Singaporeans such as myself love travelling to Japan during winter to experience snow, which is something they cannot get back home. For those who plan to Tokyo during their winter travel, they might be interested to know they can experience a winter wonderland at GALA Yuzawa Snow Resort (ガーラ湯沢スキー場). Located in Niigata prefecture, the resort is highly popular for those from Tokyo. Visitors can simply hop on the bullet train from Tokyo, and reach the resort in 73 minutes!
I got to visit GALA YUZAWA SNOW RESORT back in February, and a small surprise awaited me en route from JR Takasaki Station (JR高崎駅) to JR GALA Yuzawa Station (JRガーラ湯沢駅): the two-levelled Max TANIGAWA! Visitors could reserve seats on the upper or lower deck, and I went for the upper deck. Unfortunately, the train type has been phased out so I was lucky to ride it.
The JR GALA Yuzawa Station is connected directly to the GALA Yuzawa Snow Resort. The station used to be a train depot many years ago, but when Yuzawa became a highly popular ski town, it was converted into a train station. Moreover, this station operates specially during the winter season only.
Once visitors reach the train station, they will exit the ticket gate and immediately step into the snow resort. The whole station is designed so that visitors are sheltered from the weather when transferring from the station to the resort. Upon leaving the station, visitors will arrive at the resort’s COWABUNGA floor where they will see a wide variety of customer services awaiting them, from foreign language counters―languages available include English, Thai, Indonesian, Chinese (Mandarin), Korean, and a lot more―and foreign currency exchange counters, to food kiosks and even winter activity schedules.
A short walk from the entrance, and visitors will reach the main concourse where even more amenities and facilities await, including restaurants, winter gear shops and changing areas. Visitors can rent equipment here, from winter boots and winter coats to head gear and snowboards. The main idea is that visitors without any winter equipment can show up to the resort empty-handed: they can simply rent everything right at the resort.
It is wonderful to see how readily available winter equipment is for rent. People like myself do not have winter equipment so not having them was my biggest concern. Better yet, sizing can be done on the spot and information such as different size systems (US/UK/China) are indicated. They are also written in various languages for easy reference.
Visitors can try out any of the many restaurants available throughout the resort. Most of them are located at level one of the ski centre’s Rest House ‘CHEERS’. I had my lunch at a food court called PALPAL, where specialty Niigata foods are served. My recommendation: try the seafood tempura rice bowl (天丼 ten-don) or the premium seafood rice bowl (海鮮丼 kaisen-don); both were amazing.
Once visitors have suited up, they can hop on the Diligence gondola lifts (up to 8 persons at a time) to get up Mount Takatsukara in the back where all the fun is. The view from inside the gondola is amazing; visitors can mentally prepare themselves for an unforgettable winter experience even before it begins.
A magnificent view awaits at the end of the gondola lift: The Snow Enjoyment Park. This is where people would gather and start their winter wonderland experience. Seasoned skiers and snowboarders would continue their way up the mountain further, while first-timers would stick around here just to experience or play with the snow there.
For skiers and snowboarders, they can choose from up to 16 different courses. Many foreign visitors begin skiing, especially after witnessing others doing it for the first time there. After a half-day lesson, most of them take the ski lift up the mountain and will be able to ski down the slope.
Take the ski lift further up the mountain, and visitors will reach The Bell of Love Observation Deck. They will enjoy a panoramic view of the sprawling mountain slope below, which makes for an amazing photo-taking experience. Wifi service and other amenities are also available here.
Those looking for something less vigorous than snowboarding or skiing can engage in less intense activities at the Snow Enjoyment Park. Aside from just playing with snow, they can try out other fun activities. One is sledding, where they can ride a sled down a gentle slope. Another is the Snowmobile Sleigh Tour, where visitors can hop on a snowmobile sleigh and make a detour! Last but not least is the Kanjiki Snow Fun Tour, where visitors can wear traditional Japanese snowshoes called kanjiki (かんじき) that enable them to walk on deep snow easily.
The GALA Yuzawa Snow Resort is a must-visit for anyone wanting to experience a winter wonderland. For those who want to see and feel snow for the first time, they can spend a single day at the resort. For more seasoned winter lovers, try out one of the many lessons offered there. Make this place your next winter destination; it will be an experience that you will never forget.
GALA Yuzawa Snow Resort (ガーラ湯沢スキー場)
Address: 1039-2 Yuzawa, Minamiuonuma-gun, Niigata 949-6101
Access: Directly connected to JR GALA Yuzawa Station (JRガーラ湯沢駅）
JR東日本鐵路周遊券（長野&新潟地區）
The JR東日本鐵路周遊券（長野&新潟地區） is an affordable pass that offers unlimited train rides on JR East lines, including bullet trains, within the valid area for 5 consecutive days. It’s only ¥27,000, making it a considerable option for rail travellers. Pass holders can also reserve seats online for up to a month in advance for free on the JR-EAST Train Reservation.
JR 東日本鐵路周遊券（東北地區）
The JR 東日本鐵路周遊券（東北地區） is an affordable pass that offers unlimited train rides on JR East lines, including bullet trains, within the valid area for 5 consecutive days. It’s only ¥30,000, making it a considerable option for rail travellers.
JR TOKYO Wide Pass
The JR TOKYO Wide Pass is an affordable pass offering unlimited rail travel on JR East lines (including bullet trains) in the valid area for 3 consecutive days. At ¥10,180, you can use it to travel from Tokyo to GALA Yuzawa, and many other places within the designated areas, such as Nikko, Karuizawa and more.
Header image credit: GALA Yuzawa Snow Resort
