Best places to ski in Japan in December

The best places to ski in Japan for December are Niseko United, Rusutsu Resort, Okutadami Maruyama. Early-season picks favour high base elevation and Hokkaido/high-latitude snow. Typical-season read, not a guarantee.

This ranking is our read from the data (Japan doesn't publish a single difficulty/family grade) — use it as a starting point, not gospel.

Tip: ★ shortlist your favourites, then compare up to 3 side by side — each scored by 🐻 Yuki Recommends.

1. 1. Niseko UnitedHokkaido · Large

   14.5 m/yr · — (our read)

   ❄ 14.5 m/yr🛏 from ¥2,020♨ 4 onsen

   ☆ Shortlist
2. 2. Rusutsu ResortHokkaido · Large

   14.4 m/yr · — (our read)

   ❄ 14.4 m/yr🛏 from ¥3,525

   ☆ Shortlist
3. 3. Okutadami MaruyamaNiigata · Medium

   13.3 m/yr · Very High (our read)

   ❄ 13.3 m/yr♨ 1 onsen

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4. 4. Nozawa OnsenNagano · Large

   11.6 m/yr · High (our read)

   ❄ 11.6 m/yr🛏 from ¥5,050♨ 4 onsen

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5. 5. Shiga KogenNagano · Large

   10.3 m/yr · Very High (our read)

   ❄ 10.3 m/yr🛏 from ¥4,000♨ 3 onsen

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6. 6. Sugadaira KogenNagano · Medium

   11.2 m/yr · Medium (our read)

   ❄ 11.2 m/yr🛏 from ¥6,500♨ 1 onsen

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7. 7. Kagura (Mitsumata / Tashiro / Kagura)Niigata · Large

   10.4 m/yr · Very High (our read)

   ❄ 10.4 m/yr🛏 from ¥5,400♨ 1 onsen

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8. 8. Ryuoo (Kita-Shiga Kogen)Nagano · Medium

   10.3 m/yr · High (our read)

   ❄ 10.3 m/yr🛏 from ¥4,000♨ 1 onsen

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9. 9. Hakuba CortinaNagano · Medium

   10.8 m/yr · Very High (our read)

   ❄ 10.8 m/yr♨ 2 onsen

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10. 10. Hakuba Norikura OnsenNagano · Medium

    10.8 m/yr · High (our read)

    ❄ 10.8 m/yr♨ 1 onsen

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