Where is Minakami Hodaigi?

Minakami Hodaigi is situated 15km northeast of the town of Minakami, an epicentre of onsen and adventure activities. Houdaigi is 190km northwest of Tokyo in northern Gunma Prefecture, not far from Mt Tanigawa and the town of Yuzawa in Niigata Prefecture.

The Hodaigi Ski Resort is only 4.5km from the famous Takaragawa Onsen.

Driving to Hodaigi Ski Resort

The easiest way to get there is to drive, which also gives you the flexibility to visit other nearby ski areas. The telephone number for GPS navigation is 0278-75-2557. The last part of the drive is on narrow, windy and snowy roads, so snow tyres (or chains) are a must.

There are large car parks at the resort, and parking fees apply on weekends.

Train to Minakami Houdaigi

The Minakami train station is about 15km away (see Navitime Japan Travel for routes and timetables) and it’s possible to get a bus to Hodaigi from the station, although it’s a bit messy. From Minakami station, take a bus to “Yunokoya” or “Takaragawa Onsen” and get off at Takaragawa Iriguchi bus stop (30 mins), then there’s a free resort shuttle (15 mins).

Or on weekends and holidays, the resort runs a shuttle bus a few times a day from Jomo Kogen Station to Hodaigi Ski Resort.

Other Ski Resorts Nearby

The Tenjindaira ski area is 17km (about a 20-25 minute drive) to the west.

Other nearby ski resorts:

• Minakami Kogen Ski Resort – 6km north
• Minakami Kogen Fujiwara Ski Resort – 4km northwest
• Okutone Snow Park (“Uncle Tony’s”) – 11km southwest
• Yuzawa is 47km to the northwest, which has a smorgasbord of ski resorts such as Kagura, Naeba and Hakkaisan.