Best Ski Experience in Japan by far and it’s NOT Hokkaido.

After experiencing Hokkaido multiple times for so many year, we asked ourselves “Do we really have to fly all the way to Hokkaido if our children want to ski in Japan?”

That was the question I kept asking myself while planning our December 2025 winter holiday. We flew to Tokyo on a budget airline and discovered one of Japan’s best-kept ski destinations!

The kids had their best ski experience by far in Honshu and with these instructors from 8 Peaks Snowsports.

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As the designated trip planner in our family, I spend many nights comparing routes, reading reviews, checking hotel locations and figuring out how to make each trip work for everyone. My challenge is always the same: how do we enjoy a memorable family holiday without making the journey too complicated or too expensive?

Now that both our children are above 12, airfare has become one of the biggest items in our travel budget. We can no longer enjoy child fares so buying four adult tickets during the December school holidays can be very costly.

That was one reason I started looking beyond Hokkaido for our winter trips. Hokkaido is beautiful, but getting there can mean a longer journey and significantly higher airfares. Flying directly to Tokyo on a budget airline gave us more options and allowed us to put more of our holiday budget towards accommodation, ski lessons and experiences that we could enjoy as a family.

Like many families, we had always associated skiing in Japan with familiar destinations such as Niseko, Tomamu, Rusutsu and Hakuba. We have enjoyed our previous ski trips tremendously and every resort has its own appeal. But after a particularly enjoyable ski trip to Myoko in March 2025, I became curious about what else we could discover within easy reach of Tokyo.

That became the starting point for our December holiday.

Could we fly into Tokyo, soak up the Christmas atmosphere, spend a few days around Mount Fuji and still enjoy a proper ski holiday without turning the whole trip into a logistical marathon?

After many nights of research, route planning and ski hotel comparisons, I found a way to make it work.

Our 9-day DIY itinerary took us from Tokyo to the Mount Fuji area, before ending at Shirakaba Resort Ikenotaira Hotel where our children enjoyed three full days of skiing with 8 PEAKS Snowsports.

Our Route at a Glance

We flew from Singapore to Tokyo Narita, spent two nights in a city hotel in Shinjuku, then collected our rental car and began the road trip to Shirakaba.

From Narita Airport, we took the airport limousine to our hotel in Shinjuku Tokyo. After Tokyo, we rented a car and drove to the Mount Fuji area, where we visited Fuji-Q Highland and Lake Yamanaka. I had hoped to squeeze in Makaino Farm, Oishi Park and Chureito Pagoda but ran out of time. Those will have to stay on our KIV list for the next trip.

From Mount Fuji area, we continued to Shirakaba Resort Ikenotaira Hotel, where we stayed for four nights. This gave our children, Dana and Buddy, three full days of ski lessons with 8 PEAKS Snowsports, while the hubby and I enjoyed a slower pace after the earlier sightseeing days.

At the end of the trip, we drove back to Narita Airport for our flight home, completing a winter itinerary that gave us a little bit of everything: Tokyo, Mount Fuji, a road trip and a relaxing family ski holiday.

For our family, we always try to book at least three days of ski lessons. The first day gave the instructors time to assess the children and help them find their “ski legs” again.

On the second day, they could focus more intentionally on specific weaknesses and build better technique.

By the third and final day, everything seemed to come together and both children were skiing with noticeably more confidence.

Families skiing for the first time may be tempted to book just one day of ski lessons with the hope to keep costs down. But one day can pass quickly. By the time everyone has adjusted to the boots and equipment, figured out the ski lifts and started feeling comfortable on the snow, your ski day is almost gone.

From experience, three ski days felt like a much better balance. It will give you enough time to practise, improve and actually enjoy the ski experience instead of feeling rushed.

Why This Itinerary Made Sense

For our family, using Tokyo as our gateway made the entire trip much easier to plan and far more manageable financially. We enjoyed Tokyo’s Christmas lights, shopped in Shinjuku, visited Fuji-Q Highland and explored Mount Fuji area before starting the skiing leg of our holiday.

For families travelling with children, I feel this itinerary offers a really nice balance of city experiences, shopping, sightseeing, theme park fun, beautiful winter scenery and skiing. There was enough variety to keep everyone interested, while still giving the children three full days to enjoy the slopes.

It also allowed us to spread our holiday budget across different experiences instead of spending such a large portion of it on flights alone. For our family, that made the trip feel both more varied and better value for money.

Are Ski Holidays Expensive?

I have deliberately not included one fixed total costing because the final cost depends on too many variables. Airfares will vary depending on the airline, how early you book and your exact travel dates. Accommodation costs will depend on the room category, meal package and how many family members are travelling. Ski lesson fees will vary depending on whether you choose private, family or group instruction and the type of ski equipment you are renting.

Instead, here are the main cost categories to estimate an initial budget:

1. Four return air tickets to Tokyo, Japan
2. Accommodation in Tokyo, the Mount Fuji area and Shirakaba Resort Ikenotaira Hotel
3. Rental car, fuel, tolls and parking
4. Ski (or snowboard) lessons
5. Equipment and winter clothing rental
6. Lift passes (to take ski lifts up to the top of ski fields)
7. Travel insurance (that includes winter sports coverage)
8. Meals not included in your hotel package

One reason I chose Shirakaba Resort Ikenotaira Hotel both breakfast and dinner for all four of us are included in the room package. This made it much easier to control our holiday budget and we did not have to drive out at night in search of restaurants after a full day on the slopes.

The key for us was not to make the trip “cheap” at all costs. It was about spending more intentionally. By saving on airfare where we could, we had more room in the budget for ski lessons, comfortable accommodation and sightseeing experiences (like the Fuji-Q Theme Park) that the whole family would remember.

Why We Loved Shirakaba

One of the things we loved most about Shirakaba was how peaceful, local and family friendly it felt. We saw many Japanese families spending their winter holidays there, which gave the whole place a very relaxed and authentic atmosphere.

The ski slopes was not overwhelmingly crowded during our stay. We did not witness long lift queues, which meant the children could spend more of their precious lesson time actually skiing instead of standing around waiting for their turn to get back up the mountain. We also appreciated how spacious the slopes felt. There was enough room for Dana and Buddy to practise their turns, work on their techniques and build confidence without constantly worrying about other skiers getting too close.

Another feature we really liked about the area was that several ski mountains are located within a relatively short drive of one another. This meant Dana and Buddy were not limited to exactly the same slopes every day. Over their three days of lessons, their instructors brought them to experience different mountains and different types of runs, which added some variety to their ski experience.

The wider Shirakaba Resort area is also very family friendly, even for children who may not be ready for the regular ski slopes yet. There are slopes catering to different ability levels, together with equipment rental, snow-play areas and sledding facilities. At Ikenotaira Snow Park, for example, the children-friendly area has a moving walkway, which can feel much less intimidating for first-time skiers than having to tackle a chairlift straight away.

This makes Shirakaba a good option for families with children of different ages, abilities and interests. One child could be having a ski lesson while a younger sibling enjoys sledding or simply playing in the snow. Parents do not have to ski every single day either. While the children are happily occupied on the slopes, parents can slow down, enjoy the hotel facilities or simply take some time to explore the beautiful surroundings.

Why Shirakaba Resort Ikenotaira Hotel Made the Holiday Easier

After a full day of skiing, Dana and Buddy could return to Shirakaba Resort Ikenotaira Hotel, soak in the onsen and then look forward to a hearty buffet dinner. For tired children and parents, this was such a welcome way to end each day. The fact that our accommodation package included both breakfast and dinner also made the stay especially convenient. We knew that two substantial meals were already taken care of each day, which made budgeting and planning much simpler.

More importantly, there was no need to drive out again in the snow at night or search for somewhere to eat after spending the whole day outdoors. We could simply return to the hotel, wash up, warm ourselves in the onsen and head down for dinner.

After dinner, there was nowhere else we needed to rush to. We could slow down, enjoy the resort and get a good night’s rest before doing it all over again the next morning.

Sometimes, especially when travelling with children, convenience becomes part of the holiday experience itself. For us, being able to ski, soak, eat and rest without complicated arrangements made our four nights at Shirakaba particularly relaxing.

We especially enjoyed the generous buffet spread, which became something to look forward to after a full day out in the snow. There was sushi, sashimi, snow crab, soba and a wide selection of other Japanese dishes!

The buffet is set up almost like a food hall, with a good variety of Japanese, Western, Chinese and other cuisines. This was particularly helpful when travelling as a family because everyone could simply pick whatever they felt like eating.

With children who may not always want the same food as the adults, having so much variety under one roof made mealtimes easy and fuss-free. And after spending hours skiing in the cold, being able to come back to a warm hotel and enjoy a leisurely buffet dinner was definitely one of the little luxuries we appreciated.

On two evenings, fireworks suddenly lit up the winter sky while we were having dinner. We had no idea they were going to happen, so when we rushed outside to watch, none of us even had our winter coats with us!

There we were, huddled together in the freezing cold, watching the fireworks burst above the resort. We were shivering, laughing and trying to keep warm, but nobody wanted to go back inside and miss the show. It was completely unplanned, yet those few chilly minutes together became some of my favourite memories from the entire trip.

Why We Recommend 8 PEAKS Snowsports

After I shared our ski photos, several friends asked me how I managed to find such good ski instructors for the children. The answer was 8 PEAKS Snowsports

Before our trip, I spent time researching ski schools because safety was my biggest concern. Dana had been managing chronic back pain after years of competitive canoe training and it became serious enough for her to undergo an MRI and physiotherapy before our holiday.

Buddy also had his own learning needs. Before Covid, he had been so fearful of skiing that he cried and refused to continue with his lesson. Our priority therefore to find instructors who were patient, experienced and able to communicate clearly in English. We were not looking for the cheapest ski school and simply hoping for the best, especially when we were entrusting our children to someone else for an entire day out on the mountain.

Thankfully, 8 PEAKS Snowsports turned out to be one of the best choices we made for this holiday.

A Fuss Free Experience from Start to Finish

What impressed us from the beginning was how smoothly everything was arranged. The day before the lessons started, the 8 PEAKS team picked us up directly from the lobby of Shirakaba Resort Ikenotaira Hotel and drove us to their Guide Club to fit and collect the children’s rental equipment.

We had already submitted their sizes before arriving, so the equipment had been set aside for our children in advance. They also had ski jackets and pants available for rental. The staff patiently helped Dana and Buddy find suitable ski boots, skis and helmets, making adjustments where necessary. The equipment was very clean and well maintained.

Then came one of my favourite parts of the arrangement. Every morning, the instructors arrived punctually in a van to pick Dana and Buddy up from our hotel lobby at 9am. At the end of their ski day, they drove them back to the hotel at around 3pm.

As parents, we really appreciated this. There was no need for us to drive to the slopes, search for parking, carry skis and boots around, or bundle everyone into the car and rush out of the hotel every morning. We simply sent the children down to the lobby and wave then goodbye with their instructors.

For those few precious hours, we felt comfortable knowing that the children were in safe and capable hands. One practical tip if you are considering something similar: check exactly what is included in your own booking before confirming. Arrangements may differ according to the type of lesson, accommodation, season and package selected.

Ask specifically about hotel transfers, ski and snowboard equipment, winter clothing rental, helmets, lift passes and lunch, and whether these are included or charged separately. It is much easier to work out the true cost of your ski holiday when you know exactly what your lesson package covers.

More Than Just Ski Lessons

Our biggest concern before the trip was whether skiing would aggravate Dana’s back pain. We worried that she might strain her muscles, injure her spine or come home feeling worse than before. Thankfully, no accidents happened.

What reassured us was how much attention the instructors paid to safety, posture, movement and technique throughout the lessons. They were not simply focused on getting the children down the slope. They taught them how to control their speed, position their bodies properly and use their skis more effectively.

The pace was also adjusted carefully so that both children could build confidence without feeling rushed. By the end of the trip, Dana told us, “These were honestly the best ski instructors I’ve ever had.” Coming from her, that was a big compliment because she has been on several ski trips over the years.

Dana’s Experience with 8 PEAKS Snowsports

Dana had the same instructor, Tianna, for all three days and the continuity made a big difference. From the very first day, Tianna was able to understand Dana’s strengths, weaknesses and areas for improvement, so each lesson could build naturally on the previous one.

On the first day, the snow was icier. Instead of treating the conditions as a problem, Tianna used them as a teaching opportunity. She showed Dana how to rely more on her ski edges and transfer her body weight properly so that she would skid less and have better control.

After fresh snowfall overnight, they moved on to tighter turns, pole planting and other drills. Dana also worked on improving her parallel turns and learnt to use her edges with greater confidence. She told us that the lessons helped her revisit familiar ski manoeuvres and perform them with better control and technique.

Another thing she really enjoyed was the variety. Over the three days, the ski instructors brought the children to different ski areas, including Shirakaba 2 in 1, Blanche Takayama and Kogen Kokusai. Each mountain offered different runs and challenges, so the lessons never felt repetitive. Dana particularly enjoyed trying the red run at Blanche Takayama because it was longer and slightly steeper.

The instructors were not serious all the time either. They were humorous, approachable and happy to have fun with the children. At Dana’s requests, they even helped to film a few TikTok videos during the lessons. That little bit of playfulness made the experience more personal. It was not just about improving technique. The children came away with better skills, increased confidence and many very happy memories too.

Buddy’s Experience with 8 PEAKS Snowsports

For Buddy, the biggest difference this time was the one-to-one attention. On our previous ski trips, he had attended group lessons. Group lessons can certainly be fun, but the instructor naturally has to divide his or her attention among several students and move at a pace that works for the whole class.

This time, his instructor, Archie, could focus completely on Buddy. Whenever Buddy did not quite understand an explanation, Archie simply tried a different approach. He demonstrated the movement again, broke the skill down into smaller and more manageable steps, and gave Buddy time to repeat the drill until he felt comfortable.

There was no pressure to keep up with anyone else and this made a huge difference to Buddy’s confidence.

Instead of worrying about whether he was slower than the other students or whether he was holding up the group, Buddy could learn at his own pace. Archie was able to adjust the lesson according to how Buddy was responding that day, which made the whole experience feel much more encouraging and less stressful.

Archie encouraged him constantly and celebrated every small improvement along the way. Over the three days, Buddy became much better at controlling his speed and managing his movements on the slope. Previously, whenever he felt nervous, he sometimes had a tendency to ski straight down rather than slow himself down properly. With Archie’s guidance, he learnt how to regulate his speed, make more controlled turns and even begin attempting parallel turns.

His confidence improved noticeably and by the 3rd day, Dana could see the difference in her brother too. Although Dana and Buddy were skiing For a short while, it was not about who was more advanced or who was more amateur. They were simply brother and sister sharing the mountain together, encouraging each other and enjoying a sport side by side. That became one of the most special memories of the ski lessons for them (and for us).

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What Makes 8 PEAKS Snowsports Outstanding

One feature we particularly liked about 8 PEAKS Snowsports was that the lessons were not restricted to just one ski resort/mountain. The instructors could choose from several ski areas around Shirakaba, depending on the children’s ability levels, snow conditions and what they wanted to work on that particular day.

This meant Dana and Buddy could experience different mountains, different runs and different snow conditions, rather than repeating the same slopes for three consecutive days. It also gave their instructors more flexibility to tailor each day’s lesson to what would benefit them most.

8 PEAKS Snowsports caters to different ability levels, from complete beginners and children to families and more experienced skiers who want to work on specific techniques. Families can enquire about private one-to-one lessons, family lessons and other arrangements depending on their needs.

For children like Buddy, who benefit from individual attention and having more time to process instructions, I would strongly recommend considering a private lesson if your budget allows. Having Archie all to himself meant there was no pressure to keep pace with a group. Archie could change his teaching approach, repeat a drill or slow things down whenever Buddy needed it.

For Dana, private instruction offered a different benefit. Because she was already a more confident skier, Tianna could quickly identify the specific technical areas that needed improvement and spend more time refining them rather than going through skills Dana had already mastered.

That was probably our biggest takeaway from watching both children. Private lessons were valuable for completely different reasons. For one child, they provided the patience, reassurance and individual pacing needed to build confidence. For the other, they provided the focused technical coaching needed to advance to the next level of competence.

What Is Usually Not Included?

This is an important question to ask because the lesson fee may not represent the full cost of your ski day. Depending on the package you book, families may still need to pay separately for:

• Lift passes
• Ski or snowboard equipment
• Helmet and winter clothing rental
• Lunch and drinks
• Personal accident or travel insurance with appropriate winter sports coverage
• Transport outside any agreed hotel pickup arrangement

Before paying a deposit, I suggest asking the ski school for an itemised breakdown of exactly what is included and what needs to be paid for separately.

How Early Should You Book?

I would recommend booking your lessons well in advance, particularly if you are travelling during the December school holidays, Christmas or New Year period.

When contacting the 8 PEAKS team, provide your travel dates, accommodation, preferred lesson type and skiing or snowboarding experience. For families with children, it is also helpful to share their ages, current ability levels and any medical, sensory or learning needs that the instructors should be aware of.

In our case, we informed the team about Dana’s back condition and Buddy’s learning needs before the trip. I felt this was important because it gave the instructors some context before meeting the children and helped them understand the type of support each child might need.

You can also ask about equipment and clothing rental, lesson duration, lunch arrangements, lift passes and hotel transfers. Once everything is confirmed, the team can advise you about equipment fitting, meeting arrangements and the possible ski area for each day’s lesson.

As lesson formats, rates, operating arrangements and availability can change from one ski season to the next, families planning for the coming year-end holidays should contact 8 PEAKS directly for the latest information and quotation rather than relying solely on what we experienced during our December 2025 trip.

I also suggest booking early if you have particular requirements, such as an English-speaking instructor, private one-to-one coaching or an instructor experienced in working with children who need a little more individual support. These were priorities for our family, and having them arranged beforehand gave us much greater peace of mind once we arrived.

A Note About Early Season Snow

Families travelling in December should keep in mind that snowfall can vary quite a bit from year to year. No ski resort can guarantee exactly the same snow conditions on the same dates every winter. During our stay, the children encountered icier snow on their first day, followed by fresh snowfall later in the trip. What reassured us was that the instructors adjusted the lessons according to the conditions instead of sticking rigidly to a fixed programme.

For families planning an early-season ski holiday, I would suggest keeping your expectations flexible, checking the resort’s operating updates closer to departure, and not planning your entire ski experience around just one day. Staying for several nights gives you a much better chance of experiencing different snow conditions. It also takes away some of the pressure if the first day is not quite what you had imagined.

Is it Safe to Self Drive in Japan in Winter?

Yes, but this is the part of our itinerary that families should consider carefully and honestly before deciding whether to do the same. Singapore travellers intending to drive in Japan will need the appropriate International Driving Permit (IDP) and should carry it together with their valid Singapore driving licence.

For winter driving, the vehicle itself is especially important. We specifically rented a car fitted with winter tyres for our road trip. If you are travelling into snowy areas, I would strongly recommend confirming the winter tyre arrangement directly with your rental company before arriving, rather than assuming that they are automatically included with your booking. You should also check whether snow chains are provided or required for the areas you intend to visit.

An English-capable GPS navigation system is also very useful. More importantly, give yourself plenty of time. This is not the season for planning a tightly packed driving itinerary. Winter daylight hours are shorter, visibility can change quickly, and a road that looks perfectly clear may still have icy sections.

We drove more slowly, allowed additional travelling time and remained prepared to change our plans if the weather or road conditions were not favourable. For me, a winter self-drive holiday is best suited to someone who is confident behind the wheel, comfortable driving on the left and willing to prioritise safety over sticking rigidly to an itinerary.

If nobody in your family feels confident driving in winter conditions, please do not feel that you have to copy this part of our trip simply to make the itinerary work. There may be shuttle and public transport options available depending on where you stay. Shirakaba Resort Ikenotaira Hotel, for example, provides transport options to some nearby ski facilities, so it is worth contacting the hotel directly to check the latest shuttle arrangements and seasonal packages for your travel dates.

To know more about safe driving in Japan during winter, please go to our blogpost here where we shared tips and experience to drive safely in winter in Hokkaido.

We rented the children’s ski outerwear and equipment but there were still several personal items that we preferred to bring from home. Some of the things we found useful included:

What Should We Pack for a Ski Trip?

• Thermal base layers to wear underneath the rented ski clothing
• Proper ski socks, preferably long enough to sit comfortably above the ski boots
• Waterproof gloves because ordinary winter gloves can become wet very quickly in the snow
• Neck warmers or buffs to protect the face and neck on colder or windier days
• Beanies for walking around the resort when the children were not wearing their helmets
• Heat packs for especially cold mornings
• Sunscreen and lip balm because the combination of cold air, wind and reflected sunlight from the snow can be harsh
• Moisturiser for the very dry winter air
• Sunglasses for time outdoors when they were not skiing
• A small backpack and water bottle for carrying personal essentials

I would also pack more thermal layers and ski socks than you think you need, especially if you are skiing for several consecutive days. Wet socks and damp base layers are not particularly pleasant to put on again the following morning!

For us, renting the bulky ski jackets, pants, helmets and equipment while bringing these smaller personal items from Singapore struck a good balance. We avoided buying expensive gear that the children might quickly outgrow but they still had their own comfortable essentials for each day on the slopes.

I would not recommend ordinary cotton clothing as the main layer for skiing. Once cotton becomes damp from sweat or snow, it can stay wet and leave children feeling cold and uncomfortable very quickly. Proper thermal base layers combined with waterproof outerwear make a big difference, especially when the children are spending several hours outdoors. If they are warm and dry, they are far more likely to enjoy the lesson and stay out on the slopes longer.

I would also strongly suggest bringing more than one pair of gloves if possible. Wet gloves can take quite a while to dry and there is nothing that ends a child’s enthusiasm for skiing faster than cold, wet hands. A spare dry pair can be a real lifesaver.

Who Would This Holiday Suit?

I would recommend this itinerary to families who:

• Want to combine Tokyo sightseeing with a proper ski holiday
• Prefer flying into a major city with more flight choices and potentially more competitive airfares
• Have children who would benefit from private, English-speaking ski instruction
• Enjoy self-drive holidays and scenic road trips
• Prefer a quieter, more local Japanese ski experience
• Like the convenience of staying somewhere with meals and onsen facilities
• Have family members with different skiing abilities or interests

The nice thing about this itinerary is that it is very easy to shorten or adapt. Families with fewer days could spend just one or two nights in Tokyo, skip some of the Mount Fuji attractions and continue directly to Shirakaba for the skiing portion of the holiday. Likewise, families with more time could slow things down and add extra nights around Mount Fuji or Shirakaba.

Would I Recommend This Itinerary?

Without hesitation, yes.

We have enjoyed skiing in Niseko and Myoko on previous trips and every ski destination has its own appeal. We are simply grateful that Japan keeps giving us new places to discover and new possibilities that we can share with other families.

If you are a Singapore family thinking about skiing in Japan, do not automatically assume that Hokkaido is your only option. This Tokyo, Mount Fuji and Shirakaba route showed us that a DIY family ski holiday can be manageable, scenic, varied and incredibly rewarding.

This trip really did give us a little bit of everything. There were Tokyo Christmas lights, shopping in Shinjuku, Fuji-Q Highland, magnificent Mount Fuji views, beautiful winter drives, peaceful ski slopes, steaming onsens, generous Japanese meals and plenty of precious family time.

But looking back, what made this trip special was not how many places we managed to visit or how many ski runs the children completed. It was watching Dana and Buddy return to us each afternoon with new stories to tell, seeing their confidence grow over those three days, and sitting together over dinner listening to them excitedly recount the day’s adventures.

Perhaps that is what a good family holiday should ultimately be about. Not simply ticking destinations off a list, but creating the space to experience something new together and coming home with stories that become part of our family’s shared memories.

So if Hokkaido feels too far, too expensive or simply does not fit your plans, look beyond the usual ski destinations. There is so much more of Japan waiting to be discovered. For our family, Tokyo, Mount Fuji and Shirakaba turned out to be the winter adventure we did not know we were looking for.

And sometimes, the best family trips begin with simply asking: “What if we tried somewhere different this time?”