Ushidake Onsen

Ushidake Onsen sits in western Toyama City and leans heavily toward beginner and intermediate terrain, with a 50/50 split between skiers and snowboarders. The resort's main draw is the view—it claims some of the best vistas in Japan, looking out toward the Tateyama mountains and the coast. Night skiing runs select Fridays and Saturdays through February, with the quad lift operating until 9pm, which extends your options on shorter winter days.

The lift setup is straightforward: one quad and two pair lifts handle the vertical. The resort has a small terrain park by the high-speed pair and a kids' corner at the base, plus onsen facilities nearby that fit the name. Ushidake opened in 1971 as Japan's first city-operated ski area, and while it's modest in scale, it offers a low-pressure alternative to busier Hokkaido resorts if you're in the region and conditions align.