10 ski hotels and lodges currently on the market in Japan – all under US$1 million

We all know that dreaded feeling that washes over us every Sunday as we dread the thought of dragging ourselves into the office on Monday morning. Sometimes the only thing that gets us through is dreaming of our next snow holiday in Japan…well, it doesn’t have to be like that!

Chris, founder and CEO of Uchi, Japan’s top resort real estate portal site, knows more than most about making it work in Niseko and he’s pulled together some amazing options for all of us.

“There is something truly exhilarating about living in the mountains,” says Chris. “Even on those days that are seriously hard work, you just have to look at the amazing views we get every day and remember how lucky we are! I’ve been in Niseko for over 10 years now, but there are plenty of great opportunities to buy a lodge or small hotel and escape the rat race! I’ve listed 10 below, all less than $1million USD, but we have even more on the site.”

“There’s even one that’s summer only… so you can spend all winter lapping up the bottomless snow! At Uchi we now have almost 1,300 properties listed and more being added every day, from agents and developers across the country. Head to uchijapan.com now to begin your search! It’s less than a month before the lifts start spinning!”

SOTO Myoko

Location: Akakura Onsen, Myoko Kogen
Price: 150m JPY ($1m USD)

SOTO Myoko – Lodge & House. View more images

This property is awesome. Not only has it been beautifully renovated, it’s totally turnkey and ready to go now. It’s only a couple of minutes from the lifts and includes a separate house so you can live in privacy!

BDI Villas

Location: Hakuba 47, Hakuba Valley
Price: 100m JPY ($670k USD)

BDI Villas. View more images

4 self-contained and cosy villas built for the Nagano Olympics, you are just 5 minutes drive from some of the most famous mountains in the Hakuba Valley.

QFOX Ruby Hotel

Location: Kutchan Town, Niseko Area
Price: 96m JPY ($640k USD)

QFOX Ruby Hotel. View more images

This ten bedroom hotel was built in 2020 and is ideally located for access to Niseko’s famed powder snow as well as all the restaurants and amenities in Kutchan. The value is sure to rise when the new Bullet Train station opens in a few years.

Pension Big Forest

Location: Kijimadaira, Nagano
Price: 17.8m JPY ($120k USD)

Ski in Ski out Kijimadaira Ski Resort Lodge. View more images

Well… at this price you can’t really go wrong! This 7 bedroom B&B sits on the ski slopes and is truly ski-in ski-out. The resort forms part of the interconnected Mt Kosha ski area and has just been taken over by a new Japanese investor who is looking to renew the infrastructure.

Kurenaiso Lodge

Location: Norikura Resort, Hakuba Valley
Price: 26m JPY ($170k USD)

Kurenaiso Lodge – Hakuba. View more images

Rustic lodge with ski-in access and breathtaking views of the Hakuba Valley on over 1,000sqm of land. This is a rare opportunity to pick up a property located right by the Norikura Ski Resort and approximately 100m from multiple lifts.

Melo Haus Myoko

Location: Myoko Kogen, Niigata
Price: 69m JPY ($460k USD)

Melo Haus Myoko. View more images

Myoko Kogen is rising in popularity and a Singaporean Fund is heavily investing in the greater resort area, so this is a fantastic opportunity to get in on the bottom of the wave. This property has 17 bedrooms and is a well-loved budget accommodation option in the resort.

Hakuba Goryu Hotel

Location: Hakuba Goryu, Hakuba Valley
Price: 120m JPY ($800k USD)

Hakuba Goryu Hotel. View more images

This hotel sits less than 1km from the lifts and boasts 9 guest rooms, a manager’s room, lounge and dining room and is ripe for being targeted at the international market. Plus it looks truly special in winter!

Kuma Lodge Madarao

Location: Madarao Resort, Nagano
Price: 89m JPY ($600k USD)

Kuma Lodge. View more images

The views from this well-maintained and extremely popular hotel are insane and the snow in Madarao is among the most reliable in the Japanese Alps. With investment in the resort coming in the pipeline and sitting less than 2 hours from Tokyo, this is a great opportunity.

Nozawa Onsen Lodge

Location: Nozawa Onsen, Nagano
Price: POA

Nozawa Onsen Lodge & House. View more images

Simply put, opportunities to get into Nozawa Onsen are few and far between with almost all property traded privately. This superb town sits at the bottom of some of the best ski runs in the mainland and boasts 13 free local onsen that make it a popular destination year round, especially as it is within 2 hours of Tokyo.

SOMETHING DIFFERENT! Niseko Glamping

Location: Niseko, Hokkaido
Price: 80m JPY ($540k USD)

Niseko Glamping. View more images

Don’t want to work in winter while your guests are enjoying the snow? Well here is the dream business for you! This glamping business sits on a large parcel of land close to Niseko’s most popular golf course and has been generating annual profit of 9-12 million yen since opening 3 years ago. Work and save in summer to enjoy the unbeatable Niseko winters!