Ishiuchi Maruyama is one of Niigata’s classic big-hill resorts: long, rolling fall-line runs, serious night skiing and a slick new lift and terrace scene that make it feel more polished than its old-school roots suggest. It is also one of the easiest major mountains to reach from Tokyo, which means you share those views and…

Naeba Ski Resort is a big, buzzy Japanese snow playground that wraps a classic 1970s ski hotel, serious race heritage and family-friendly terrain into one easy weekend escape from Tokyo. ARRIVAL > Reaching Naeba is wonderfully straightforward from the capital, with a 75–80 minute Joetsu Shinkansen from Tokyo to Echigo-Yuzawa Station, then a dedicated resort…