As winter travel planning ramps up, more U.S. travelers are seeking experiences that combine quiet reflection, cultural immersion, and seasonal beauty.
The Japan National Tourism Organization recorded 3.78 million international visitors in January 2025 – a record high for a single winter month, reflecting a growing interest in Japan’s off-season escapes. Winter in Japan provides an opportunity to explore beyond its major cities in regions where snow-dusted landscapes, natural hot springs, and centuries-old practices invite visitors to slow down and reset before or after the holidays.
For those considering winter travel, wellness escapes or cultural discovery, two destinations stand out for their distinct sense of place: the sacred Kii Peninsula and the alpine Niigata Prefecture.
The Kii Peninsula is easily accessible from Kyoto and Osaka and is rich with UNESCO World Heritage sites, including Tamaki Shrine—the oldest shrine in Japan—and the historic Kumano Kodo pilgrimage trails.
Winter visitors can experience the region’s vibrant local culture with the Oto Festival on February 6. Held at Kamikura Shrine in Wakayama Prefecture, the festival features 2,000 men called Noboriko, who race down 538 steep stone steps from Mt. Kamikura carrying sacred torches. Spectators can witness this dramatic, centuries-old ritual from the roadside, making it a uniquely immersive cultural moment in Japan.
- Where to Stay: In the heart of the Hongu Onsen area of Wakayama Prefecture, Fujiya Ryokan offers an authentic immersion into the region’s onsen culture. The oldest inn in the hamlet, Fujiya features traditional rooms with open-air baths made of local cedar and cypress, marble indoor baths, and a private open-air bath fed by natural hot spring water. In winter, guests can also experience the rare “Sennin-buro” – a vast, outdoor bath created by digging directly into the riverbed – a seasonal ritual available only from December through February.
Just two hours from Tokyo by Shinkansen, Niigata Prefecture combines world-class ski terrain with restorative onsen, vibrant snow festivals, and acclaimed local cuisine.
A highlight in Niigata is the Tokamachi Snow Festival, held in mid-February in the city of Tokamachi. Mounting from the concept of celebrating and enduring heavy snow, it features large snow sculptures created by locals and a lively “Festival Plaza” where local food and snow games draw both domestic and international visitors. In 2026, Niigata will mark the 115th anniversary of skiing in the Joetsu region, tracing back to 1911 when the sport was first introduced to the mountains of Echigo—decades before many well-known Alpine resorts took shape.
- Where to Stay:Set at the base of Mount Myoko, the historic Akakura Kanko Hotel is Japan’s first international ski resort hotel and a landmark of alpine hospitality combining panoramic onsen baths, refined dining, and a nod to local heritage through the rare Muscat Perrier grape variety, first cultivated in Niigata a century ago. Further north near Sanjo City, Echigo Nagano Onsen Rankeisou offers a serene, luxurious mountain retreat. The century-old inn features onsen that can be reserved privately, views that shift throughout the seasons, thoughtful design and refined regional cuisine.
