Sun, Aug 2 Today
22° 20°
Wind 10 km/h
Precipitation 9 mm
Snowfall 0 cm
Last review 2 months ago
Slopes
45 km Green
8 km 8 pistas
Blue
12 km 14 pistas
Red
14 km 12 pistas
Black
11 km 4 pistas
Season 2025/2026
4cm April 7, 2026
November 20, 2025
May 28, 2026
Community Scores
Media 5 /5
Snow quality 5
Grooming 5
No queues 5
Information & Sources
Máxima 1845m
Mínima 620m
Vertical drop
1225 m
Desnivel
Ski Map
FORFAIT PASS
Precio/Día
Resort website ¥6,500
≈ 41€
Weather
7-day forecast
Forecast detailed → Week outlook Check the detailed forecast
Storm risk Up to 13 mm of precipitation
Mon, Aug 3
22° 17°
Wind 13 km/h
Precipitation 0 mm
Snowfall 0 cm
Tue, Aug 4
24° 16°
Wind 13 km/h
Precipitation 0 mm
Snowfall 0 cm
Wed, Aug 5
24° 18°
Wind 15 km/h
Precipitation 0 mm
Snowfall 0 cm
Thu, Aug 6
26° 20°
Wind 16 km/h
Precipitation 0 mm
Snowfall 0 cm
Fri, Aug 7
26° 18°
Wind 13 km/h
Precipitation 5 mm
Snowfall 0 cm
Sat, Aug 8
22° 17°
Wind 9 km/h
Precipitation 13 mm
Snowfall 0 cm
Source: Open-Meteo
About the resort
🏔️ History
Connected to its famous neighbor Naeba via the "Dragondola" (Japan's longest gondola), Kagura is the go-to refuge for powderhounds and off-piste enthusiasts in Niigata Prefecture. While Naeba attracted massive crowds during Japan's bubble era, Kagura, with its higher elevation, remained dedicated to more technical, alpine-style skiing.
☀️ Best days
Deep winter days in January and February. Its higher altitude acts as a magnet for Sea of Japan storm cycles, catching massive quantities of premium, dry snow compared to the lower surrounding resorts.
🚫 Days to avoid
Bluebird weekends directly following a huge dump. Because of its reputation as an accessible powder mecca from Tokyo, legions of local powder hounds flock here early, tracking out the easily accessible off-piste areas within hours.
💡 Community tip
Register with the ski patrol to pass through the official backcountry gates at the top of the lifts (like the 5th Romance Lift). This provides access to incredible tree runs and epic descents down towards Lake Tashiro. The resort has three distinct areas (Mitsumata, Tashiro, and Kagura); Tashiro is incredibly scenic and great for beginners.
Nearest Airports
Tokyo Haneda Airport
HND 180 min drive 150 min by train
Tokyo Narita Airport
NRT 210 min drive 180 min by train
Niigata Airport
KIJ 120 min drive 130 min by train
Train Stations
JR Echigo-Yuzawa Station (Shinkansen)
No direct transfer 20 min drive transfer
🚗 Driving from Tokyo: Kagura is located in Niigata Prefecture (the famous "Snow Country" region), interconnected with the massive Naeba resort. Driving from Tokyo is a breeze: take the Kanetsu Expressway north (about 2.5 hours), exit at the Yuzawa IC, and then drive another 15-20 minutes up National Route 17 to either the Mitsumata or Tashiro ropeway station. Having a car here is great for exploring the dozens of smaller resorts down in Yuzawa town.
⚠️ Weekend Traffic and Snow: Route 17 heading up from Yuzawa into Kagura/Naeba gets very busy on weekends and gets incredibly slick under the heavy Sea of Japan snowfall. Winter tires are 100% mandatory (so beware renting a car in central Tokyo where summer tires are often default).
Local Tips
💡 The Naeba Connection (The "Dragondola"): Kagura is interconnected with the massive Naeba resort via the 5.5km long "Dragondola" gondola (the longest in Japan!). You can actually stay at the mammoth resort hotels in Naeba (which have direct express shuttle buses from Echigo-Yuzawa station) and ski over to Kagura for the day using the Dragondola, getting the best of both worlds.
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