A small Yuzawa-area family hill with eight gentle courses and dependable Sea-of-Japan snowfall.
Live conditions
Off-seasonThe mountain is resting.
Next season
Opens late November
Current temp 14°C, wind 5 km/h. We’ll resume the daily report once snowfall picks up.
Forecast data via Open-Meteo. Refreshes hourly. Always verify with the resort before driving up.
Why Budo Ski Area
A small Yuzawa-area family hill with eight gentle courses and dependable Sea-of-Japan snowfall.
Small Yuzawa-area family ski zone. Basic terrain suitable for beginners and intermediates with reliable snowfall from Sea of Japan storms.
Terrain in detail
MellowCruisey terrain — fine for advanced skiers as a rest day, not a destination. Difficulty, powder character, and the stats that matter on the mountain itself.
Hardcore index
22
Cruisey terrain — fine for advanced skiers as a rest day, not a destination.
From terrain split, run profile, vertical drop, expert features.
Powder profile
Sea-of-Japan storm cycles — deep, heavier snow.
Heavier, frequent storm cycles — deep refills, denser snow.
8
m~
per season
Frequent deep days through midwinter
Expert runs
8 total
No advanced split published — see trail map.
Vertical drop
550m
Compact mountain.
Steepest pitch
—
Pitch not published.
Backcountry gates
None
In-bounds skiing only.
Tree skiing
Yes
Tagged for proper tree runs.
Moguls
Few
Mostly cord and powder.
Best for
Terrain
Getting there
From airport
Approx
Train / bus
Bus or car from JR Echigo-Yuzawa area
Drive
Bus or car from JR Echigo-Yuzawa area
Bus or car from JR Echigo-Yuzawa area. Approx. 2.5 hours from Tokyo Haneda via Joetsu Shinkansen.
Curated guides covering Budo Ski Area and the rest of Niigata.
More resorts in Niigata
destination resort
Home of the Dragondola — at 5.5km the world's longest gondola, linking Naeba to Kagura. The Prince Hotel anchors a full Niigata ski town.
powder-focused
Niigata's high-altitude powder magnet — base elevation above 1,200m means season lasts into Golden Week, and gate-managed backcountry is easy to access from the top.
day trip
The only resort in Japan with a Shinkansen station at the lift base — you can literally ski in a suit on your lunch break. Beginner-heavy, famously accessible.
day trip
Yuzawa's most walkable resort — the NASPA hotel sits on the slope, the Shinkansen station is a short shuttle away, and the runs are firmly beginner–intermediate.