Where to see snow in Japan? In Japan, cherry blossoms generally occupy the front stage; what about the lovely winter scenes? With their snow-covered panoramas, Japan’s winter landscapes are quite beautiful. If you know where to look, some amazing locations allow you to view the snow.
Given Japan’s size, not every area has snowfall every year. However, in other places much further north, you may be sure your winter trip will be spectacular with glittering white snow. Except for the Snow Wall of Tateyama, which can be viewed much later, the greatest times to see snow in Japan are usually January and March!
Places further south, like Okinawa and Kyushu, do not receive snow. Hence, here we will be mostly looking at prefectures predominantly north of Tokyo Holidays, including Hokkaido, Nagano, and Ishikawa.
Sapporo: Hokkaido Snow Festival
Many people require Sapporo for snowy settings. Hokkaido, the capital of Japan’s northernmost area, is not only full of activities but also suited for significant snowfall; hence, things do not stop on snow days. For overseas guests, Sapporo provides a wealth of English-language services and information. Overall, Sapporo had 476 cm of snowfall in 2022!
Sapporo’s amazing Snow Festival, in which artists assemble to make massive snow sculptures and the city is alive with food vendors and entertainment is one of the highlights of winter here. It is like a winter wonderland.
Shirakawago: Traditional Huts
Though it’s as traditional as it comes, Shirakawago presents something rather different from what one would anticipate of a “traditional” Japanese scene.
Ancient Shirakawago is home to “gassho-tsukiri,” thatched-roof homes. During the winter, the dwellings are buried in a thick layer of snow, producing an image reminiscent of something from a fairy tale.
This mountain village and its neighbor, Gokayama, are both recognized as cultural treasures by UNESCO. One might stay in a historic home, go snowshoeing, learn traditional crafts, or tour the community.
Shirakawago offers a range of lodging choices to suit many budgets and tastes.
Tateyama: Snow Wall
Within Toyama prefecture, Tateyama is a region noted for lots of snowfall. The Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route, a lengthy path that runs over the breathtaking Japanese Alps by buses, trains, and ropeways, is the area’s sightseeing attraction.
It’s advisable to visit other times to see the snow as the snowfall here is so great in winter that the area is closed off from December to March.
The path includes the amazing Snow Wall. Usually still about 10m high by June, this wall can reach 18m tall and provides a nice respite from the city heat.
Hakuba: Skiing and Snowboarding
Popular ski resort Hakuba first become well-known following the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics. The Japanese Northern Alps surround you here, exquisitely covered with snow in the winter.
Make sure you try it and soak away those aches and pains; a major component of Japanese skiing culture is to plunge in an onsen (hot spring bath) later. Monkeys do the same in one of Japan’s regions!
Hakodate: Cityscape Views and Illuminations
The cozy city of Hakodate is located in Hokkaido. If you have a JR Pass or a Regional Pass for the Hokkaido Region, it is a good choice, even if smaller than Sapporo, since the bullet train from Tokyo allows you access.
In winter, the city is illuminated in glittering lights; January and February see the most snowfall. The highlights are the great seafood, the star-shaped Goryokaku Park, and the amazing views of the snowy city from Mount Hakodate Observatory.
Otaru: Scenic Canal and Snow Sculptures
Otaru is another fantastic location for its snowy settings while we are in Hokkaido.
Along the Otaru Canal, where the street lighting reflects in the calm waters and the buildings are blanketed in a covering of glittering snow, Otaru’s most famous winter scene is most certainly found here.
Usually around the same time as the Sapporo Snow Festival, the Snow Light Path Festival marks the highlight of Otaru in winter: for ten days, the city and canal are ornamented with lanterns and snow sculptures.
Ginzan Onsen: Warming Hot Springs
Winter visits to Ginzan Onsen are enchanting. The village has maintained all of its original appeal, with the preservation of its ancient inns along the river. Gas lights illuminate the village at night, giving the old-timey ambiance a pleasant glow and lighting the snowflakes as they fall.
Not unexpectedly, the town is well-known for its onsen—hot springs. When snow falls outside the window, the baths are immensely more fulfilling.
Niseko: Skiing and Snow Sports
Excellent powder snow produced by Niseko is well-known for making skiing and snowboarding perfect. It is easily available for speakers of many languages since it has become well-known among the global audience over the years.
Along with many onsen spa sites, there are a few distinct ski resorts. Moreover, the snow-capped display of the local volcano, Mt. Yotei, is difficult to overlook!
Kanazawa: Gold and Gardens
On the northwest coast of Japan, Kanazawa is the capital of Ishikawa Prefecture. Though snow flourishes from December through February, often giving the city a glimmer of magic, Kanazawa experiences significantly less snow than the places we have seen thus far.
The neighborhood is particularly well-known for its almost endless supply of gold and gold-plated objects and for its big traditional garden, Kenrokuen. Apart from the gardens, the old town of Higashi Chaya is one of the most atmospheric locations to enjoy the snow; the snow covers the classic surroundings while you search for the never-ending gold objects.
Mt. Fuji: The Iconic Mountain
Rising at 3776m, Mt. Fuji is the most famous peak in Japan. It is commonly shown in its snow-capped state, even though the surrounding towns experience little snow.
The peak climbing season is June through October when snow is less likely to fall on Mount Fuji. All through the winter, the volcano is a stunning shade of white. Even at Mount Fuji’s foot, there are two little ski resorts.
December and January are the finest times of year to enjoy some excellent views of the snowy mountain since they are the least cloud-cover seasons with great visibility.
Still, Feeling That Winter Chill?
As you can see, Japan boasts numerous lovely snowy settings for winter exploration; many of these do not even call for traveling as far as Hokkaido to experience them. To guide your winter holiday, thorough lists of the top ski resorts in Japan are at hand.
Hopefully, this has inspired you to plan a Japan winter trip. But if all this talk of snow makes you feel cold, perhaps you might warm up by considering why you should visit Okinawa, Japan’s tropical paradise, at any other time of the year.
