Japan ski season 2026/27- Deals, Trends & What to Book Now

By Justin Trollip Co-Founder - The Snow Concierge

It's winter in Sydney, six months out from the start of the Japanese ski season, and we're starting to turn our minds to the thought of first tracks and powder stacks.

It's Memorial Day Weekend for our friends in the States, the time when families and groups get together and conversation turns to their plans for the upcoming winter - so we thought we might add a few items to the list of discussion topics!

This weekend also saw the Annual Snow Expo in Sydney, and based on the numbers of attendees, Aussies are also thinking about their plans for the 26/27 Japanese ski season. It's fair to say the Japan stalls were amongst some of the most popular.

We love this time of year at The Snow Concierge – it's when things really start to fall into place for our clients and we can almost hear the crunch of fresh snow under skis.

Demand for Japanese ski properties has been unprecedented this year, with many resorts starting to book up for peak periods. There are still some very good options available for those who want to capitalise on the changes to the Ikon pass or spend time away from the crowds exploring the Japanese ski resorts that only the locals know about.

Appi Kogen: 30% early bird offer for the 2026/27 ski season

Speaking about locals' mountains, you know we love Appi and while we don't want to share it with everyone, we are very happy to share this deal with our community of friends and followers.

There are so many reasons to visit Appi, not least the incredible snow. It has also been included in the Ikon pass for the first time, so if you are on the Ikon pass your lift ticket costs are covered. One major reason to get excited about Appi is the current 30% OFF Super Early Bird special which is running until 30th June 2026.

So why do we love Appi Kogen? Here's why this hidden gem should be your next adventure:

- Luxury and then some: The boutique ANA InterContinental was named Asia's Best Luxury Ski Hotel in this year's World Luxury Hotel Awards. There's also the more family (and budget) friendly ANA Crowne Plaza at the resort.
- True ski-in/ski-out location: Situated at the mountain's base, both hotels offer true ski-in/ski-out convenience for those who prefer easy access to the snow.
- Tree Riding and Ungroomed Slopes: There are designated tree riding areas as well as gates that open into very ridable chairlift lines.
- Pristine Powder Paradise: One of Japan's largest ski resorts with designated tree-riding zones and fewer crowds than mainstream destinations.
- Mountain to Yourself: Located well away from day-tripper towns, you'll enjoy fresh tracks and solitude that powder hounds dream of.
- Authentic Japanese Experience: Unwind in private balcony onsens or stunning indoor/outdoor hot springs after your powder days.
- Renewal and renovation: The ANA Crowne Plaza is currently undergoing a refit with their most popular rooms being renovated in time for the 26/27 season.

Please don't hesitate to reach out if you are interested in learning a bit more about Appi, especially if you are interested in booking any of their newly renovated rooms which are in high demand.

Japan ski season trends: what we're seeing for 2026/27

No two seasons are the same and we are seeing some interesting trends starting to emerge for the 26/27 Japan ski season.

Strong early demand for quality properties during peak periods

The Japanese ski season generally runs from November/December through to March/April but there are three major peak-peak times during the overall season.

- Christmas/New Year - this is the most popular time for visitors from North America, Europe and Asia based expats who tend to take advantage of the holiday period.
- Australian/New Zealand post-Christmas School Holiday window - this is the biggest of the peak periods, starting after Christmas/New Year and running right up to Australia Day (26th January), which traditionally marks the end of the School Holiday period in Australia.
- Lunar New Year - the third and equally important peak when many visitors from Asia visit Japan for their Japow fix. Lunar New Year falls on 6th February next year.

Based on our enquiries, many peak season travellers have booked further in advance than usual for this upcoming season. While we always expect Nozawa to be fully booked early in the season, places like Hakuba are starting to follow a similar pattern.

Never fear - there are still properties available in Hakuba during the peaks but don't delay if you have your heart set on this resort for 2026/2027.

(Some) Honshu Prices Are Now Comparable with Hokkaido

Niseko has always been considered the most expensive ski destination in Japan. This was driven by cost of the accommodation, which to be fair was largely new developments which had been built at significant cost and high standards to meet the demand for quality western accommodation in the snow.

What we are seeing now is other resorts in Honshu, like Nozawa Onsen and Hakuba are able to demand similar prices, if not more.

How the Epic and Ikon passes are reshaping demand

It's no surprise that Hakuba is growing in popularity, given the epic snow and terrain, great village life and an excellent range of accommodation. The introduction of the Epic Pass has also had a significant impact on visitor numbers. Hakuba is one of only two resorts in Japan on the Epic Pass (Rusutsu being the other). Understandably both are popular with Epic pass holders.

Ikon on the other hand has opened up Niseko to North Americans and with their expanded offering (see below) we expect to see international visitors spread out amongst other resorts. Niseko will continue to be a big draw card but over time we expect interest in the newly added resorts to increase too.

Australia and North America: the two biggest growth markets

Whether it's the Ikon/Epic passes, inconsistent snowfalls in North America, the weak yen, the amazing food or Google translate, it is now clear that North Americans are starting to understand what those who live Down Under have known for a while - skiing in Japan is EPIC. This is clearly demonstrated in a year-on-year trebling of bookings for Japan as reported by Ski.com. This confirms that the destination has officially graduated from a niche, adventurous bucket-list choice into a mainstream powerhouse for North American destination skiers, who now make up 20% of all international snow tourists.

Furano: Japan's fastest-growing ski destination

Furano is now emerging as a true alternative to Niseko. Many in the know will tell you that Furano is what Niseko was like 20 years ago. Perhaps unsurprisingly, it has emerged as the fastest growing snow destination in Japan. There are some great properties available here, so let us know if you're keen to see what the hype is about.

Ikon pass adds seven Japan ski resorts for 2026/27

In case you missed (possibly) the most significant development in the Japanese ski landscape since the initial introduction of the Ikon and Epic passes, we thought we should mention that Ikon have added an additional seven resorts to their pass.

These are:
- Appi Resort
- Furano
- Mt.T (Tenjindaira)
- Myoko Suginohara
- Nekoma Mountain
- Shiga Kogen
- Zao Onsen

This is big news. In our opinion, the list includes some of the best under radar resorts in Japan - resorts that in the past might have been overlooked by many international visitors. These are all excellent mountains and some of Japan's best kept secrets.

We have great recommendations for accommodation at all these resorts, with the team having stayed and skied or ridden at all of them.

More flights to Sapporo: Qantas and United add capacity

In great news for visitors from the US West Coast, United is introducing the first direct flight to Sapporo from San Francisco. The route will run three times a week from the 11th December through March.

Following the success of Qantas' direct flight from Sydney to Sapporo, the Flying Kangaroo will also be increasing their schedule from 3 days a week to 5 days a week. This will add an additional 10,000 seats to this route.

Get in touch

As you can see, with just six months and counting there is a lot to be excited about for this upcoming season. If you’re thinking about a trip to Japan, don’t leave it too long - we’re waiting to hear from you!

Peace, Love & Powder Days

The Snow Concierge