HONSHU

WHEN TO GO During Japan’s ski season (mid-December through April), the country’s legendary snow replenishes slopes nightly.

When it comes to skiing,. By day, they ski down slopes surrounded by ancient temples. By night, they soak in historic (some of the hot springs in Nagano date back 1,300 years). There are more than 330 ski areas on Honshu, and those in the mountainous northwest get the same soft, dry powder that falls on Hokkaido. In recent years, some of Honshu’s resorts, including two in sight of Mount Fuji, have begun to attract international visitors. Snowtown Yeti is increasing its night-skiing dates in 2019, and Fujiten Snow Resort will offer snowplow safaris, family ski days, and beginners’ camps. Hotels are also getting a refresh. The design-minded Hoshino Resorts recently over hauled the Kai Sengokuhara in Hakone—where cypress soaking tubs afford après-ski enjoyment—and the Kai Alps in Nagano, the gateway to the northern Japanese Alps. On the heels of several refurbishments, including the skiin/ski-out Prince Grand Resort Karuizawa, the Karuizawa Prince Hotel group will add new villas to the Karuizawa Asama Prince Hotel in 2019.