Kawaba Ski Resort: Powder Snow At A Huge Mountain Side Resort

October 13, 2021
We recently took a trip to Kawaba Ski Resort in Gunma Prefecture, just a quick 2 hour car ride from the Tokyo metropolitan area. Driving along the snowy roads, all of a sudden an enormous resort center appeared before our eyes! This region is called snow country for a reason; the quality of the snow is divine and there are plenty of ski courses to be enjoyed. These ski slopes feature excellent, stylish facilities aimed at day trippers. In this article, we’d like to go over just what makes Kawaba Ski Resort so special.

Fully Furnished Facilities: The Huge Multistory Parking Garage And Resort Center

Multistory parking garage at Kawaba Ski Resort
The huge resort center that appears out of the blue has become something of a symbol of Kawaba Ski Resort. Heading into the multistory parking garage, on par with any major shopping center, what unfolds before your eyes is a huge shopping arcade-like area.

Inside the resort center at Kawaba Ski Resort
In addition to Murasaki Sports Kawaba, with all sorts of different products on offer, here you’ll find plenty of facilities for day trip skiers and a multitude of restaurants all catering to different tastes, making this one of the best places to go skiing in all of Gunma Prefecture! It may be worth it to come here just to see what’s on offer at the resort center.

The Amazing View From The Chair Lift

Snowy view from the mountaintop
The slopes of Kawaba are in the middle of snow country, meaning the weather can get pretty rough at times, but once you get on the chair lift, a beautiful view appears right before your very eyes. Especially breathtaking is the pure white mountaintop!

View of the slopes from the chair lift
Seeing the steep mountain and its rocky terrain might leave some worried about the difficulty of the courses. Well, fear not! Kawaba Ski Resort offers plenty of courses aimed at beginners.

Kawaba Slopes And Their Excellent Compacted Snow

One run with compacted snow
Despite being so close to Tokyo, the snow here is excellent! The secret lies in the geography. Kawaba Ski Resort is located at a very high altitude, and with all the cold wind that rushes over the mountain, suffice to say the place gets pretty chilly. But that means that the compacted snow runs available here have some great snow on them!

Riding down the polished slopes covered in smooth grooves from snow compaction vehicles may leave you wondering when it was you got so good at skiing. For those who want to enjoy light, fluffy rides down the mountain, be sure to check this place out!

Photo Spots Perfect For Instagramming!

Huge boulders by the mountaintop
The Kawaba slopes feature some truly amazing vistas to behold. So make sure if you’re coming to do some skiing that you snap a couple of pics in the photo spots the resort has set up. One spot we’d particularly like to recommend is by the large boulders enshrined near the top of the mountain. The view up here is truly amazing!

Fill Up On Excellent Cuisine In The Restaurant Area

Restaurant Area
You’re sure to work up an appetite after a long day of skiing. There are all sorts of cuisines to be had at the restaurant area located inside the resort center: Japanese teishoku, hamburgers, pizza, gelato, the list goes on!

Bosco pizzeria from the outside
One place we’d definitely recommend is the Bosco pizzeria, located on the 8th floor. Here you can try their special pot-baked pizza, a one-of-a-kind dish with a thin, crispy crust. There are plenty of other choices to be had in the restaurant area which should be happy news for the culinary skier. Don’t forget to try a crepe or some gelato after your meal!

A Day Trip Ski Resort With Lots Of Shopping And Dining Options

The slopes are great, but the resort center has to be the biggest draw when it comes to Kawaba Ski Resort. At just 2 hours outside of Tokyo, it’s not often you can enjoy such great powder snow so close to the nation’s capital. What really got us was all the culinary options on offer at the resort center! Kawaba Ski Resort is the perfect place for wide open skiing, whether you’re on your own or heading out with the whole family.

Pricing information and schedule may not be up to date and are subject to change without notice. Please check before your trip.

Related ski resorts

Kawaba Ski Resort Gunma Prefecture

Dec. 2nd to Apr. 21st
Courses10
Lifts6
Longest run distance3,300 m
Maximum gradient34 °
Courses10
Lifts6
Longest run3,300 m
Maximum34 °