Why This Japanese Ski Resort Might Be the Best Place in the World to Ski at Night

As I strapped on my snowboard at the top of the King Gondola, the wind was blowing and the snow was coming down hard. Nesco, a ski resort on Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido, is known for epic snowfall, and my first run lived up to the hype. My knees felt wobbly as I plowed 3,500 feet down the mountain through fresh powder, barely able to see the ground below me, let skiers whisper past.

Once night fell, however, everything changed. The floats stopped, the crowds melted away, and visibility was heightened under the great floodlights that lit up the slopes like a Christmas tree. When my legs started to hit their high speed, I dug a wide S-turn and rose around the bend with ease. At one point, I caught a ledge and flipped over, but it didn’t matter. The snow was so fast in mid-February that I laughed it off, then zipped over to the gondola for another run.

Night skiing is on the rise, as resorts across North America and Europe promise novelty, convenience and more elbow room on the mountain. (Twilight skiing looks great on social media, too.) The capital of twilight skiing is Nesco. While most ski resorts get hot and humid at night, Nisco mellows out, when the winds die down and the temperatures cool. It also boasts one of the brightest lighting systems out there, illuminating the entire mountain, not just the slopes. Nesco is very well lit, you can even go off-trail at night.

My own backcountry adventure, however, will have to wait. After half a dozen runs, I was ready to open. Although Nesco has some downhill bars, it doesn’t offer the same intense après-ski scene you might find in Vail or Verbier. Instead Onsen, Or a natural hot spring.

The Greater Nesco area is set in an active volcanic zone that is home to more than two dozen Onsens. Most high-end hotels have their own hot spring, including Higashiyama Nesco Village, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, a modern, 50-room property at the base of the resort, where I stayed for the first two nights. After putting on my gear in the high-tech locker room, I made a beeline for the bathhouse—a quiet, minimalist space clad in dark stone—and plunged my battered body into the steaming water. Unlike hot tubs I’ve sampled in the Rockies and Alps, there were no harsh chemicals, just a piping hot stream of mineral-rich water.

Rejuvenated, I put on my spa slippers and pad next to the sushi nagifor , for , for , . The hotel’s intimate omakase restaurant. Surrounded by cool, plankton-rich waters, the island of Hokkaido, where Nesco is located, is a paradise for seafood lovers. An amuse bouche of snow crab with salmon roe and yuzu was followed by a jeweled procession of sashimi and NigriWith tuna ribbons so fatty, it melted like butter. I began to wonder if the food could withstand the snow.

Skiing, of course, isn’t limited to nighttime. The next morning, I opened my curtains to blue skies and the snow-capped summit of Mount Ute—a smaller, but no less majestic sight of Fuji. The vista from my stone-lined tub was too beautiful to resist, so I took a bath. After breakfast, I prepared and met Sousuke Nakabashi, a guide with Nesco United, who promotes and oversees the ski area. As we waited for the gondola to open, Nakabashi simply explained that the mountain actually consists of four independent resorts. Anupur, a remote resort for the west is less crowded and hence the go-to.

Yesterday’s storm left a pristine layer of snow. After running the Panorama Run, I finally understood the fuss about “japu” – when steam frigid from the Sea of ​​Japan collides with Siberian winds. The result was silky and smooth, like surfing on velvet.

After a few runs, Nakabashi suggested we try the Shirkaba trail, named for its wise Japanese white birch trees. Unlike bushy conifers, their beautiful, papery white stems are thin and widely spaced, making them ideal for tree skiing. “Go at your own pace,” he encouraged. It turns out that zig-zagging through birches was surprisingly easy and fun, like a wintry version of Super Mario Kart.

By mid-afternoon, I needed a power-up. I made my way from Buufor , for , for , . A family run Izakaya A log cabin was housed halfway through. It offers comfort food like chicken Katsu, Soba noodles with shrimp tempura, and my favorite, miso ramen—a Hokkaido specialty—which I wolfed down at the fireside table, following it up with a cold beer. At the ski resorts in upstate New York and Vermont where I learned to snowboard, I’d be lucky to get anything beyond a burger.

When the wind cooperates and the summit of Mount Anupur is open, it’s easy to hop between the four resorts. Over the next few days, I hit the challenging runs of Hanazono, fell into the Bowl of Osawa, tree-sketched again at Inopurei, and rode the famous King Lift #4, which looks like a meat hook attached to a pizza box, before heading back to the Ritz-Carlton.

After sharing so many gondolas with strangers, I couldn’t help but notice the diversity of the resort. The Japanese were more foreigners than skiers. I was told that about 30% were Australian, 15% were Southeast Asian, and surprisingly, 20% were from the United States. A surge in U.S. visitors began in 2018, when Nesco joined Icon Pass and Mountain Collective’s rosters of resorts. Since then, rising ticket prices and exchange rates in the US have meant that skiing in Japan can be cheaper than in Colorado. I even herefor , for , for , . A small restaurant that specializes in nesco “soup curry” – a brothy twist on the Japanese classic.

The mix of social classes was also striking. I chatted with a coal miner from Australia, a CEO from Germany, a student from Malaysia, and a tech bro from Seattle. Maybe that’s why I’ve encountered entitlement at other ski destinations. There were no line cuts, no shield rage, no velvet ropes. I wondered if it had anything to do with the Japanese concept. hairyEmphasis on being thoughtful and considerate of others.

Anyway, I hope it continues. Midweek, I went to Setso Nescofor , for , for , . A 190-room hotel complex with five restaurants (including Afori, a fantastic ramen spot) that blends modern design with traditional Japanese craftsmanship. Opening in 2022, it’s part of a new wave of luxury development that’s transforming what was once a backpacker’s haven into what some call the “Aspen of the East.” In addition to the Ritz-Carlton Reserve and a Park Hyatt, both of which opened in 2020, an Aman and Six Senses were launched over the next two years, along with a complex of $4 million villas, some designed by architect Shigro Ban.

Setso Grand is located in the heart of Hirafu, the largest of the four resorts and the only one with a town full of bars, restaurants and hotels. As I strolled down Main Street, Nesco’s high-low contrast was on full display: I passed food trucks along the ice-crusted sidewalk with ramen, gyoza, oysters, and sushi before arriving at the kitchen for dinner.for , for , for , . which marries modern Japanese and Western cuisine.

After another flawless meal, it was time to hit the bars. The crowd was young, tipsy, and quintessentially Australian, especially at fart-sounding venues like Freddy and Wild Bill. But there were some stylish lounges, including Bar GU+, known for the vintage Coca-Cola vending machine that serves as its entrance. It was tricky, but once inside I was immediately won over by the bar’s cozy, candlelit atmosphere, hand-picked cocktail menu, and curated list of new-wave Japanese whiskeys.

Walking back to Setsu, I stumbled upon a futuristic metal shed that housed a techno club called Hertz. The sound system was pristine, red lasers cut through the fog, and the DJ created a downtempo soundscape that reminded me of Berlin. The only thing missing was the crowd: I was told it wouldn’t be busy for another hour. I looked at my phone — it was 10 p.m. — and realized another benefit of night skiing: I could sleep and still make plenty of runs. So I headed up to the bar and ordered another drink.

A version of this story first appeared in the December 2025 issue Travel + Leisure Under the heading “Night Shift”..