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In winter, many buses connect the station, hot spring towns and ski resorts of Myoko. You can take advantage of them to visit the ski resorts and enjoy sightseeing as well. The popular way to get around is to stay in the hot spring town in Akakura Onsen and travel to the ski resorts by bus. The buses run only in winter between December and March, and their timetable and hours change each season. You can check out the timetable on websites such as the Myoko Tourist Office's to see latest information.
Myoko Tourist Office

Visiting ski resorts at the foot of Mt. Myoko, from Joetsu Myoko Station: Myoko Kogen Liner

The Myoko Kogen Liner is the bus that departs from the east exit of Joetsu Myoko Station, Hokuriku Shinkansen. From the station, it goes to Akakura Onsen Ski Resort, Akakura Kanko Resort, Landmark Myoko Kogen, and Myoko Suginohara Ski Resort, via roadside station Arai and other stops. To get to Ikenotaira Onsen Ski Resort, you need to change to a shuttle bus that the ski resort operates from Landmark Myoko Kogen, or use a taxi.

Traveling between ski resorts in the Myoko Kogen area: Mt. Myoko Shuttle Bus

If you want to travel from one ski resort to another at the foot of Mt. Myoko, the Mt. Myoko Shuttle Bus is a convenient choice. From the bus stop in the onsen town in Akakura Onsen, it departs many times a day to Akakura Kanko Resort, Landmark Myoko Kogen, Ikenotaira Onsen Ski Resort, and Myoko Suginohara Ski Resort. A few times a day the bus also goes to Myoko Kogen Station (Shinano Railway)'s bus terminal.

Connecting Akakura Onsen and Lotte Arai Resort: Lotte Arai Resort Line

Boarding this bus is an easy way to travel between Akakura Onsen and Lotte Arai Resort, which are a little way apart. The trip takes about 50 minutes. The bus stops at Myoko Kogen Bus Terminal and Sekiyama Station, so it will be convenient if you want to ride the train as well. Lotte Arai Resort also runs free shuttle buses to Joetsu Myoko Station. If you want the free bus ride you need to book ahead with Lotte Arai Resort.
Lotte Arai Resort (bus reservations)

City bus from Myoko Kogen Station

The city also runs winter-only buses. From Shinano Railway’s Myoko Kogen Station, the buses run on the Akakura Line and Suginosawa Line. The Akakura Line goes either to the station or the Akakura Onsen bus stop so it’ll be a good choice if you’re staying at a hotel in and around the onsen town. The Suginosawa Line goes to Suginosawa Onsen Center (Naena no Taki) via Landmark Myoko Kogen, so take this bus if you’re going to Ikenotaira or Suginohara ski resort.

Use the city bus for the ski resorts around Sekiyama Station

There are three ski resorts near Echigo Tokimeki Railway’s Sekiyama Station. They are: Myoko Ski Park, Runrun Ski Resort, and Seki Onsen Ski Area. The latter two can be reached by the city bus (runs only in winter) from the station. To get to Myoko Ski Park, take a taxi from Sekiyama Station. It will be about a 10-minute ride. Guests staying at Kyukamura Myoko Hotel can use their shuttle bus (reservations needed) to Runrun Ski Resort from Sekiyama Station.
Runrun Ski Resort (bus reservations)

Free shuttle bus that runs through Akakura Onsen

Akakura Onsen has free shuttle buses that stop at onsen towns. Starting from the Akakura parking area on the main street of the onsen town, the shuttle bus circles Kumado Info in the Akakura Onsen Ski Area, and you are free to hop on or hop off at any stop. The bus is convenient for going to the ski area from your hotel as it runs every 20 minutes from 8:00am through to 10:00pm. The free shuttle bus is run by Akakura Onsen Ski Area. If you want to board the bus you need to book it two days in advance.
Akakura Onsen Ski Area (bus reservations)

Circles Ikenotaira Onsen Ski Resort, Myoko Kogen Station and neighboring hotels

Ikenotaira Onsen Ski Resort runs the piste's own shuttle bus that circles Myoko Kogen Station and the hot spring town. It stops at Myoko Kogen Station, Landmark Myoko Kogen and major neighboring hotels before heading to the ski area, but it stops at different bus stops depending on the time of day.
Ikenotaira Onsen Ski Resort (shuttle bus info)
Madarao Kogen Ski Resort

Departing from Akakura Onsen and going to Madarao Kogen: Madarao Shuttle Bus

If you’re heading from Akakura Onsen to Madarao Kogen Ski Resort, the Madarao Shuttle Bus will be convenient. The bus will stop at Akakura Kanko Resort and Myoko Kogen Bus Terminal. Madarao Kogen has two ski areas: Tangram Ski Circus and Madarao Kogen Ski Resort, about 30-45 minutes from Akakura Onsen. Both areas are famous for huge volumes of powder snow.
Tangram Ski Circus

Close to Hakuba Valley and Nozawa Onsen as well!

Though Myoko is located in Niigata, it is close to the border of Nagano and easily accessible to famous snow resorts such as Hakuba Valley and Nozawa Onsen Snow Resort. It takes about two hours to Hakuba Valley by car using non-express routes, and is even quicker by expressway. By train, you can go to Nagano Station on the Hokuriku Shinkansen and get a shuttle bus from there. If you’re driving, it takes about 50 minutes from the Myoko area to Nozawa Onsen. By train from Iiyama Station on the Hokuriku Shinkansen, you can board a direct bus, the Nozawa Onsen Liner to Nozawa Onsen. Why not stay at a hotel in the Myoko area and take a trip to check out some neighboring ski resorts?
HAKUBA VALLEY
Nozawa Onsen Snow Resort
text : Chiho Kuriyama

Facility Information

Myoko Tourist Office
Address
291-1 Taguchi, Myoko-shi, Niigata 949-2106
URL
http://www.myoko.tv/english/

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