Myoko Kogen Region
Less than an hour north of Nagano City, Myoko Kogen boasts a massive annual average snowfall of more than 13m of soft deep powder. It is also a popular area in the summer due to the beautiful lakes surrounding the area and the Sea of Japan just to the North.
First used in 1911, the Myoko ski area is one of the largest in Japan. The Akakura Resort was established in the 1930's as Japan's first international mountain resort. This makes it one of the oldest established ski areas in the world and is a traditional mountain retreat of Japan's imperial family.
There are 25 ski areas near Myoko Kogen. The region's Suginohara ski field boasts the longest ski run in Japan at 8.5km, and Akakura Onsen has the steepest ski run in central Japan at 38 degrees (referred to by locals as "The Wall").