Finding out when ski season starts in Japan is always a concern on the back of the minds of foreign visitors who love snowtime activities like skiing and snowboarding.

Most ski resorts in Japan open for business around the month of December, with some early birds starting in November, even. Do note, however, that resorts tend to shift the exact time of opening around depending on the weather and snow accumulation. Always check with official sources first before planning a trip!

This state of affairs is what makes Shizuoka's Yeti so different and thus appealing. Yeti opens annually in October! That's why everyone know it as the first ski resort to open in Japan during snow season, and it has kept this title for an impressive 21 consecutive years by 2019.

Yeti is located in Susono, a city found in Shizuoka Prefecture, and the resort is being operated by Fujikyu Group's PICA Resort, which is in charge of the group's transport, leisure, and hotel business in and around Yamanashi and Shizuoka. PICA Resort has a number of camp sites and outdoor facilities as well, all designed to accommodate tourists who want to make the most of their winter adventure in Japan.

With such a pedigree, you can be absolutely confident that Yeti is perfectly equipped to welcome enthusiasts who want to ski before the winter season begins in earnest, or anyone at all who has a passing interest in wintertime activities!

Every year, around late October to early November, Yeti will open its doors to welcome eager skiers to its slopes. Since this period is also the Halloween season, the resort holds an opening day event that allows people who come in costumes to enter and ski for free.

Professional snowboarders often take part in the resort's opening day ceremony as well, and in 2019, about 250 skiers and snowboarders gathered at the resort to join in the festivities despite bad weather. That's just how popular Yeti is among fans of winter activities!

It's not every day you get to ski in costume at Japan's earliest ski resort, so one can certainly understand the crowd's enthusiasm. If you've missed the current season's party, fret no! There's always next year! Come to Japan if you want the unique experience of being able to ski down the slopes of early snow in your favorite costume!

The only way to enjoy skiing or snowboarding earlier than usual in Japan is to visit Yeti, and this fact undoubtedly contributes to their popularity.

Yeti has restaurants and cafes located on its premises as well!

Try the ramen here that is prepared with Shizuoka's special seasonings. Maybe have a bowl of healthy salad to go along too. How about some flavorful curry? You're bound to find something that appeals to your palate from among the many eateries in Yeti! For dessert, try the ice-cream designed after Mount Fuji itself, or one of the many interesting snacks that will warm your body up!

Yeti also offers playrooms for children from sixth months old to nine years old. When the kids are tired from skiing and playing in the snow, bring them indoors to rest and continue playing in more relaxed environment.

Also, ski programs will be offered to children participants on the day of their visit. This is a great way to introduce children who have never skied before to the sport!

Last but not least, let's see how we can get to Yeti from Tokyo, Saitama, Kanagawa, and other places within the Tokyo Metropolitan area.

There are three modes of transportation you can consider: Train and bus, car, or just bus.

Don't forget that Shizuoka is a treasure trove of sightseeing spots, packed with places of interest like Mount Fuji, Fuji Safari Park, and Fujisan Hongū Sengen Shrine. If you happen to be visiting one of these places and feel like enjoying a bit of skiing as well, simply take a Fujikyu shuttle bus from any station on the JR Lines to get to Yeti.

Here's a list of one-way ticket prices and how much time the journey will take.

・Gotemba Station on the JR Lines → Yeti (about 55 minutes)
One-way ticket price: 1,190 yen
Hop on the shuttle bus with the sign, Gotemba Station ⇔ Grinpa/Yeti. Four buses depart from the station to its destination every day. In winter (late October to March), this goes up to five buses each day. Coming back, there are five buses every day. In winter (late October to March), this goes up to six buses each day.

・Fujinomiya Station on the JR Lines → Yeti (about one hour)
One-way ticket price: 1,670 yen
Hop on the shuttle bus with the sign, Fujinomiya ⇔ Grinpa/Yeti. Only one bus goes to and fro the destination each day. The bus doesn't run when Grinpa is closed.

・Mishima Station on the JR Lines → Susono Station on the JR Lines → Yeti (about one hour and 10 minutes)
One-way ticket price: From Mishima Station 1,630 yen / From Susono Station 1,280 yen
Hop on the shuttle bus with the sign, Mishima Station South Exit / Susono ⇔ Grinpa/Yeti. The bus will stop at Mishima North Exit as well, but only on the return trip. Two buses depart from the station to its destination every day.

・Fuji Station → Yoshiwara Chuo Bus Station → Yeti (about one hour and 20 minutes)
One-way ticket price: From Mishima Station 1,630 yen / From Susono Station 1,280 yen
Hop on the shuttle bus with the sign, Fuji Station/Yoshiwara Chuo Bus Station ⇔ Grinpa/Yeti. Only one bus goes to and fro the destination each day, and the bus only operates during weekends and public holidays, except during the period from December 29 to January 3, when it will ply its route every day.

*You do not need a reservation to take the shuttle buses
*IC Cards like PASMO and Suica are accepted

Fujikyu's shuttle bus tickets are also available in reasonable discount sets that combine round trip bus tickets with a one-day ski resort entry ticket.

・Shuttle bus round trip tickets + ski resort entry ticket for one day (with unlimited lift rides)
Adults: 4,700 yen / Middle to high school students: 3,700 yen / Children: 2,600 yen
There are also discount sets that come with rental tickets for ski gear (skis, poles, and boots) or snowboards (board and boots), which will be just perfect for those who want to have maximum enjoyment with as little baggage as possible.

・Shuttle bus round trip tickets + ski resort entry ticket for one day (with unlimited lift rides) + rental set
Adults: 6,900 yen / Middle to high school students: 5,300 yen / Children: 2,600 yen

For family and large groups, a rental car or personal car would be a great way to get to Yeti together at your own time and convenience.

Parking at Yeti on weekdays is free all day. For weekends and public holidays, regular cars are charged 1,200 yen, while buses and minibuses are charged 1,600 yen. Here are the expressways connected to Yeti and the estimated time it will take for you to reach.

・Tomei Expressway
About 20 minutes from Susono IC (via the southern peripheral road)
About 30 minutes from Gotemba IC (via Fujisan Skyline)
About 40 minutes from Fuji IC (via Jurigi)

・Shin Tomei Expressway
About 30 minutes from Shin-Fuji IC (via Jurigi)

・Chuo Expressway
Chuo Expressway

Direct buses have a benefit over other modes of transportation: They can use a special entrance that gives them quick and easy access to the resort even during peak hours. The bus fee also includes a one-day ski voucher. This means you save both hassle and money by taking it!

Here are the departure stations for the direct bus, as well as the estimated time it will take for the bus to get to Yeti.

・From Tokyo
-Shinjuku Station (about 2.5 hours): Price 7,500 to 8,000 yen (1 adult, 1-day round trip)
-Machida Station (about 2 hours): Price 8,000 yen (1 adult, 1-day round trip)
-Shingawa Station (about 2.5 hours): 8,000 yen (1 adult, 1-day round trip)
-Ueno Station (about 3 hours): 8,000 yen (1 adult, 1-day round trip)

・From Kanagawa
-Shin-Matsuda Station (about 1 hour 20 minutes): 5,150 yen (1 adult, 1-day round trip)
-Ichigao Station (about 1 hour 40 minutes): 6,500 yen (1 adult, 1-day round trip)
-Tama Plaza Station (about 1 hour 50 minutes): 6,500 yen (1 adult, 1-day round trip)
-Fujisawa Station (about 2 hours): 8,000 yen (1 adult, 1-day round trip)
-Center-Kita/Kozu Station (about 2 hours 10 minutes) 5,150 yen to 6,500 yen (1 adult, 1-day round trip)
-Yokohama Station (about 2 hours 20 minutes): 7,500 yen to 8,000 yen (1 adult, 1-day round trip)
-Kawasaki/Musashi-Kosugi Station (about 2.5 hours): 8,000 yen (1 adult, 1-day round trip)
-Hiyoshi Station (about 2 hours 50 minutes): 6,500 yen (1 adult, 1-day round trip)

・From Saitama
Saitama-Shintoshin Station (about 3 hours)

・From Shizuoka
Numazu Station (about 1 hour)
Fujinomiya Station (about 1.5 hours)
Shizuoka Station (about 2 hours 40 minutes)

Spending a rest day at Yeti for skiing, snowboarding, and other activities is starting to sound like a great idea that's easy to plan for now, isn't it?

Written by Tsuchida Shiro. English translation by Huimin Pan.

This article is based on information from January 2020. For the latest information, please check official sites.

▼Early-bird lift tickets are recommended for winter skiing in Japan▼