REPORT

Despite last night’s heavy rain, the Karuizawa Prince Hotel Ski Resort opened on schedule today, 11/1 (Sat.), becoming the first ski area in Nagano Prefecture to kick off the season. By the time the opening events began—including the demo run (pictured) held just before operations started at 8:30 a.m.—the clouds overhead had begun to break, spilling sunlight across the mountain.
[Kurinoki Course]

For today’s opening, two slopes were available for skiing: the Prince Slope (pictured, 370 m) and the Kurinoki Course (380 m), served by the Prince Lift and the Kurinoki Lift. In addition, the “Kurinoki Park” snow park and the snow-play area “Snowman Park” opened as well. The base depth measured 50 cm with a course width of 15 m. In addition, the “Debut Park”—a special area where staff help first timers—will open in late December, expanding this season to include the East Area in addition to the existing West Area and Day-Trip Area.
[Prince Slope]

Both the Prince Slope and the Kurinoki Course were freshly groomed and treated with snow hardener, giving them a firm, fast-running surface. “We follow your reports all the time! The snow is well-set and really easy to ski,” said a group of three visitors from Yamanashi Prefecture. The 3-meter tabletop and 4-meter flat-down box set up in the Kurinoki Park (pictured) were also in excellent shape, attracting a steady stream of riders eager to hit the park.
[Kurinoki Course]

Several booths from Nagano-based ski resorts and ski-gear companies were also set up in one corner of the parking area. The SAJ demonstrators—Japan’s top-level ski and snowboard technicians, who also appeared in the demo run pictured earlier—stopped by, laughing and saying, “We’re starving, so we came to grab a hot dog from the food truck!”
[Parking Area]

　
*From 12/20 (Sat.) to 3/22 (Sun.), an adult 1-day lift ticket purchased at the ticket window costs JPY10,000 (JPY11,000 on peak days), but buying online in advance gives you a JPY1,000 discount. Snownavi’s advance-discount lift ticket is an even better value at JPY8,500, or JPY17,000 for a set of two. What’s more, at Karuizawa Prince and all Prince Snow Resorts, not only preschoolers but also elementary school students ride the lifts for free—and 20-year-olds can ride for free on weekdays! Depending on your family or group makeup, you may be able to keep your total lift-ticket costs surprisingly low.
*With today’s 11/1 (Sat.) opening of the Karuizawa Prince Hotel Ski Resort, the Snownavi 2026 Winter Edition is officially underway!

[Karuizawa Prince Hotel Details on 11/1 (Sat.)]
*OPEN Courses … Kurinoki Course, Prince Slope
*Available Lifts … Kurinoki, Prince（8:30 a.m.–）
*Fees … Adults JPY8,000 (until 12/19), Adults JPY10,000 (12/20 to 3/22), Adults JPY8,000 (3/23 to 3/31), Adults JPY11,000 (12/27 to 1/5, 1/10 to 1/12, and February weekends and holidays),Free for elementary school students and younger for the entire period
　
*Special Offer! Advance Discount Lift Tickets (*On sale 10/1 to 12/19)
1-Day Pass ×2 JPY16,000 to JPY22,000 → JPY17,000
　
*Request for the original data of our photographs

reported by Snownavi