Hunter Mountain Shiobara, located roughly 150 minutes from Tokyo by car, is the largest snow resort in Kanto, and is open year-round. There are 12 slopes in total, and the course layout is notable for its many twists and turns that will satisfy everyone from novices to veterans. You can also enjoy downhill skiing with a maximum distance of 3,000 meters. The delightful snow park has a wide variety of items—it includes a hybrid park with wave, bank, and flat terrain, and a slopestyle park with kickers, boxes, and rails. At the kids’ park, full of attractions, there’s a sleds-only course that can be enjoyed safely by even small children, so the facility is perfect for adventure-seekers of all ages.
And don’t think that once the snow melts the resort becomes dull: the green season also comes highly recommended. In summer, why not visit the lily garden, which is one of the largest of its kind in Japan, boasting 4,000,000 flowers of 50 species. Board the flower lift and enjoy them from above, or enjoy a stroll through the park... the many colorful lily beds can be enjoyed in all sorts of ways. In autumn, you can take the colored-leaf gondola to enjoy the kind of scenery that only the Shiobara hot spring district can provide. Why not experience a breathtaking panorama as you head upwards to the summit at an elevation of 1,600 meters? The location is convenient for day trips, too, as those coming by car can get here from Tokyo in around 150 minutes on the Tohoku Expressway. If coming by train, it is convenient to take the free shuttle bus, available by reservation only, from Nasushiobara Station on the JR Tohoku Shinkansen.