Echigo-Yuzawa Station is the gateway to Echigo Yuzawa Onsen, Niigata Prefecture's leading hot spring destination. It offers exceptional accessibility, as it is only 70 minutes away from Tokyo via the Joetsu Shinkansen. Being one of the most renowned heavy snowfall areas in the world, with many ski resorts, the area attracts visitors from around the world in winter.
The station is equipped with many facilities for visitors to enjoy their time while waiting for their train. For example, they can sample sake from Niigata Prefecture at the Ponshukan facility or go shopping at the souvenir shops offering local specialties.
At the station’s west exist, you will find the Yuzawa hot spring town, the setting for Yasunari Kawabata's Nobel Prize-winning novel, Snow Country, lined with many traditional ryokan inns.

Visitor center and multilingual support
The visitor center inside the station provides multilingual brochures about Yuzawa and the surrounding towns, and staff is available to assist you in different languages. Here, you can purchase outdoor goods and spend some time at the café or waiting room. The Snow Country Tourism Activity Center at the west exit rotary also rents bicycles during snow-free periods, convenient for exploring the area outside in the green season.

Echigo-Yuzawa is widely known as a snow country destination, but its appeal extends well beyond the winter season. At Yuzawa Kogen Panorama Park, which you can reach by ropeway, visitors can enjoy alpine plants and expansive mountain views. From spring through autumn, the area offers seasonal scenery that ranges from delicate flowers and bright green landscapes to colorful autumn foliage.

Access to ski resorts and winter crowds
There are more than 20 ski resorts around Echigo-Yuzawa Station, which is why the area becomes very crowded during the winter season as visitors from around the world arrive to enjoy the snow. Free shuttle buses run from the station to each resort in the morning when most people head out to ski, but the number of buses decreases around midday, so it is important to plan your travel time carefully. The number of ski visitors has been increasing in recent years, and the period from January to February, when snowfall is heaviest, is especially busy. Crowds also reach their peak during the Lunar New Year holiday.

The Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale: A festival of contemporary art
In the Echigo-Tsumari region (Tokamachi City and Tsunan Town), a neighboring area of Minamiuonuma District where Echigo-Yuzawa Station is located, the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale has been held every three years since 2000. One of the world's largest international contemporary art festivals, it displays contemporary artworks across a vast area set against the rich nature of the satoyama (cultivated countryside). Around 200 works are permanently displayed outside the festival period for visitors to enjoy year-round.
The main festival runs primarily from summer to autumn, specifically from late July to early November, which is when the region bustles with visitors exploring the artworks. The next main festival is scheduled for 2027, but you can view the art and enjoy events all year, so be sure to check the official website for more information.

Fuji Rock Festival: A world-renowned music event
The Fuji Rock Festival, a large-scale outdoor music festival featuring artists from Japan and abroad, is held every year in late July at the nearby Naeba Ski Resort. This period attracts many visitors, making accommodation reservations almost impossible to secure around Echigo-Yuzawa Station and nearby. Please keep this in mind when planning your trip.

Japan’s version of ride-sharing has been introduced in Yuzawa, Minamiuonuma, Niigata, as a new way to support local transportation for both visitors and residents. In Yuzawa, demand for taxis increases during the winter ski season, and the limited supply has created gaps in available transportation. To address this issue, the town has adopted a system in which taxi operators manage ride-share vehicles. By using local private cars and general drivers under professional supervision, the service increases the number of travel options in the area.
The service is provided by Yuzawa Uonuma Taxi, which oversees safety and operations. It runs from 9 AM to 10:59 PM, covering the hours when taxis are most difficult to secure. Travelers can request a ride through the GO smartphone app and board ride-share vehicles directly from Echigo-Yuzawa Station.
Reliable transportation plays an important role in the overall travel experience, and this new ride-share service helps visitors move around Yuzawa more comfortably and smoothly.

Echigo-Yuzawa is a charming destination with many ski resorts, the setting for Snow Country, and international events like a contemporary art festival and Fuji Rock Festival. Be sure to check peak seasons and transportation options in advance to ensure a comfortable trip.