Naeba Ski Resort is a popular resort in the Yuzawa area and is also the location for the annual Fuji Rock Festival in summer. This Naeba Ski Resort review will start with our experience at Naeba Prince Hotel, which is the main hotel in the area, situated at the foot of the mountain range at Naeba Ski Resort.
In This Naeba Ski Resort Review
Naeba Prince Hotel
Naeba Prince Hotel is ski-in ski-out, which means you can board the chairlift right outside the hotel doors. There are other accommodation options around the resort. If you’re looking for a more budget-friendly option, you can stay in the area and then either take a bus or drive over to the resort.
Check In
Check in was difficult. Besides the usual standard procedure, it was difficult to ask other questions due to the limited English understood by the staff. I don’t blame them for the limited English as it is not an English speaking country, but the staff that did our check in also did not seem like she wanted to address our questions. When asked where we could buy lift passes (or if we needed to buy them ahead of them), she just said to go to building 3, seemingly telling us, ‘this is not my job’.
At check in, we were given a informational sheet on the resort and a card required to use the ski lockers.
We had driven a rental car to the resort to drop our bags, and will make a short drive to Yuzawa train station right after we are done with the check in to return the car. However, when the check in staff asked if we had a car, we explained our situation to her with the help of Google Translate and she just nodded. Hence we thought she was asking if we needed to reserve a parking spot. This also led us to think that parking was free as we were just parked there for 10 minutes or so.
We later found out from an English speaking staff at the international concierge that parking isn’t free, and that we were supposed to get a parking payment ticket upon check in. With this ticket, parking would be 1,000 and without it, it would be 2,000.
The Room
The room was spacious, good enough for 2 medium sized luggages to be opened comfortably. Our room also had a great view, overlooking the chair lift. We were also lucky and caught fireworks from our room one night.
It was pretty stuffy in the room, especially when we first entered. We had to open the window for circulation as there was only heater in the room. Temperatures were also not low enough for us to require a heater during our trip and we really only had the tiny gap in the window to cool the room. However, opening the window was noisy and we could hear the snow groomers around 4am.
We paid SGD 1,088.70 for 3 nights in a twin room, ski run view.
The view was fantastic and we were also lucky that the fireworks were right outside our room!
The Bed
The bed was too soft and thin in the middle, feeling like we were laying on springs. The height of the bed also felt a little low.
Room Amenities
Although many hotels in Japan now have room amenities such as toothbrush and combs placed in the hotel lobby, these necessities were already in the room at Naeba Prince Resort.
The Bathroom
The bathroom wasn’t too big, but sufficient. The toilet and bathtub were right next to each other, and without drawing the shower curtains, the entire bathroom will likely be wet. The sink was in its own separated space.
WiFi
The WiFi worked well in the room and in areas within the building. Messages could be sent on WhatsApp and Telegram, videos also load well on Instagram and TikTok. However, when we strayed further away from building 4, the WiFi disconnects.
The Service
As mentioned earlier, the service did not feel like the usual warm “Japanese standard” service the country is known for. Besides the check in situation I mentioned earlier, there was another instance we encountered with the ski pass counter staff on day 1. As the usual counter in building 3 was closed by the time we got there, we had to approach the counter outside, at the foot of the mountain for ski passes. We wanted to clarify if we could pre purchase passes for the following day, but the staff just shrugged and said “don’t know” in a rather aggressive tone. I understand there might be a language barrier and I don’t expect the staff to understand English, but her tone threw me off.
Experience with the rental shop wasn’t great either. We went in for some help to adjust our binding angles (at the recommendation of our snowboard instructor), but the shop staff just gave us a screwdriver without a word, for us to adjust it ourselves. Being beginners, we knew nothing about the equipment which was why we wanted to check in with the shop, but we ended up using Google for help anyway.
Resort Amenities
Naeba Ski Resort has a good number of amenities, with over 20 dining options, 2 hot springs (onsen) and shopping options, including a pharmacy.
Resort Activities/Entertainment
Naeba Ski Resort plans various activities and entertainment such as yoga, free beer days and even fireworks. Check the resort’s Instagram for updated information.
Equipment Rental
There are 3 equipment rental shops, and they can be found at Buildings 2, 4 and 6. We made reservations beforehand and collected our equipment at 7.30am sharp.
Rentals on the spot can also be done by filling out the forms outside the shops.
The Location
Echigo Yuzawa is the nearest train station and there are direct trains between Tokyo and Echigo Yuzawa. If you’re a guest at Naeba Prince Hotel, the hotel provides a free shuttle bus from the station. Reservations required for the shuttle bus.
If you’re not a hotel guest, there are also bus options from Echigo Yuzawa station. However, make sure to check the website for transport updates, as they can change.
Ski Trails
The resort is quite big with a number of trails. Though we did not explore that many trails, here’s what we thought of our experience.
We only hung around the base area, doing mostly H1 and E1. Being beginner snowboarders, we only hung around the groomed green runs and they were quite good, even though it was icy on the days we were there.
Chairlift
As we didn’t explore many trails, we only took Pair Lift 4, High Speed Lift 5 and Prince Gondola No. 2. The lifts look well maintained and from our room, we could see from our room that the staff swept off the snow and folded the seats back up every night before closing.
The chairlifts at Naeba allows you to carry your ski/snowboard in your hands (at least the ones at the base), which is something most resorts do not allow. This is because Naeba Ski Resort is a popular spot for those that just want to try skiing or snowboarding, rather than focus on seriously learning techniques, so this is to cater to those that just want to try something fun. Being able to carry your ski/snowboard also makes it less scary for beginners when getting off the chairlift.
Prices for adult lift ticket start at ¥6,300 for 4 hours.
Ski & Snowboard Classes
Sherpa International Snow School is the only school that offers English and Chinese lessons at Naeba Ski Resort. We had a great time during our lesson; our assigned instructor was patient and encouraging.
However, the lessons rates were more expensive than other resorts, costing ¥33,000 for a 1 hour 50 minutes private lesson (up to 3 in a group). In comparison, it only costed us ¥25,000 at Hakuba Goryu for 2 hours.
Final Rating
Naeba Ski Resort is definitely a good option for beginners and families. It’s accessibility was one of the main reasons we chose this resort. As I have an old knee injury, being able to carry my snowboard up the chairlift for some runs helped manage the pain a little, as pushing the snowboard with 1 leg causes some pain after awhile.
However, the service standard might make it difficult for first timers who are still trying to figure their way around the resort.
Cleanliness: 4/5
Price: 3/5
Ambience: 4/5
Value: 3/5
Remote Workability: 4/5
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Where is Naeba Ski Resort?
It is in Yuzawa, Niigata. It is a 40-minute drive from the nearest train station is Echigo Yuzawa.
Where is the Naeba Prince Hotel free hotel shuttle bus?
The pickup location of the free hotel shuttle bus is at Echigo Yuzawa station. Follow the signs for buses, and it’ll be at bus stop 6. There will be a hotel staff stationed there, so keep a lookout for the staff.
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