Myoko Kogen Access

Getting to Myoko Kogen is a breeze from any major international airport in Japan. Most people fly into Narita airport which is just a one hour train ride from Tokyo station. From Tokyo a bullet train will get you out to Nagano, and from there you can take a bus direct to Akakura Onsen or a train to the nearby Myoko Kogen station which connects with a local bus to the village.

  • Overview
  • Main Map
  • Quick links
  • Courier Information
  • Timetables
Overview Cost Time
Train Probably the most popular way to get to Myoko, the bullet train from Tokyo to Nagano is unbelievably quick and a great experience. From Nagano to Myoko you can take a highway bus to Akakura Onsen or a local train to Myoko Kogen station and a local bus or taxi up to the village – ask nicely and the friendly staff from Hotel Mumon are usually willing to pick guests up from the station too!. Around ¥10000pp one way from Narita to Myoko Kogen Around 4 hours from Narita to Myoko Kogen
Chuo Taxi The easiest way to get to Myoko Kogen, simply book in advance (at least a week to be sure) and someone will be waiting for you when you get off your flight to take you to a waiting taxi. They will drive you direct to the door of your accommodation. Some flight arrival times don’t work out very well for taking any other transport option than the shuttle. ¥12000 one way/adult Depends on the number of other passengers and their drop off point, but usually around 5-6 hours
Bus The bus takes longer but will save you a bit of cash and allow you to see a little bit of the countryside. Buses leave from Shinjuku and arrive in Nagano, so from there you will need to take another bus to Myoko or take the train to Myoko Kogen station and bus or taxi to the village from there. ¥4000 one way from Tokyo – Nagano. Another ¥1400 for the bus from Nagano to Myoko From Shinjuku to Nozawa should take around 6 hours.
Rental Car Cars are driven on the left side of the road in Japan, quality of roads are excellent, signs are in English and it’s generally quite an easy country to drive in. Getting a rental car when visiting Myoko Kogen is somewhat unnecessary as the village is fairly compact and lovely to walk around, and the resorts that make up the area are fairly well serviced by free shuttle busses. If you are visiting a few different resorts or want to explore a bit deeper, A rental car would be very handy, but make sure you get snow tyres, snow wipers and 4wd. A company called Tocoo does rental cars in English. Account for at least ¥12000/day for rental fees for anything that will handle the snow. Driving from Tokyo to Nozawa should take about 4-5 hours on the expressway in good conditions with minimal breaks

Map of the Myoko Kogen area


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Hotel Mumon is a ten minute walk from the Kumado lifts in the Akakura Onsen ski area or the main street. There is a shuttle bus that runs between the Akakura Kanoko ski area and various points around town and another that runs between the Akakura Onsen, Akakura Kanko, Ikenotaira and Suginohara ski areas. Both busses are free and the latter also makes stops at the Landmark Onsen complex amongst other points of interest.








Access to Nagano


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Myoko Kogen is about one hour from Nagano by car or train. Busses run between the Myoko Kogen station and the Akakura Onsen bus stop regularly throughout the day, and shinkansen services link Tokyo and Nagano. A trip from Narita airport will commonly take about three and a half hours and cost about ¥10,000 one way using the Japan Railways Shinkansen.

Japan has fantastic courier services, both quick and cheap. You can send your luggage from the airport directly to your accommodation for under ¥2000 per bag, which will save you a lot of hassle if you are planning on sightseeing before hitting the slopes. 

Sending luggage

“Kuroneko Yamato” has a courier depot right outside arrivals at Narita Airport. Just take your luggage to the counter and fill in a form. You will need to know the address and phone number of your accommodation.

How long does it take?

Generally you can expect your luggage to arrive at it’s destination the next day. Check with your accommodation beforehand, but most places won’t have a problem storing your luggage until your arrival.

The direct bus from Nagano station to Akakura Onsen has been discontinued for 2012.

Alpico runs a bus between Myoko Kogen station and Akakura Onsen. You can view the timetable on their website by clicking here.