Minenohara Kogen is a ski area in Nagano, Japan, on slopes between roughly 1,291 and 1,551 m. Its mapped area is about 1.7 km across, with 9 marked runs and 3 lifts (about 7.6 km of piste in all).
Over the last twelve winters the ERA5 weather model gives it 198 cm of snowfall a season, 268th of the 397 ski areas we measure in Japan. Its winters are fairly steady; even the leanest, 2015/16 (159 cm), reached 80% of the average. March still brings 49 cm on average, close to January, its snowiest month. Weather models read low in the mountains: a Japan Meteorological Agency station 4 km away measured 379 cm a winter over the last three seasons, against 203 cm from the model. Snowfall days average −5.5 °C at mid-mountain, and its snow-quality score ranks 119th of 397 in Japan.
Below are links to 2 official live cameras.
Snow depth and the seven-day outlook appear here once snow starts to fall. Until then, the long-run record comes first.
Elevation range is estimated by sampling points across the ski area.
How much snow it gets
Measured by us across 3,069 ski areas by one identical method. These are not the resort’s own published figures.
The tick marks the median across every Japanese ski area we measure. All four bars run the same way — longer is better.
The quality score deliberately excludes how much snow falls — it uses temperature, frequency, rain and wind. Snowing a lot and snowing well are different things.
Compared with what is nearby
Within 50 km straight line. Measured the same way, so the ranks compare directly. Ski areas a few kilometres apart share a weather grid cell and can return the same figure.
| Ski area | Distance | Seasonal snowfall | World rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sugadaira Kogen Davos Hill Ski Area | 1.9 km | 153 cm | 1621 |
| Sugadaira Taro Area | 3.2 km | 153 cm | 1621 |
| Sugadairakogen Pine Beak Ski Area | 5.7 km | 153 cm | 1621 |
| Palcall Tsumagoi Resort Ski & Hotel | 8.4 km | 178 cm | 1335 |
| Kazawa Snow Area | 12 km | 136 cm | 1860 |
When it falls, and how winters differ
Month by month
Month by month, the most snow falls in January. March brings 80% of January’s snowfall. That is a gentler fall than the median for ski areas in Japan (52%). In amount, March brings 49 cm, about the same as the median of 46 cm.
Winter by winter
Across the 12 winters measured, the average is 198 cm, and 6 of them fell short of it. The leanest was 2015/16 with 159 cm; the biggest was 2016/17 with 245 cm (1.5 times as much). For 63% of the 397 ski areas in Japan, the leanest winter was the same 2015/16: bad winters tend to hit a whole region at once.
Snowfall each winter (December–March total). The dashed line is the average; the numbers mark the leanest and the biggest winter.
Runs and lifts
Counted from the runs and lifts drawn on OpenStreetMap, within the boundary of the ski area. These are not the resort’s own published figures.
Run map
The shape of the mountain
Which way the slopes face
Only 36% of the vertical on the runs descends to the north or east. More of the terrain faces the sun.
By difficulty
Lift types
- Chairlift3
See past trail maps on Skimap.org ↗
Source: OpenSkiMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL 1.0). How finely ski areas are drawn varies by region, so treat the counts as indicative. Vertical is the difference between the highest and lowest points of the mapped runs and lifts.
Live Cameras
Road conditions decide whether you can get there at all. Check before you leave.
Footage remains the copyright of each operator. JAPANSNOWLINE neither stores nor redistributes it.
Sugadaira webcams & snow report — all 4 ski areas →
What was actually measured nearby
Total snowfall from December to March recorded at the 菅平 weather station — 4 km from this ski area, 168 m below its mid-slope.
| Three-season average | 379 cm |
| 2023/24 | 509 cm |
| 2024/25 | 345 cm |
| 2025/26 | 284 cm |
The figure calculated on this page is 203 cm.
A weather station is not a ski slope. We picked one at a similar elevation, but it stands in a valley or a village. More snow falls on the mountain above it. We have not tried to guess how much more.
Source: Japan Meteorological Agency historical records
Hot springs nearby, as analysed
1 hot spring sources with published analyses lie within 5 km of this ski area, nearest first (the hottest is 34.5 °C).
| Source | Distance | Temperature | pH | Type | Analysed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 仙仁仙峡荘右洞 | 4 km | 34.5℃ warm | 7.9 mildly alkaline | — | — |
These are analyses of hot spring sources, not a list of baths you can visit. They date from 1910 to 2005, many from decades ago, so today’s temperature and chemistry may differ. Names are as recorded in Japanese. Temperature and pH bands follow Japan’s standard for analysing hot springs.
Source: processed from the hot spring analysis data in the Geothermal Information Database (GRES-DB), Geological Survey of Japan, AIST
Worth seeing nearby
Places within 20 km of this ski area, for a day off the slopes or an evening. Chosen from those most read about on Wikipedia, favouring places with an English Wikipedia article, and listed nearest first.
| Place | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Mount Neko根子岳 (長野県) | Mountain | 3.8 km |
| Mount Azumaya四阿山 | Mountain | 5.6 km |
| Matsushiro Underground Imperial Headquarters松代大本営跡 | Historic site | 13.5 km |
| Matsushiro Castle松代城 | Historic site | 14.1 km |
| Zenkō-ji Temple善光寺 | Temple | 18.8 km |
| Ueda Castle上田城 | Historic site | 19.8 km |
Based on the Japanese Wikipedia lists of sights in each prefecture, as compiled in travel-log-data (CC BY-SA 4.0). English names from Wikidata (CC0). The content of this section is available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Map
Where it sits relative to nearby resorts. For a piste map, see the official site.
Official piste map ↗Places to stay nearby
48 properties on Rakuten Travel lie within 3 km of this ski area, listed cheapest first.
| Property | From | Rating | Distance | Getting there |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ヴィラ十の原 | ¥6,100 | 4.00 27 reviews | 2.8 km | 長野新幹線上田駅よりバス→菅平高原ダボス下車 |
| ペンション のいちご | ¥6,500 | 3.67 33 reviews | 0.8 km | 上田駅から菅平高原までバス６０分（峰の原高原はバスはありません） |
| 時空の杜 | ¥6,600 | 4.33 9 reviews | 0.6 km | 菅平インターより車４０分 上田駅よりバス ダボスバス停まで送迎有(要予約） |
| スポーツロッジＭＩＹＡ | ¥6,600 | — | 1.0 km | 関東から上信越自動車道上田菅平ICより約30分。関西から上信越自動車道須坂長野東ICより約30分。 |
| Ｋｏｎｇ | ¥7,250 | 4.67 52 reviews | 0.8 km | 車：練馬ICから195km！上田菅平・須坂東から25分。 |
| ＲＥＷＩＬＤ ＺＥＫＫＥＩ ＧＬＡＭＰＩＮＧ ＲＥＳＯＲＴ ＾ | ¥7,450 | — | 0.5 km | 須坂駅から車で約３５分 |
| ペンション 白いつばさ | ¥8,800 | 4.00 11 reviews | 1.2 km | 上田駅からバス |
| ロッジ Ｅｒｓｔｅ Ｌｉｅｂｅ | ¥9,000 | 4.33 33 reviews | 1.8 km | 上田菅平ＩＣより約45分 須坂長野東ＩＣより約50分 「菅平」交差点より約10分 |
| 菅平高原温泉 菅平プリンスホテル | ¥9,900 | 4.67 54 reviews | 2.8 km | [車]上田菅平ICまたは須坂長野東ICより約３０分 [電車]ＪＲ上田駅よりバスまたは車で約５０分 |
| Ｄｏｇコテージ ＪＡＭ’ｓ ＷＡＮ！ | ¥9,990 | 5.00 5 reviews | 1.9 km | 上信越道上田菅平又は須坂長野東ＩＣより約50分 |
| ロッジやまぼうし | ¥10,120 | 4.00 7 reviews | 2.3 km | 上田菅平IC・須坂長野東ICからいずれも約30分（約20km）、須坂駅からタクシーで約30分 |
| ＣｈｉｌｌＳｈｅｅｐ | ¥11,100 | — | 0.8 km | JR上田駅：車で約40分、長野駅：同約50分、上信越自動車道・須坂長野東IC／上田菅平IC：車で約30分 |
Show the other 36
| Property | From | Rating | Distance | Getting there |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| さわがに＆ロスタイム | ¥12,300 | — | 2.9 km | 上田駅より車で５０分 |
| ペットと泊まれる宿 ペンション・チロル＜長野県＞ | ¥12,500 | 4.67 45 reviews | 0.8 km | JR上田駅より上電バスで約55分／ 関越・上信越道から上田菅平ＩＣ・約30分 |
| ペンション きら星 | ¥13,200 | 4.67 35 reviews | 0.8 km | 上信越道上田菅平ICまたは須坂長野東ICより30分。 電車の場合は上田駅または長野駅よりタクシーやレンタカーで約50分。 |
| ぷれじーる | ¥13,200 | 4.69 261 reviews | 1.9 km | 長野新幹線上田駅／上信越道上田菅平ICより30分／須坂長野東ICより30分 |
| ペンション さすらいの自由飛行館 | ¥13,500 | — | 1.9 km | 上信越道上田菅平又は須坂長野東ＩＣより約50分 |
| 奥山ペンション・ラディッシュ | ¥13,550 | 4.00 10 reviews | 0.7 km | 上信越道上田・菅平Ｉ．Ｃより３０分 |
| アウトドアロッジ自然回帰線 | ¥13,800 | 4.00 16 reviews | 3.0 km | 上信越道上田菅平ＩＣもしくは須坂長野東ＩＣ下車 ４０６号線にて車で３０分 長野新幹線上田駅からバスで菅平高原ダボス下車 |
| 信州・峰の原 ペンション ガーデンストーリー | ¥15,800 | — | 0.8 km | 上信越自動車道/上田菅平ＩＣより35分、須坂長野東ＩＣより35分、 長野新幹線/上田駅下車～菅平行きバス65分～送迎５分 |
| ロッジ アボリア | ¥16,680 | — | 1.9 km | 菅平高原まで１分、上信越道上田菅平ICより４０分、須坂長野東ICより４０分／北陸新幹線上田駅下車、菅平高原行きバス５０分 |
| ペンション・ハーフトーン | — | — | 0.7 km | 上田菅平ＩＣより３０分／須坂長野東ＩＣより３０分／上田駅下車菅平高原までバスにて４０分 |
| ペンション ボワ・ヴェル | — | — | 0.7 km | 菅平ダボス駅からお車で４０分（送迎あり） |
| ペンション マウンテンパパ | — | — | 0.8 km | 上信越道上田菅平ICより30分 須坂長野東ICより30分 北陸・長野新幹線上田駅よりバス50分 |
| かすみ亭 | — | — | 0.8 km | 上信越道上田菅平ICより40分／須坂長野東ICより35分、新幹線上田駅よりバス55分菅平高原ダボス送迎（事前連絡要） |
| 山の宿 木まま | — | — | 0.9 km | 長野新幹線上田駅からバスで６０分、上田菅平Ｉ．Ｃから３0分。 |
| ペンションホワイトイーグル | — | — | 1.8 km | 長野新幹線上田駅よりバス５５分 東京方面関越道より上信越道上田菅平IC下車 名古屋方面長野道より上信越道上田菅平下車 |
| ペンション ヘッケル | — | — | 1.8 km | ＪＲ上田駅よりバスで５０分 上田菅平ＩＣより３０分 |
| ひらたペンション | — | — | 2.2 km | 上田菅平IC須坂長野東IC国道406経由ともに30分。 |
| セッションクラブ | — | — | 2.3 km | ＪＲ長野新幹線 上田駅より菅平高原行きバスにて５５分／ダボスバス停より徒歩１５分 |
| 菅原高原 ペンション＆レストラン ＨＩＲＯＳＴＲＡＤＡ | — | — | 2.3 km | 上田菅平インターより約40分 |
| ベル・フレール 鈴蘭舘 | — | 3.13 27 reviews | 2.4 km | 上田菅平ICから車で30分、JR上田駅よりバスで75分（路線バス延伸！最寄りバス停：菅平高原裏太郎より徒歩1分） |
| 菅平 サンホテル | — | 2.00 50 reviews | 2.5 km | ＪＲ 上田駅より菅平高原行きの上田バスにて「ダボス」バス停下車 ＊お電話頂ければお迎えに上がります＊ |
| ホテルやまびこ | — | 4.50 26 reviews | 2.5 km | 上田、菅平ＩＣ及び須坂、長野東ＩＣより約３０分。最寄りのバス停『菅平高原ダボス』までの送迎あり（要予約）。 |
| ホテルニューダボス | — | — | 2.5 km | 北陸新幹線 上田駅よりバス５５分 |
| 菅平高原ホテルダボスタカシマヤ | — | — | 2.6 km | 【上田駅】上田バス菅平線にてバス停「菅平高原ダボス」まで55分/【お車】上田菅平ICより約30分 |
| 菅平高原奥ダボスグランヴィリオロッヂ | — | — | 2.6 km | 上田駅より上電バス乗車（菅平高原行） |
| 菅平高原ホテル柄澤 | — | — | 2.8 km | 上田駅よりタクシーにて４０分／上信越自動車道上田菅平ＩＣより３０分 |
| Ｖｅｒｓｏｉｘ（ヴェルソア） | — | 4.35 71 reviews | 2.9 km | 上田菅平インター又は須坂長野東インターより約30分、電車JR上田駅よりバスまたは車で約50分 |
| ペンション 紙ヒコーキ | — | — | 3.0 km | ＪＲ 上田駅から路線バスで５０分 |
| リゾートロッヂ すずもと | — | — | 3.1 km | 長野新幹線上田駅から車で45分／上信越道「上田菅平IC」より車で30分 |
| 菅平リゾートマンション | — | — | 3.3 km | 上田駅よりお車で４０分、公共バスで１時間、上田菅平ＩＣより２０分、須坂長野東ＩＣより２０分 |
| ホテル マッキンレー | — | 4.00 7 reviews | 3.5 km | 上田菅平ＩＣより車で３０分 ＪＲ新幹線上田下車 |
| リゾートイン 菅平スイスホテル | — | 4.25 51 reviews | 3.6 km | 関越道・上信越道から上田菅平ＩＣから１４４Ｒから４０６Ｒ |
| エーデルホテル | — | 4.33 38 reviews | 3.7 km | 長野新幹線上田駅より路線バス５０分/上信越道「上田・菅平」ICより２５分 |
| 上信越高原国立公園山岳リゾートロッヂ ホテル富士屋 | — | 4.50 17 reviews | 3.8 km | 上信越道・上田菅平ＩＣより車で３０分 |
| 山本館＜長野県＞ | — | — | 3.8 km | 上田・菅平ICより車にて30分 |
| 菅平高原温泉ホテル | — | — | 3.9 km | 上信越道【上田・菅平I.C】から車で25分、JR北陸長野新幹線【上田駅】から菅平高原行きバスで60分 |
Contains advertising · Property data by Rakuten Travel (Supported by Rakuten Developers)
Stay nearby
3 places within 12 km of the slopes. Most of them do not take online bookings — open the map for contact details.
Nearest: 11.2 km
Nearest first
- Guest House KURA Hostel 11.2 km
- サンシャインエイト Hotel 12 km
Accommodation data: OpenStreetMap
More places to look
Guides covering Nagano
- A Historic El Niño Is Forecast. Here Is What the Last Big One Did to Japan's Snow. NOAA gives a very strong El Niño better than a 90% chance this winter. We measured every Japanese ski area across the last 12 winters: El Niño winters ran 88% of normal, and the strongest of the twelve left Japan at 63%. But Hakuba held 92% of its average that winter while Niseko fell to 57%.
- Which Famous Ski Resorts Actually Get the Most Snow? 24 Names, Measured Niseko is 526th in the world for snowfall. Zermatt is 554th, Jackson Hole 924th, Aspen 1,201st. Measured identically across 3,069 ski areas, the names everyone books and the places it actually snows turn out to be two different lists.
- How Japan's Early-Bird Lift Tickets Work: At Hakuba Happo-One, Eight of the Nine Need a Japanese ID Card Hakuba Happo-One opened early-bird sales at 10:00 on 1 October. A day costs ¥6,400 against ¥9,800 at the window, 35% off. But every ticket on the list except one needs a My Number Card and a Japanese phone app. A visitor from abroad can buy exactly one of them, at 15% off.
Updated: 8 Oct 2026, 00:52