Tsugaike Kogen – Overview
Hakuba Tsugaike Kogen is one of ten resorts available in the Hakuba Valley and opened in 1950. There are great runs here for the beginner to advanced skier and snowboarder along with some off piste terrain. The areas near the bottom of the mountain are especially good for new skiers due to the wide runs.
Ski Season Length
The ski season at Tsugaike is typically from the beginning of Dec to early May. There is a series of holidays in the first week of May in Japan called “Golden Week”. There are several resorts that are able to stay open until then and Tsugaike is often one of them.
Hours of Operation
The resort is normally open from 0800hrs to 1630 hrs seven days a week.
Is Night Skiing Available?
Unfortunately, there is no night skiing for the 2024/25 season at Tsugaike. No reason was mentioned.
Snow Park
Tsugaike is putting a lot of effort into their park, TG Parks. In fact, it looks like they have obtained Oakley as a sponsor (can anyone confirm?) and is now known as Oakley X TG Parks. The park is expanding and you can see the plans here. Currently, they have rails, kickers, tables, boxes and waves.
Off Piste
Tsugaike operates an off-piste area called TSUGAPOW DBD. It is a members only area. To gain access you need to watch a safety video (you can pre-watch this) and sign some liability agreement. You are given an arm band which is good for only 1 season. There are a total of 5 gates that you can enter the area. The gates close at 1400hrs. Hakuba Goryu and 47 offer a similar experience at their resorts called Tree Riding Zone (TRZ).
Lift Tickets
Ticket prices are posted for the 2024/25 season. For a one-day adult ticket it is Yen 7,500, however, if you buy your ticket online the cost is reduced to Yen 6,500. An IC card is required for online web tickets.
Cross Country Skiing
There is no cross country at Tsugaike, however, Hakuba Valley does have it. Hakuba Valley has one cross country skiing course called Snow Harp. Snow Harp is a cross-country skiing venue located more toward Hakuba Goryu and 47. They offer trails up to 5km long. Checkout the map to the right.
Families & Kids
There is a 70m x 70m kid’s park available. You can enjoy sledding, etc. There is a 50m moving walkway. Entrance is Yen 500. While it is open during the end of the year holidays, it then shifts to being open only on the weekends.
Onsen
There is a list of onsens here. There is Tsuga no Yu at the base of the ski lifts.
Cafeteria / Restaraunts
Lots of choice on the mountain and in the small village around the mountain all in walking distance.
Rentals
There are ski and snowboard rentals available along with ski and snowboard wear.
Ski & Snowboard Schools
There are several English speaking ski and snowboard schools available such as Evergreen and Tsugaike Ski School.
Accommodation
There is a variety of ski-in and out and off mountain places to stay.
Parking
Parking can be tight on the weekends and holidays so get there early. While some parking lots which are quite distant from the lifts are free (eg parking lot No. 2), there are times in which they charge anywhere from Yen 1,000 to 2,000 per day. Also, the lots are not open 24 x 7. Many only operate 0500 or 0600hrs to 1800hrs.
