Guidebook for Yuzawa

Gabriel
Guidebook for Yuzawa

Essentials

This is the closest full grocery store. You can walk here in 15 minutes. Open till from 9AM to 11PM every night.
12 locals recommend
ショッピングセンターのぐち 湯沢ハーツ店
Yuzawa
12 locals recommend
This is the closest full grocery store. You can walk here in 15 minutes. Open till from 9AM to 11PM every night.
This is the closest place that has a bit of everything and is probably the only place open 24 hours. Beer, chips, ice-cream, instant ramen noodles, etc... You can withdraw money here with your international cashcard.
17 locals recommend
7-Eleven
2450 Yuzawa
17 locals recommend
This is the closest place that has a bit of everything and is probably the only place open 24 hours. Beer, chips, ice-cream, instant ramen noodles, etc... You can withdraw money here with your international cashcard.

Shopping

This is the local home center. They sell the cheapest and best winter boots, work gloves, all sorts of tools and accessories. Kinda like Home Depot but not as big. Open from 9AM to 9PM every day.
12 locals recommend
コメリハード＆グリーン 湯沢店
1673-2 Yuzawa
12 locals recommend
This is the local home center. They sell the cheapest and best winter boots, work gloves, all sorts of tools and accessories. Kinda like Home Depot but not as big. Open from 9AM to 9PM every day.
The closest and best Sake shop in town. Make sure you pick up a bottle of either "Kakure" or "Takachiyo," the local brews! Tell them you are staying at "Koizumiya" and that Gabriel recommended you!
Fujimiya Liquor Store
555-3 Yuzawa
The closest and best Sake shop in town. Make sure you pick up a bottle of either "Kakure" or "Takachiyo," the local brews! Tell them you are staying at "Koizumiya" and that Gabriel recommended you!

Entertainment & Activities

Ski Resort in front of our house. Season pass for kids 6 and under is 5000 yen (no ID required). Cash only. Walk to the gondola and go to the office on the third floor. There is a kids park here too.
13 locals recommend
Yuzawa Kogen Ski Resort
Yuzawa
13 locals recommend
Ski Resort in front of our house. Season pass for kids 6 and under is 5000 yen (no ID required). Cash only. Walk to the gondola and go to the office on the third floor. There is a kids park here too.
These guys will arrange English ski or snowboard lessons for you and they will come right to the house! They can also arrange a taxi from the airport directly to the house!
HopStepJapan.com
These guys will arrange English ski or snowboard lessons for you and they will come right to the house! They can also arrange a taxi from the airport directly to the house!
Kandatsu Kogen. Great little ski resort with good powder and nice tree runs (the lift lines are epic). Good terrain park too. The top lift is only open on the weekends but you can hike up from the other "top" lift and enjoy an amazing powder run on weekdays as well. Very popular with young Japanese people and the music reflects it. Check out our youtube videos for some epic videos.
神立高原スキー場
Kandatsu Kogen. Great little ski resort with good powder and nice tree runs (the lift lines are epic). Good terrain park too. The top lift is only open on the weekends but you can hike up from the other "top" lift and enjoy an amazing powder run on weekdays as well. Very popular with young Japanese people and the music reflects it. Check out our youtube videos for some epic videos.
The best powder/back country skiing around. Not so good for total beginners. Lots of side country and amazing tree runs. The ski patrol typically don't mind if you ski off piste and it's our favourite place to go. Check out our youtube videos for some epic videos.
8 locals recommend
Kagura Snow Resorts
742 Mitsumata
8 locals recommend
The best powder/back country skiing around. Not so good for total beginners. Lots of side country and amazing tree runs. The ski patrol typically don't mind if you ski off piste and it's our favourite place to go. Check out our youtube videos for some epic videos.
The Toei Hotel has a decent rotenburo (outside volcanic hot spring bath) and it’s my recommendation if you’re looking for that. Not sure when they close the bath but apparently when it’s super busy they only allow people in between 6 pm and 6:30. Usually you can show up between 3pm and 6:30.
Yuzawa Toei Hotel
The Toei Hotel has a decent rotenburo (outside volcanic hot spring bath) and it’s my recommendation if you’re looking for that. Not sure when they close the bath but apparently when it’s super busy they only allow people in between 6 pm and 6:30. Usually you can show up between 3pm and 6:30.

Food Scene

One of the most popular restaurants in town. This place serves traditional Japanese hot pot dishes that finish with udon noodles. You will need a reservation or show up at 9PM without one.
12 locals recommend
Chaya Moritaki
357-5 Yuzawa
12 locals recommend
One of the most popular restaurants in town. This place serves traditional Japanese hot pot dishes that finish with udon noodles. You will need a reservation or show up at 9PM without one.
Best artisan bread in probably all of Niigata. Crisp on the outside and soft on the inside! All handmade, hand kneaded, sourdough bread that is never sour! Get their early as they sell out quickly. The baguette is to die for!
酵母一。
47 湯沢
Best artisan bread in probably all of Niigata. Crisp on the outside and soft on the inside! All handmade, hand kneaded, sourdough bread that is never sour! Get their early as they sell out quickly. The baguette is to die for!
Awesome organic restaurant located near the Kagura Mitsumata Ropeway. Great place to find locally sourced organic food after a day in the powder! Definitely need to check their hours on Google because they are often closed.
gaiA
1186-4 Mitsumata
Awesome organic restaurant located near the Kagura Mitsumata Ropeway. Great place to find locally sourced organic food after a day in the powder! Definitely need to check their hours on Google because they are often closed.
Awesome traditional Japanese deep fried pork cutlet restaurant (aka tonkatsu restaurant). So good! Get the roast katsu (if you want less fat go for the "hee-ray” (hire) katsu, but I recommend the "roast katsu.") Huge portions and great quality mean big lines during busy times.
Ninjintei
Awesome traditional Japanese deep fried pork cutlet restaurant (aka tonkatsu restaurant). So good! Get the roast katsu (if you want less fat go for the "hee-ray” (hire) katsu, but I recommend the "roast katsu.") Huge portions and great quality mean big lines during busy times.
Wicked little traditional Yaki-Tori (grilled chicken on skewers) restaurant. Go early as it gets crowded quickly. Takes a long time as you’re expected to drink a lot as each skewer is individually grilled over charcoal.
Sumibi Yakitori Katsumi
2384-1 Yuzawa
Wicked little traditional Yaki-Tori (grilled chicken on skewers) restaurant. Go early as it gets crowded quickly. Takes a long time as you’re expected to drink a lot as each skewer is individually grilled over charcoal.
Italian pizza and pasta with an impressive steak/meat selection. Good for large groups.
Vitraux
Italian pizza and pasta with an impressive steak/meat selection. Good for large groups.
Big traditional Japanese restaurant with picture menus and choices for everyone. Famous for their Niigata specialty Tare-Katsu-don, fried pork cutlet on rice with a sweet sauce. Lots of sashimi and noodle choices too.
Echigoya
Big traditional Japanese restaurant with picture menus and choices for everyone. Famous for their Niigata specialty Tare-Katsu-don, fried pork cutlet on rice with a sweet sauce. Lots of sashimi and noodle choices too.
Classic chain Japanese izakaya (tapas) restaurant with wide selection of surprisingly good food.
8 locals recommend
Uotami
1-chōme-10-2 Yuzawa
8 locals recommend
Classic chain Japanese izakaya (tapas) restaurant with wide selection of surprisingly good food.
This is my family’s go to sushi place. Good quality and not expensive. They have a wide variety of non fish stuff (ramen/fried chicken/etc) for non sushi eaters. Need a car to get here and much less crowded than in Yuzawa.
Sushi Douraku
This is my family’s go to sushi place. Good quality and not expensive. They have a wide variety of non fish stuff (ramen/fried chicken/etc) for non sushi eaters. Need a car to get here and much less crowded than in Yuzawa.
Ishidora is my family’s go to yakiniku restaurant. Reasonable prices and great meat. Gotta try the “ishidora karubi”. Need a car to get here but still can have a long wait (but less than sakaeya in town).
石どら（旧:石打ドライブイン）
Ishidora is my family’s go to yakiniku restaurant. Reasonable prices and great meat. Gotta try the “ishidora karubi”. Need a car to get here but still can have a long wait (but less than sakaeya in town).
Oldest and perhaps most popular yakiniku restaurant in town. Very good but hard to get in. Try Ishidora if you have a car and can’t get in here.
Yakiniku Sakaeya
Oldest and perhaps most popular yakiniku restaurant in town. Very good but hard to get in. Try Ishidora if you have a car and can’t get in here.
Great soba and tempura
8 locals recommend
Sobadokoro Shinbashi
488-1 Yuzawa
8 locals recommend
Great soba and tempura
Ban Thai Restaurant. Authentic and delicious Thai food.
357-18 Yuzawa
Ban Thai Restaurant. Authentic and delicious Thai food.
Excellent sushi. Reservation recommended.
Niigata Mae Sushidokoro Oozushi
Excellent sushi. Reservation recommended.

Ski Rental Shop

The closest place to my house that does rental skis, snowboards, and “Wear” (Jackets, gloves, pants, etc.). Sometimes they will drive you to the ski resort and pick you up afterwards… Try asking!
ベンリ レンタルスキー布場本店
The closest place to my house that does rental skis, snowboards, and “Wear” (Jackets, gloves, pants, etc.). Sometimes they will drive you to the ski resort and pick you up afterwards… Try asking!