Season 25-26
There is something quietly magical about riding in the dark. When the day crowd pulls off the mountain and the lifts slow to a hum, the snow seems to crisp up and the whole resort feels like it belongs to you. For anyone who works in the ski industry, from lift operators to guides to the people who keep the lodges warm, the evening is often the only window we get to ski for ourselves. Our days belong to the guests; the night belongs to us.
The freezing evening air makes for fast, precise alpine skiing on the groomers, the kind of silky edge-to-edge carve that is hard to hold once the sun softens the snow. And on the odd evening when a band of snow slides through, the slopes turn into a playground, with the untracked borders along the piste edges inviting you to wander into the soft for a few turns before the machines run again. Add a pair of clear or transparent goggles and your night vision stays comfortable, and the whole experience feels like a secret the mountain only shares after dark.
We get it. When you plan a trip to Japan, part of you wants to squeeze every possible minute onto the mountain. And for many riders that starts with hunting down a resort with night skiing, so a day of skiing can stretch on into the evening. But here is the honest reality after a decade of guiding guests through the Powder Belt: almost everyone who comes does eventually ski at night, yet for most of them it happens once, because it is new and you want to try it, and then that is it. Once you get into the rhythm of a proper Japan trip, you quickly discover that recovery matters as much as riding. Sleeping well, soaking in an onsen, and waking up fresh to ski the whole mountain from the first lift is worth far more than spending an evening stacking laps on one or two floodlit runs where the flat light flattens the terrain and your line options are thin. Talk to any local and they will tell you the same: we night ski because it is often our only free hours, not because it is the best snow of the day.
So do not let night skiing be the deciding factor of your trip. The region’s real treasure is its daytime terrain, and that is where you should spend your energy. Think of night skiing as a bonus, a lovely extra if the resort you choose happens to offer it, and a small treat you might take one evening for the novelty, not something to build your whole holiday around.
Your Night Skiing Guide to Nagano’s Powder Belt
Northern Nagano is one of the few regions in Japan where you can ride from before dark well into the evening across half a dozen resorts. Here is where night skiing runs, how many lifts open, what it costs, and what to expect in the 2026–27 season. Hours and schedules are seasonal and weather dependent, so always double check with the resort before heading out.
Madarao Mountain Resort
Madarao Mountain Resort, the most convenient night option for La Colina guests, runs night skiing in two short windows over the holiday period: 26 December 2026 to 2 January 2027, and again on 9 and 10 January 2027. Two lifts open at night — the No.1 lift and the No.2 Quad — running from 16:30 to 21:00 (Quad No.2 stops at 20:30). Together they open five lit runs: Paradise, Beginners A and B, Utopia and the lower part of Giant. A night ticket costs ¥3,500 for adults, ¥3,000 for seniors (55+) and ¥2,500 for children (6–12).
While it was possible in the past to ski until midnight on new year eve and watch the fireworks at 12 midnight, this year the lifts on December 31st will close at 21h and the fireworks will be right after. No New Year countdown.
Guest perk: when you book a stay at La Colina Retreat, the discounted Madarao & Tangram mountain pass we sell covers night skiing on the scheduled Madarao dates, and the 5-hour day pass allows Madarao night use on those evenings too. It is one of the best-value night rides in the whole Powder Belt.
Tangram Ski Circus
Tangram Ski Circus has removed night skiing this season. Instead, Tangram runs extended evening opening until 18:00 on selected dates: every day from 26 December to 3 January, plus each Saturday from 9 January to 27 February 2027, and the single dates of 10 January, 10 February, 11 February and 22 February. So plan your Tangram laps for late afternoon and save your true night riding for Madarao, which is linked to Tangram (except the 12–18 December and 23–28 March windows when the connection closes).
Ryuoo Ski Park
Ryuoo Ski Park is the night-skiing heavyweight here, running more evening sessions than any other resort in the area. From 22 December 2026 to 21 March 2027, night skiing runs 17:00 to 20:00, Tuesday through Saturday (closed Sundays, Mondays and holiday-end days), with daily operation through the New Year period 23 December to 3 January. Two lifts open — the Base lift and the Mid chair (the latter on Saturdays only) — lighting the Base and Mid slopes. A night ticket is ¥2,600 for adults and ¥1,600 for children, sold from 16:45.
Lotte Arai Resort
Lotte Arai Resort is the premium option, with night skiing on Fridays and Saturdays from 26 December 2026 to 21 March 2027, running 17:30 to 21:00. The lower-lift area opens for evening laps with the same luxury feel as the rest of the resort. A night ticket is roughly ¥3,333 for adults in the main season; confirm the current price at the ticket window, as it varies by period.
Nozawa Onsen
Nozawa Onsen runs night skiing on the Nagasaka Quad, the one lift open after dark, from 16:30 to 20:00 on a selection of dates: around the New Year holiday, and on many Saturdays from mid-January through late March. A night pass is ¥2,850 for adults and ¥1,700 for children. As a bonus, the slope hosts its famous New Year countdown and fireworks on 31 December, with night skiing running until 23:30 that evening — not to be missed if you are there over New Year.
Akakura Onsen (Myoko)
In the Myoko area, Akakura Onsen is the one resort with real night skiing, and the only one in Myoko that runs it almost daily. Night skiing takes place in the Kumado area from 17:00 to 21:00, with the Kumado lifts lit each evening across the season. Runs are groomed before night skiing on Saturdays and the nights before holidays. Confirm the night-ticket price at the window, as it is separate from the day and all-mountain passes.
Shiga Kogen
Shiga Kogen spreads night skiing across several of its areas, each separate from the common day pass and run on designated days. Here is where each area rides, by its own lift:
- Yakebitaiyama — the D3 third high-speed lift, 18:00 to 20:00, on Saturdays and select dates including New Year, 10 January and 21 March. One intermediate run (D2 East), night ticket from about ¥3,000.
- Kumanoyu — the First Pair, 18:30 to 21:00, on designated days through the season.
- Ichinose Family — the Second Pair B, 18:30 to 21:00 (from 18:30 to 20:45 on March weekdays), on designated days.
- Takamagahara Mammoth — the Second Triple, 18:30 to 21:00, a friendly ¥2,000 for adults and ¥1,000 for children.
- Sunvalley — the Housaka First Quad, 18:30 to 21:00, on designated days.
Each Shiga Kogen area runs its own evening window on its own calendar, so check the official night-skiing page for the exact dates before you go.
Kurohime Kogen Snow Park
Just across the national park from Madarao, Kurohime Kogen Snow Park runs night skiing on selected evenings through the season. Its local season pass even advertises the lifts running to around 20:30, which is what many holders buy it for. It is a smaller, quieter evening option than Madarao or Ryuoo — check the resort’s calendar for the nights it opens.
Practical Night-Riding Notes
- Go clear. A pair of clear (cat.0) or lightly tinted (Cat.1) snow goggles is the difference between comfortable laps and squinting into the floodlights. Swap out your tinted daytime lenses.
- Dress for a colder mountain. The temperature drops fast once the sun goes, so add a layer you would not need by day, especially on colder high-alpine evenings.
- Watch the borders. The best night turns are often just off the groomed edge, but stay mindful of terrain and marked closures in the low light.
- Check the day you plan. Every schedule here is weather dependent, and resorts close night ops on specific dates. Confirm the current calendar before you leave.
Ask us anything at outdoor@lacolinaretreat.jp, or see our itineraries and contact page to plan your trip.