Echigo Yuzawa Onsen

Winter activities within easy reach of Tokyo

Niigata’s Echigo Yuzawa Onsen is easily accessible from nearby metropolitan areas and is a popular ski destination in winter. The area is renowned for its distinct traditions and history dating back 800 years, as well as its modern conveniences.

Upon exiting the station, you will immediately see the large hotels and traditional ryokan that make up Echigo Yuzawa Onsen. In town, you can soak in the hot spring foot-baths that line the streets, have some fun at old-fashioned amusement arcades, and enjoy street food from the stalls as you walk around.

The Echigo Yuzawa Snow Festival is held every year in early March at Yuzawa Kogen Ski Resort. One of the most exciting events of the festival is the Torch Descent, when skiers make their way down the slopes with flaming torches in hand. At the festival, you can enjoy the illuminated scenery by torchlight along with a marvelous fireworks display.

How to get there

Take the Joetsu Shinkansen from Tokyo Station to Echigo-Yuzawa Station. The ride takes about 80 minutes. By car, it's a two-hour drive from Tokyo on the Kanetsu Expressway. The closest interchange is Yuzawa IC.

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