The Madarao & Suginohara Common 5-Day Snow Pass is finally here, and after months of anticipation, it went on sale on November 1, 2026. It’s new for this season, and the result of Patience Capital Group ownership of both Madarao Kogen and Myoko Suginohara. That’s exactly why this combined five-day pass makes sense. Both sides of the Powder Belt between northern Nagano and Niigata are being developed as long-term resort projects: at Suginohara that includes the Six Senses Myoko hotel rising on the old car-park site, and over at Madarao the Madarao Kogen Hotel is undergoing a full renovation, slated to reopen as an MGallery by Sofitel property in late 2027. One operator thinking strategically across two of the best powder mountains within Japan’s largest skiable domain.
What the Madarao & Suginohara 5-Day Pass covers
The pass provide the choice to exchange it daily into one of the following:
- The Mountain Pass, valid at both Madarao Kogen Ski Resort and Tangram Ski Circus (the common Madarao area pass).
- Myoko Suginohara day tickets, for the big, wide-open resort at the heart of the Powder Belt.
Best of all, the five days do not have to be consecutive. You can use the pass on any five days you choose across the whole season, mixing and matching Madarao-Tangram and Suginohara however your week plays out. That makes it ideal for chasing the snow: ski Suginohara when it’s nuking on its north-facing slopes, drop onto Madarao’s quiet trees another day, or take a day in between to rest or to explore other nearby Myoko resorts.
How much does the 5-day pass actually save you?
The pass is Â¥40,000 for adults. It’s valid for the full main powder season, December 12, 2026 through March 28, 2027, so you can buy once and use your five days any time across that window. Note: the pass cannot be cancelled nor refunded, so be sure of your dates before buying.
To see the value, compare it against buying single day tickets. For the 2026/27 season, a one-day All-Mountain day pass at Madarao (valid at both Madarao Kogen and Tangram) is ¥9,000 for adults, and a one-day lift and gondola pass at Myoko Suginohara is also ¥9,000 (or ¥8,200 for Seibu Prince Club members).
Buy those five days separately and you’re looking at 5 × Â¥9,000 = Â¥45,000. The 5-day pass gets you the same five days of skiing for Â¥40,000 — a saving of Â¥5,000, or roughly 11%, on top of the huge convenience of a single flexible ticket. And because the pass lets you use it on any five non-consecutive days across Madarao, Tangram and Suginohara, you get that saving without being locked to one mountain.
If you’re a La Colina guest, do the maths for your own plan. Staying at La Colina Retreat comes with discounted Madarao All-Mountain lift tickets at Â¥7,700 per day — under the Â¥8,000-a-day the 5-day pass effectively costs. So if you’re planning to ski mostly in the Madarao–Tangram area, your guest discount is already better value than buying this pass. This pass only wins if you actually want a good share of your days over at Myoko Suginohara specifically. If your plan is to spend your powder days in Madarao–Tangram and then explore other resorts (Nozawa Onsen, Akakura, Togakushi, Shigakogen…) beyond Suginohara, this pass won’t suit you either — it’s strictly Madarao–Tangram–Suginohara. In both cases, you’re better off buying day tickets with your guest discount and keeping your options open.
How to buy and redeem it
- Purchase online through WAmazing Snow, which handles ticketing for the area and offers the site in English, Japanese and several other languages.
- For a Madarao Mountain Pass day, you exchange your voucher in person at the Madarao Kogen lift ticket office — that’s the only place the Mountain Pass portion is issued — and there’s a Â¥500 cash deposit, returned when you hand the physical pass back. The Ticket office is conveniently located inside Heidi cafeteria, next to a free parking area.
- For a Myoko Suginohara day, your one-day lift and gondola ticket is delivered as a QR code — no deposit needed, just scan at the gate.
Parking at Myoko Suginohara is changing this season
If you’re driving to Suginohara, read this: the parking situation has changed significantly for 2026/27. Because a new hotel — the Six Senses Myoko — is under construction on the main parking land, the number of available spaces has dropped from roughly 1,800 to about 370. To manage demand, parking is now paid every day of the season (previously it was only charged on busy weekends).
- First car park (beside the gondola): ¥2,000/day — must be pre-purchased online for a set date.
- Second car park (lower, below the gondola, old snowplow parking): ¥1,000/day — pre-purchase online or pay on arrival.
- Even if you’re staying at a nearby lodge, using the resort car park now costs the same.
- When the main car parks fill up in peak periods, you’ll be directed to temporary parking nearby with a shuttle bus to the slopes.
Anything under about five metres in vehicle length falls in the standard rates above; larger vehicles cost more. Online pre-purchase details are due to be announced shortly, so check the Suginohara page before you set off.
Other “Sugi” news for 2026/27
A couple more things worth knowing about the new season:
- No separate Suginohara season pass this year. To keep the slopes uncrowded while the hotel is built, Prince has pulled the full-season, weekday and 50-hour season passes, plus the early-bird and advance lift-and-gondola tickets, for 2026/27. The new 5-day pass is one of the few ways to get multiple Suginohara days at a flat price.
- Suginohara accepts the Ikon Pass, another good option if you already hold an Ikon membership. Check our guide to Japan’s multi-resort ski passes to discover what other resorts are under Ikon or other international passes.
- The Suginohara ski season runs December 19, 2026 to March 28, 2027.
Frequently asked questions
Do the five days have to be consecutive?
No. You can use the pass on any five days you choose during the valid period (December 12, 2026 to March 28, 2027), and mix and match between Madarao Kogen, Tangram Ski Circus and Myoko Suginohara. Take rest days or side trips in between without wasting a ticket.
Which resorts does the pass cover?
The pass covers the Madarao Mountain Pass (valid at both Madarao Kogen Ski Resort and Tangram Ski Circus) and day tickets at Myoko Suginohara. It does not cover other resorts in the Powder Belt, such as Nozawa Onsen or Akakura.
What is the price of the Madarao and Suginohara 5-Day Snow Pass?
¥40,000 for adults. That works out to ¥8,000 per ski day when used across five days, compared with ¥9,000 per day if you bought them separately — a saving of roughly 11%.
How do I use it at Madarao versus Suginohara?
At Madarao, you exchange your voucher at the Madarao Kogen lift ticket office (the only place the Mountain Pass portion is issued) and pay a ¥500 cash deposit, refunded when you return the physical pass. At Suginohara, your day ticket arrives as a QR code, so you just scan at the gate — no deposit.
What if I drive to Suginohara?
Parking at Suginohara is paid every day this season (P1 ¥2,000/day pre-booked online; P2 ¥1,000/day online or on arrival), with space down to about 370 cars because of the Six Senses Myoko construction. Allow extra time, and expect to be redirected to temporary parking with a shuttle in peak periods.
Does the pass include transportation or parking fees?
No. Unlike the Mt Myoko All Mountain Pass, this 5-Day Snow Pass does not include public transportation between resorts, and it does not cover the paid parking fees at Myoko Suginohara. At Madarao Kogen and Tangram Ski Circus, parking is free.
Can I ski two resorts in one day on a single day of the pass?
No. When you exchange the pass, it is valid for that resort for that day only. You cannot ski Madarao in the morning and then move on to Suginohara in the afternoon on the same day — doing so would require exchanging two days of the pass (one for each resort).
Is there a Suginohara season pass this year?
No. For 2026/27, Suginohara is not selling its full-season, weekday or 50-hour season passes, nor early-bird or advance lift tickets. The 5-Day Snow Pass and the Ikon Pass are the main multi-day options at Suginohara this year.
Plan your Powder Belt week with us
We know Madarao, Tangram and Myoko Suginohara intimately, and we can help you build a trip around this pass — where to stay for easy access to all three, how to time your days for the best snow (and the least parking hassle), and how to add guided backcountry or freeride days on top. Get in touch at outdoor@lacolinaretreat.jp or through our contact page, and we’ll help you make the most of five flexible powder days.