Uonuma is a small town in Niigata prefecture, approximately two hours by train from Niigata city. The city is surrounded by beautiful nature, and there is a fantastic view of the Echigo Sanzan mountains. Uonuma is famous among the Japanese people for its high-quality rice, Koshihikari.
At first glance, it may seem like a small town such as Uonuma does not have much to offer a tourist, but that is simply untrue! I will go into detail about my wonderful experiences in Uonuma, but this video highlights this special town’s beauty and culture.
Uonuma is famous for the Eirin temple and Saifukuji temple. These two temples have many colourful sculptures made by Uncho Ishikawa, who was active during the Edo period in Japan and is known today as the Japanese Michelangelo. These two temples have become cultural assets in Niigata prefecture.
Suhara Ski resort is located in Uonuma, a great location for skiing and snowboarding. The mountainous area and the amount of snow make Suhara ski resort a fantastic choice for a winter vacation.
Uonuma is also an amazing location for snowshoe trekking. You can take the ski lift to the top of the mountain and start your trek from there. The view over the mountains is breathtaking. Prices for both skiing and snowshoe trekking are very affordable, making it a great choice even for people with a low budget.
Prices for skiing:
1-Day ticket: 3,600 yen
1-Day ticket on weekdays: 2,100 yen
Half-Day ticket: 2,600 yen
2-Day ticket: 6,200 yen
Prices snowshoe-trekking:
40-minute trial with guide: 2,000 yen
1-Day with guide: 6,000 yen
How to get there:
From Tokyo Station, take the Joetsu Shinkansen to Urasa Station. From there take the JR-line to Koide station. From Koide station, you can take the Tadami line to Echigo-Suhara station.
The Suhara ski resort and Urashin Minshuku are just a 5-minute walk from Echigo-Suhara station.
Information on how to book a guided trek:
The Minshuku Urashin in Uonuma has guided snowshoe treks available. The guide speaks both Japanese and English and can properly explain the mountains and animal prints you will find in the snow. You can contact them for more information about booking a guided snowshoe trek.
My first time snowshoe-trekking!
I have always preferred summer activities, partly because of the warmth but also because I have never been very good at skiing or snowboarding. This winter, I went to Uonuma to try snowshoe-trekking for the first time. I was expecting it to be difficult and that I would fall down a lot. Instead, much to my surprise, it was the most enjoyable winter experience I have ever had!
After breakfast, I met my guide at 09:30 in the Minshuku Urashin lobby.
My guide had prepared the snowshoes for me in advance, and then we took off and walked to Suhara ski resort. The ski resort is only a few minutes by foot from Urashin, and the weather was clear and sunny. We stopped to put on our boots before getting on the ski lift, and as we were making our way up the mountain in the lift, I saw children and adults of all ages swish down the slopes on skis or snowboards.
As we reached the top of the mountain, we walked a short distance, and suddenly, all the happy skiers and snowboarders were out of sight. It was just me and my guide on top of the mountain. The snow stretched untouched in front of us, the sun reflecting off the surface. It looked like a wild winter wonderland, and it was stunning.
Once my snowshoes were on, it did not take very long to get the hang of walking. In just a few minutes, I had stopped using the trekking poles for support and was able to walk freely. It was such an amazing feeling to trudge through the deep snow with little effort and just enjoy the silence and the landscape.
My guide pointed out the mountains and named each one. He also pointed out the direction in which Tokyo and my home, Fujinomiya, were located. We spotted some tracks left behind by rabbits, but other than that, we could only see our footsteps. The best part of the experience was the feeling of being in the wilderness and sharing this private moment in nature.
The snowshoe trekking only lasted about 40 minutes, and we covered a distance of 1 km. But it was long enough to make me want to go for a longer trek next winter. I never thought I would be thinking about a longer winter vacation surrounded by snow and cold, but I hope to return to Uonuma next year for a full day of snowshoe-trekking.
The perfect end to the snowshoe trek was the ride down the ski lift. I could see the small city of Uonuma stretching out in front of us, and the small houses with snowy rooftops looked like postcards, with the mountains continuing all the way to the horizon.
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Sponsored by UONUMA City Tourist Association
