Mitsumata/Kagura/Tashiro (Mt. Naeba)

Snow is what earns the applause: the altitude brings dry, light powder and the longest season in Japan, so people come here when the other Yuzawa areas have already shut. Reviewers note that ungroomed runs and tree skiing are plentiful and reachable straight off the lifts, with gates opening onto the backcountry. The wide trails suit beginners and intermediates, the place is quieter than Naeba, and the Dragondola links the two areas.

The flatness draws complaints: snowboarders report skating across the mellow sections, and genuinely difficult runs are scarce. At weekends and at either end of the season the ropeways up from the car parks build queues, Mitsumata in particular gets packed solid, and the Tashiro high-speed lift backs up as well. Upper lifts go on hold in bad weather. The base villages are tiny: nothing to do at night but an onsen, and dinner means eating at your lodging.