Hunter Mountain Shiobara in Tochigi and Tambara Ski Park in Gunma will offer free children's lift tickets on weekdays during the 2026-2027 winter season. The campaign is aimed at families looking to make winter memories together and at anyone making their ski debut.
Free Children's Lift Tickets on Weekdays
Hunter Mountain Shiobara offers a variety of courses for beginners through advanced skiers, while Tambara Ski Park has many gentle slopes that are friendly to beginners. At both resorts, children's lift tickets for elementary school students and younger will be free on weekdays throughout the operating season this winter. The aim is to support whole-family winter outings and children's first experiences on the snow.
In recent years, rising costs have meant fewer schools offer ski and snowboard experience classes, and children have fewer chances to play outdoors in nature. The operator describes the experience of being on a snowy mountain as an irreplaceable asset for children's physical and mental growth. Because it does not want to see children's experiences at ski resorts or family memories compromised, it decided to make weekday children's lift tickets completely free.
Weekday slopes allow skiers to spread out more than on holidays, which makes them suitable for families, even when skill levels differ within the group. Skiers can also practice at their own pace without worrying about those around them, which makes weekdays a good fit for anyone trying skiing or snowboarding for the first time.
Hunter Mountain Shiobara (Tochigi)
Hunter Mountain Shiobara is about 2.5 hours from central Tokyo. It has six lifts, including a gondola, a longest run of 3,000 m, and 12 courses in total, making it one of the largest snow resorts in the Tokyo metropolitan area. Facilities include a rental shop with the latest equipment and a wide range of wear, a kids' park equipped with a snow escalator, a snow park, and a dynamic steep slope, so skiers from beginners to advanced can enjoy the mountain. The resort says it keeps user convenience in mind while also addressing environmental issues, and it offers excellent snow quality for winter sports.
2026-2027 Winter Season Information
Season: Saturday, November 28, 2026 to Wednesday, May 5, 2027 (national holiday) (planned)
Hours: Weekdays 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM / Weekends, holidays, and the year-end and New Year period 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Address: Maeguro, Yumoto Shiobara, Nasushiobara, Tochigi 329-2922
Access: 29 km via National Route 400 from Nishi-Nasuno Shiobara IC on the Tohoku Expressway (about 2.5 hours from the Tokyo metropolitan area)
Official website: https://www.hunter.co.jp/winter/
Tambara Ski Park (Gunma)
Tambara Ski Park is located in Numata, Gunma. Its high elevation provides good-quality powder snow. It is about 2 hours by car from the Tokyo metropolitan area, and 80% of its courses are gentle slopes, so it is popular mainly with families. Facilities for children are also well developed, including the kids' park "たんばランド" and a sledding slope, and the resort is used by a wide range of visitors, from first-time snow-goers to advanced skiers.
2026-2027 Winter Season Information
Season: Saturday, November 28, 2026 to Wednesday, May 5, 2027 (national holiday) (planned)
Hours: Weekdays 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM / Weekends, holidays, and the year-end and New Year period 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Address: Tambara Kogen, Numata, Gunma 378-0071
Access: 19 km (about 30 minutes) from Numata IC on the Kan-etsu Expressway
Official website: https://www.tambara.co.jp/winter/
