Myoko guide
What else is out there.
Here are some of the places around Akakura, with the honest drive time from our door.
Myoko gets some of the heaviest snowfall of any inhabited place on earth, and almost nobody outside Japan has heard of it. That's the whole appeal. Here's what we point people toward — ask us at the counter and we'll tell you what's open today.
Snow
The mountains
Akakura is on our doorstep. The rest are an easy drive.
- Akakura Onsen Ski ResortWalking distance
- The village hill. Long, forgiving runs and the easiest ski-in, ski-out in the area.
- Akakura Kanko Resort5 min
- Steeper, higher, and connected to Akakura Onsen. Best views over the Sea of Japan on a clear day.
- Lotte Arai Resort35 min
- Serious terrain, tree runs and a long gondola. The one experienced riders drive to.
- Suginohara20 min
- Japan's longest run — 8.5km top to bottom. Wide, quiet, and endless.
- Ikenotaira Onsen15 min
- Family-friendly and gentle. Good place to put beginners.
- Nozawa Onsen60 min
- A day trip worth the drive — big mountain, and the best public bath culture in the region.
- Hakuba90 min
- Further, bigger, busier. Doable in a day if you leave early.
Nature
Snow, water and steam
- Naena Falls25 min
- A 55-meter waterfall thundering through deep snow. Called the Niagara of Japan, which is generous, but it's genuinely spectacular in winter.
- Tsubame Onsen25 min
- Milky, pale-blue hot spring water high in the mountains. Rustic and very Japanese.
- Jigokudani Monkey Park75 min
- The snow monkeys. Yes, they really do sit in the hot spring. Worth the drive and the walk in.
Culture
Temples, shrines and sake
- Local sake brewery tours20–40 min
- Niigata is Japan's sake heartland. Several breweries nearby take visitors — ask us and we'll arrange it and tell you what to try.
- Zenkoji Temple, Nagano60 min
- One of Japan's most important temples, 1,400 years old, and open to everyone.
- Togakushi Shrine70 min
- An avenue of 400-year-old cedars under two meters of snow leading to a mountain shrine. The single most photographed thing we recommend.
Most of this needs a car.
Public transportation in Myoko is thin, and taxis are scarce. This is exactly why we started renting vehicles.
