. Many companies cater to getting you to and from the slopes for a day’s snowboarding or skiing, and many options are all-inclusive: Pay one price that covers the bus/train roundtrip, lift tickets, and more. Here’s a short list of some of the best we’ve found so far: Gala Yuzawa You’ve probably noticed their posters plastered all over every single JR station in town, so it is easy to understand why this is the top choice. Perhaps the most accessible ski resort to get to from…