The ski area is well equipped with a range of convenient options for visitors across the board. We found the lift infrastructure to be good for the most part, if a little sluggish compared to European standards. The gondolas cover a great deal of ground, allowing you to take a break between long runs. We had to queue a couple of times at the bottom station and also found that some of the chair lifts were a little basic, with no weather hood or under-seat heating. An additional lift extending up from the valley to the top of the Sky Line course would probably also make sense.
Good service range in the valley
There are a plethora of services available at the two main hubs at the Hikage and Nagasaka stations, with a whole host of ski rental centres, sports stores and tuning shops. The ski resort is also home to the fascinating Japan Ski Museum which showcases ski-related artefacts tracking the evolution of the sport. Night skiing is also offered after dark via the Nagasaka Quad lift up from the Nagasaka Station. WiFi is not that easy to come by, though a number of the lodges and restaurants have their own hotspots available for guests. The Nozawa Sparina is just a couple of minutes from the base station on foot, and is a great place for a luxurious soak after a day on the mountain (combined ski & spa tickets are also available). It is also worth noting that the dozen or so onsens (hot spring bath houses) in town are all free-of-charge and a truly authentic Japanese experience.