6 best things to do in the summer at Japan's ski resorts

In the warmer months, Hoshino Resorts Tomamu opens up its 100-hectare farm to the public for free, so you can get back to nature surrounded by 700 grazing cows, sheep and goats. After a day of meeting the farm animals and picnicking in the fields, take a break in the farm lounge, where you can relax on couches made from hay, kick back in a hammock out in a picturesque field, or nap on a 30m-long bed made out of grass. 

If you’re looking for something more active, the resort offers plenty of water sports including rafting, canoeing and stand up paddleboarding in its surrounding rivers and lakes – it’s a great way to beat the summer heat. If you’d rather stay on land, try canyoneering, horseback riding or just rent a mountain bike and cycle around Tomamu. 

Make sure you visit the Unkai Terrace which features seven observation decks that overlook an ethereal sea of clouds high up in the mountains.

During the warmer months, Niseko Hanazono Resort offers water activities like a three-hour rafting tour (adults ¥5,900, children ¥3,900), which takes you down the Shiribetsu River, or a fishing tour (from ¥13,000 per person), which includes a private lesson on river fishing from a local expert. Adventure seekers should take to the sea on an ocean fishing tour with a local professional fisherman (¥60,000 for three people), or sea kayaking (adults ¥13,200, six-to-twelve-year-olds ¥11,000, three-to-five-year-olds ¥4,400) along the coastline of the Sea of Japan.

Activities on shore include a short horseback riding tour (¥5,500 per person) into the forest, or you can rent a bike (from ¥3,500, children from ¥1,500) if you want a more flexible itinerary. The tree trekking (adults ¥4,500, children ¥3,800) area is perfect for adrenaline junkies, with zip-lines and high ropes courses up in the trees.

Spring Valley Mountain Park is a family-friendly outdoor attraction just 40 minutes outside Sendai.

A lift will take you to the top of the mountain (round-trip ¥1,000 for adults, ¥600 for children) where you can see a panoramic view of the Pacific Ocean in the morning, and spend the afternoon zip-lining in the forest (from ¥2,600). If you’ve got kids in tow, head to the attraction area (¥1,500, accompanying adults ¥500; Opens Jul 16) equipped with around 20 different activities for children including obstacle courses, a mini bouldering wall, a trampoline, badminton, table tennis and much more.

Usagidaira Terrace at Happo-One Resort transforms into a ‘beach’ resort during the summer with a spectacular view of the mountains. The resort is situated 1,400 metres above sea level, so although you’re not at the coast, you’ll be high up in the clouds overlooking Hakuba city, with Mount Yatsugatake and Mount Asama in the distance. 

There’s an outdoor jacuzzi, a gondola-shaped sauna, and plenty of poolside benches, bean bags and hammocks to relax in while you get your tan. While the beach lounge is entirely free to enter with a round-trip gondola ticket (¥2,000), the sauna and jacuzzi (¥2,000 per person) must be booked in advance.

The green spaces and picnic areas at Uenotaira Highlands have been redesigned into a beautiful summer garden with around 500 species of plants and flowers this year. There’s plenty of space for children to run around, plus benches where you can relax and enjoy the view of Nozawa Onsen. 

Several walking courses are offered here, which take you through the hillside of Mt Kenashi. There are quick trails under 1km and longer hikes of up to 3.8km, so there’s something to suit every level.

Adventure seekers can opt to rent a mountain bike (from ¥2,500 including a one-way gondola ticket; ¥500 to just rent a bike), take a gondola to the top of the mountain and ride back down. There are different trails for beginners as well as intermediate and advanced riders, so make sure you check which course you’ll be taking before speeding downhill.

Head to Fujimi Panorama Resort for an easy hour-long trek up Nagano’s Mt Nyukasa. At the top, you’ll find Nyukasa Suzuran Park, filled with seasonal flowers, but the mountain’s observatory, also known as the Lover’s Sanctuary, is not to be missed. It’s a romantic spot that’s popular for dates because you can see a view of the mountainside at an angle that makes it look like a heart. 

If you’d rather see the view without the hike, you can catch a gondola up the mountain, too. Or for something more extreme, try paragliding, which only costs ¥7,400 for a half-day lesson.