Things to see

The trip is 80 minutes from Tokyo on the Joetsu Shinkansen. Exit the station, and you are at the ski resort! GALA Yuzawa is open through the Golden Week holiday at the beginning of May and boasts an abundance of snow that is excellent not only for skiing, but also for snowboarding and other snow fun as well.

With plenty of amenities, make the most of your visit by enjoying dinner at a restaurant after a hard day of skiing, and maybe even a trip to the hot spring bath to relax.

Things to see

This is the greatest winter event on the Japan Sea side of Japan and it takes place in Tokamachi, called the "birthplace of modern snow festivals."

With the world's largest snow structure as a stage, the festival includes live music, magnificent shows and other entertainment that creates a mystical world of sound and light. Of all the events, however, the highlight of the festival is the brilliant fireworks display with the fireworks launched from the snowy ground, a grand finale that should not be missed.

Among the many other family-friendly features are the "Snow Sculpture Contest," whose varied entries often include historical figures and anime characters, and the Matsuri Hiroba, with the special hospitality the region is famous for.

Things to see

Watch wild monkeys up close in their natural habitat. With the only outdoor hot spring bath for monkeys in the world, this park provides a unique opportunity to watch the humorous antics of the Japanese macaques that come to relax all year round.

In wintertime in particular, the monkeys like to bathe in the hot spring, with their heads covered in snow. You may see the young monkeys fighting over a snowball and running about as though playing rugby, pushing each other on the ground, rolling about, and otherwise simply playing and smiling just like human children.