Winter in Japan with Kids: Snow and Winter Trips from Tokyo

Is Winter a Good Time to Visit Japan with Kids?

Yes. From December to February, Tokyo has clear skies, short queues outside the New Year week and the best views of Mt. Fuji of the year, and real snow is only a Shinkansen ride away.

The trade-off is cold mornings and early sunsets, so plan outdoor sights for the first half of the day.

For a family based in Tokyo, winter splits into two kinds of trip. City days in Tokyo are cool and bright, with illuminations in the evening.

Snow days take you north or into the mountains, for a day at a ski resort by Shinkansen, a night in a hot spring town, or a flight to Hokkaido for the Sapporo Snow Festival.

The busiest weeks are the New Year holiday, from about 28 December to 3 January, and Japanese school holidays. Outside those, January and February are among the quietest and best-value months to visit.

Winter Weather in Tokyo and the Snow Country

Tokyo and the snow country are two different winters. Tokyo is dry and sunny, with frost at night but rarely snow that lies. The mountains facing the Sea of Japan, including Niigata and Nagano, get some of the heaviest snow in the world.

Place	January	What to expect
Tokyo	Average high 9.8°C, low 1.2°C	Dry, sunny, cold mornings, snow on only a few days a year
Hakone and Nikko	Colder than Tokyo, below freezing at night	Frost and ice, snow possible, especially in Oku-Nikko
Yuzawa, Niigata	Below freezing	Deep snow from December to March
Sapporo, Hokkaido	Below freezing most days	Snow on the ground all winter

The Tokyo figures are the Japan Meteorological Agency's 30-year averages. February is similar (high 10.9°C, low 2.1°C), and it starts to warm in March. A single snowfall in Tokyo can disrupt trains for a day, so leave some slack if the forecast mentions snow.

5 Winter Trips from Tokyo for Families

These five trips all work from a Tokyo hotel, either in a day or with one night away. They are ordered from the most snow to the least travel.

1. GALA Yuzawa by Shinkansen

This is the easiest real snow from Tokyo. GALA Yuzawa ski resort has its own Shinkansen station, 71 minutes from Tokyo Station at the fastest, and you walk from the platform into the ski centre. Details are in the next section.

2. Nikko in Winter

Nikko's shrines stay open all winter and are quiet, often with snow on the cedars. Up at Kegon Falls, the smaller falls around the main drop freeze into ice.

The Tobu limited express from Asakusa takes about 1 hour 50 minutes. See our Nikko travel guide and Kegon Falls guide.

3. Yunishigawa Kamakura Festival

In the hot spring village of Yunishigawa, in the mountains of Nikko City, the Kamakura Festival fills the riverbank with small snow huts lit by candles. The 2027 festival is listed from 29 January to 28 February 2027.

It is a long way up the valley, so it works best with a night in Kinugawa or Yunishigawa.

4. Hakone in Winter

Hakone is the easiest mountain day from Tokyo, about 80 minutes from Shinjuku on the Romancecar. Winter brings the clearest views of Mt. Fuji from Lake Ashi and the ropeway, and a hot spring bath before the train home feels best in the cold.

Check road and ropeway notices on snowy days. Our Hakone travel guide has the loop and the prices.

5. Sapporo Snow Festival

For a full winter holiday, fly to Hokkaido. The 77th Sapporo Snow Festival runs from 4 to 11 February 2027 at three sites in the city, with giant snow sculptures, ice carvings and snow slides for children.

Book flights and hotels early. To travel on around Hokkaido by train, see our JR Hokkaido Rail Pass guide.

A First Snow Day at GALA Yuzawa

GALA Yuzawa is the simplest way to give children their first day in snow from Tokyo. You take one Shinkansen and no bus, and the rental gear, lockers and a hot spring are all in the station building.

For the 2026-27 season, skiing runs from 19 December 2026 to 5 May 2027. From 12 to 18 December only the gondola and sightseeing lift run, with no skiing.

Tickets and Prices for 2026-27

Ticket	Adult	Primary school
Gondola and lift, 1 day	¥8,000 (online ¥7,500)	¥4,000 (online ¥3,500)
4 hours	¥7,500 (online ¥7,000)	¥3,500 (online ¥3,000)
Gondola and Barouche sightseeing lift (no skiing)	¥6,500 (online ¥5,500)	¥3,500 (online ¥3,000)

Preschool children are free, up to two per paying adult. The third pays the primary school price. A family that only wants to see the snow from the top, rather than ski, can buy the cheaper gondola and sightseeing lift ticket.

Practical Tips

• Reserve Shinkansen seats early. Trains to Yuzawa fill up with skiers at weekends and in holidays. GALA Yuzawa Station opens only in the ski season. Echigo-Yuzawa, one stop before, has a free shuttle bus of about 10 minutes.
• Rail passes. GALA Yuzawa is covered by the JR TOKYO Wide Pass and the JR EAST PASS. Our JR Tokyo Wide Pass guide shows when the pass beats single tickets, and the JR East pass guide for Nagano and Niigata covers longer trips to Hakuba and Myoko.
• This season's change. The resort has closed its south area for 2026-27, including the Rando ropeway to Yuzawa Kogen. A shuttle bus links the two instead.
• Start early. Take a morning train, ski or play until mid-afternoon, and be back in Tokyo for dinner.

Hot Springs in Winter and Onsen Manners for Families

A hot spring bath, onsen, is the best way to end a cold day in Japan, and children are welcome in most. The rules are simple.

Wash before you get in, keep towels out of the water, and go in without swimwear.

• Wash first at the taps, sitting on the stool, and rinse off the soap completely.
• No swimsuits, and keep your small towel out of the water. Many people fold it on their head.
• Children usually go with the parent of the same sex. Check the age limit for mixed bathing in each place.
• Tattoos. Many public baths still refuse people with tattoos. A private bath avoids the question.
• Short soaks. The water is hot, often over 40°C. A few minutes is enough for small children. Give them water afterwards.

For families, a private bath that you book for your own group is the easiest way in. Our guide to Hakone ryokan with private onsen lists the options near Tokyo.

Winter Events and Illuminations in 2026-27

Winter is the season of light-ups, seasonal festivals and the New Year, and many have already published their 2026-27 dates. The table lists the ones that suit a family based in Tokyo.

Event	Where	2026-27 dates
Jewellumination	Yomiuriland, western Tokyo	From 29 October 2026
Hatsumode, the New Year shrine visit	Shrines and temples across Japan	1 to 3 January 2027
Yunishigawa Kamakura Festival	Yunishigawa Onsen, Nikko City	29 January to 28 February 2027
Setsubun bean throwing	Temples and homes	3 February 2027
Sapporo Snow Festival	Sapporo, Hokkaido	4 to 11 February 2027

Yomiuriland's Jewellumination is a good evening for children. The illuminations are inside an amusement park, so there are rides, light shows and fountain shows as well as lights.

Central Tokyo's shopping districts also light up their streets from November, usually through Christmas and often into February. Check each district's dates for the year.

For New Year, our guide to hatsumode explains how to visit a shrine. For early February, see Setsubun and the bean throwing.

What to Pack for Japan in Winter

Pack in layers. Tokyo is cold outside but trains, shops and museums are well heated, so a warm coat over a light top works better than thick jumpers. For snow, add proper waterproofs and boots.

• For Tokyo. A warm coat, hat, gloves and scarf. Comfortable shoes for long walks. A thin layer that is easy to take off indoors.
• For the snow. Waterproof jacket and trousers, snow boots, warm gloves and spare socks. GALA Yuzawa and other big resorts rent ski wear, so you need not bring it all.
• For children. A thermal base layer, spare gloves (they get wet fast), lip balm and hand cream, as the air is very dry.
• Heat packs. Disposable kairo hand warmers are sold in every convenience store. Stick-on ones go inside a vest.

Indoor heating and dry air dehydrate small children, so carry water. If you are staying into March, read our guide to hay fever in Japan, as the cedar pollen season starts in February.

Getting Around in Winter (Trains, Snow and Delays)

The Shinkansen usually keeps running in snow, but local lines, buses and mountain roads can stop. Build slack into a winter plan and avoid tight connections to flights.

• Reserve family seats together for ski weekends, the New Year and the Snow Festival week.
• Allow extra time on days with heavy snow, particularly for buses up to Lake Chuzenji and Oku-Nikko or over mountain passes.
• Daylight. In Tokyo it gets dark around 16:30 in midwinter. Plan the outdoor stops for the morning.

For a winter view of the mountain, see our Mt. Fuji day trip guide, and for when else to come, the best time to visit Tokyo. Our private tours are on foot in Tokyo and Yokohama.

Your guide rides the trains with you, and each of you pays your own fare with an IC card. See our Tokyo private tour with kids.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does it snow in Tokyo in winter?

It rarely snows enough to settle. Tokyo's winters are dry and sunny, with January highs around 10°C and lows around 1°C. For reliable snow, go to Niigata, Nagano or Hokkaido.

Where can I see snow near Tokyo?

GALA Yuzawa in Niigata is the easiest, 71 minutes from Tokyo Station by Shinkansen with the ski resort at the station. Nikko and Hakone may have snow, but it is less reliable.

Is GALA Yuzawa good for kids?

Yes. Preschool children ski free, up to two per paying adult, and the resort rents gear and clothing. Families who do not ski can buy a cheaper gondola and sightseeing lift ticket.

When is the Sapporo Snow Festival in 2027?

From 4 to 11 February 2027, at the Odori, Susukino and Tsudome sites in Sapporo. Book flights and hotels early, as it is one of Hokkaido's busiest weeks.

What should kids wear in Japan in winter?

Dress them in layers, with a thermal base, a warm coat, hat and gloves for Tokyo, plus waterproof trousers, snow boots and spare gloves for the snow. Buildings are well heated, so make layers easy to remove.

Is winter a cheap time to visit Japan?

January and February, after the New Year week, are among the cheapest months for Tokyo hotels. Ski resorts and Sapporo during the Snow Festival are the exceptions.

Sources

https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/view/nml_sfc_ym.php?prec_no=44&block_no=47662
https://gala.co.jp/winter/hours-pricing/
https://gala.co.jp/winter/access/
https://gala.co.jp/winter/information/2026-2027wintersouthareaclosed/
https://www.nikko-kankou.org/event/
https://www.snowfes.com/
https://www.yomiuriland.com/jewellumination/
https://www.hakonenavi.jp/international/en/