Madarao Kogen sits in the rolling highlands of northern Nagano, in central Japan. It's a small resort with a big reputation for one thing above all, tree skiing. Madarao has more officially marked tree-run courses than anywhere else in Japan, cut through dense beech forest that catches the deep, dry powder the region is known for. Around the base sits a quiet highland village of small hotels, family-run lodges, and traditional inns, with hot springs to soak in and home-cooked local food in the evenings. A Madarao Kogen Pass covers the mountain's own slopes, which are more than enough to fill a trip, while the neighbouring Tangram ski area links in at the top if you want to range further.

The mountain sits in a natural bowl, entirely below the treeline, with much of it left ungroomed. Beginners have wide, gently groomed runs on the lower slopes, and because everything funnels back down into the bowl, there's no tricky navigation to worry about. Intermediates get flowing cruisers and can start dipping into the gentler marked tree runs, like the ridgeline Forest Line with views over Lake Nojiri. For strong skiers and boarders, the draw is the trees and ungroomed terrain such as the gladed forest runs, steep pitches like Crystal Bowl, and lift-accessed powder. Freestylers are well served too, with a terrain park and Madarao's history as host of Japan's first freestyle competition.

Off the slopes, Madarao is a relaxed, low-key place. Most people soak in an onsen after skiing, eat local Nagano cooking, and settle in for an early night before the next morning's snow. The village is small but growing, with a handful of restaurants and bars alongside the hotels. Beyond skiing, you can snowshoe or snow-raft through the forest, or take a soba-making class for a change of pace. The wider Myoko area is an easy day trip away, with hot-spring towns, sake breweries, and the mountains of the Japanese Alps, and the famous snow monkeys of Jigokudani are within reach too.

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