Myōkō is a sparsely populated inland city in Niigata Prefecture famous for snow sports and named for the mountain within its boundaries. Standing 2,454m high, Mount Myōkō is considered one of Japan’s iconic mountains.
On and around Mount Myōkō, there are no less than 11 ski resorts including both Japan’s oldest and newest resorts.
Among the ski areas are the side-by-side twin resorts of Akakura Onsen and Akakura Kanko, Myoko Suginohara, Ikenotaira Onsen, Myoko Ski Park, Lotte Arai Resort, Seki Onsen, and Kyūkamura RunRun. Madarao Kōgen, Tangram Ski Circus, and Kurohime Kōgen Snow Park are just across the valley from Myoko, but they’re actually in Nagano Prefecture.
Other Attractions and Activities
Aside from the main attraction—the many ski resorts—there are some picturesque natural attractions. The most popular are Naena Falls and Lake Nojiri (actually in neighboring Nagano prefecture, but very close by).
