Of all the things I thought I’d be trying in Japan, extreme winter sports was not on the list. Nevertheless, in January 2019 I was invited on a day trip to Mount Daisen in Tottori Prefecture to try skiing for the first time.
Mount Daisen is the tallest mountain in the Chugoku Region, towering over the surrounding town of Yonago. Taking the lifts right to the summit will reward you with an expansive view of The Sea of Japan.
See here for a quick overview of the resort’s official website - note that it is all in Japanese.
See here for rental stores.
After reaching the resort area, just past the parking lots, you’ll find plenty of rental shops. Most are not English friendly, so prepare for extra time to cross the language barrier and secure your gear if you do not know Japanese.
Most rental shops will require your height, sizes, address, and phone number.
Height - 身長
Size - サイズ
Address - 住所
Telephone number - 電話番号
If you prepare all this in advance, things will be much quicker!
The main ticket booth is at the base of the ski lifts, just past the rental shops and the parking lots.
Translations:
1日券 - One day ticket. Adult/Elementary School Student fee. Reduced price on weekdays.
2日券 - Two day ticket. Adult/Elementary School Student fee.
５時間券 - Five hour ticket.
親子券 - Parent and child set ticket.
3時間券 - Three hour ticket. Usable from 1:30pm. Adult/Elementary School Fee.
シーズン１０時間券 - Ten hour season pass.
シーズン２０時間券 - 20 hour season pass.
シーズン３０時間券 - 30 hour season pass.
１回券 - one time ticket.
Next to the ticket board, there’s a section explaining which lifts are operating for the day and until what times.
There is a 500 yen deposit for the pass, which is refundable at any of the card machines at the end of the day.
Daisen has slopes for every level split into four areas
Areas:
Nakanohara is the first area you enter after getting off the initial ski lift and purchasing your ski pass. There, you’ll be at the bunny slope. It’s a great slope for beginners and a nice warm up course.
From there it’s an easy walk up a small hill and past some lodges to the higher level slopes - also in the Nakanohara area.
In my opinion, the Nakanohara area has the best slopes on the mountain, ranging in difficulty all on one slope divided by three lifts.
You could easily spend all day just in this area.
If you want to venture out and try out the different runs, the Uenohara and Kokusai areas offer other levels. The first time I went to Daisen, I wasn’t familiar with how slopes and areas worked, and ended up walking all the way from Nakanohara to Kokusai, which took me a painfully long time with the clunky ski boots.
Note: depending on the number of people on the slopes and weather conditions some lifts may close. In that case Nakanohara will be the primary lift open. All lift closings will be available on the Daisen website.
Ski resorts across Japan tend to have the same array of food, mixed in with some specialties from the local area.
The most popular place to eat is a ticket cafeteria in the Nakanohara Ski Center. You can dine there comfortably with a perfect view of the slopes above. I ate there both times I visited Daisen.
You can choose from options of ramen, curries, rice bowls, and noodles. Select your ticket and take it to the counter.
There are other restaurants and local specialties offered in the Gouenzan and Kokusai areas.
See here for full menu access at each lodge!
There are a few different ways to get to Mount Daisen depending on where you’re coming from.
I only have experience coming from Okayama in the south, but if you come from a different area it’s as easy as plugging Daisen White Ski Resort into Google Maps and driving there on the toll roads.
The official Daisen White Ski Resort website has more access and parking lot information, but it is all in Japanese.
See here for a comprehensive list for parking lot fees and shuttle access.
See here for parking lot availability.
The toll roads generally cost more money than the busses, but if you’re planning a group trip then it’s far more cost effective to split the money.
Multiple parking lots are available and guides are stationed at different points in the road to assist you.
Note: in inclement weather conditions, some parts of the toll roads will be blocked off if you do not have snow tires or chains. If you do not have the proper gear you will not be allowed to continue.
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