Seasons雪
Snow season: skiing, festivals and onsen
December to March — powder, snow monkeys and hot springs.
Last reviewed · Sep 2026
- Niseko and Furano (Hokkaido) and Hakuba (Nagano) for skiing, Dec–Mar
- Sapporo Snow Festival, early February
- Jigokudani snow monkeys near Nagano
- Shirakawa-go winter light-ups (limited dates, bus reservations needed)
- Ginzan Onsen in Yamagata for a classic snowy ryokan scene
Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka are cold but dry and sunny in winter, rarely snowy — a great time for cheaper hotels outside New Year.