Located in a major city in Western Japan and just an hour and a half away by car from Nagoya and three hours away from Osaka is a perfectly placed resort that is hugely popular amongst residents in this region of Japan—MEIHO Resort. It also happens to be the closest resort to Gujo Hachiman, which serves as an excellent base location for visiting ski areas in Gifu, and is a mere stone’s throw away from Hida Takayama—one of the most renowned tourist destinations in Japan. As one of the largest ski resorts in the area, MEIHO is just bursting with appeal owing to its fantastic location.
While Hida Takayama is a popular tourist destination in Japan that sees crowds of international visitors flock to it to experience the wonderfully historic feel of the townscape, it may not be the first place that springs to mind when thinking about famous ski resorts. Snow fanatics might be surprised to discover that MEIHO operates a direct bus to Hida Takayama with the trip only taking a quick hour and ten minutes (as of the 2023-24 season, free shuttle bus operates by reservation only). There is also a direct bus from the ski resort to Gujo Hachiman. Being able to stay in sightseeing areas that are oozing with history and traditional-looking streets such, as Hida Takayama and Gujo Hachiman, whilst also having the luxury of taking a quick bus trip over to shred up the slopes at a major ski resort is what makes MEIHO so great. In fact, visitors from across the globe are quite possibly starting to catch on to the allure of this ski resort.
MEIHO’s biggest drawcard is its massive ski area, stretching across 5,000 metres from the peak to the base of the mountain— making it one of the biggest in Western Japan. There are a total of 13 courses available accounting for approximately 12,700 metres of slopes to ski or snowboard down. The view from the top of the mountain is definitely well worth the hike, too.
The permanent moguls course is another popular attraction with many visiting to get some practice on the bumpy slopes. This course is one of the many reasons that hardcore skiers keep coming back for more. For snow fans who want to enjoy the snow or kids out for a fun time, there are also courses that can be accessed via a magic carpet (a conveyor belt ski lift) and don’t require the purchase of lift tickets. There is so much on offer for people of all skill levels. Local visitors tend to flock to this resort on weekends, so this is a great place to drop by on a free weekday.
16,000 MOUTH-WATERING HAMBURGERS SOLD A SEASON
One thing that keeps people coming back to MEIHO for more is the fabulous food. The hamburgers here are made with patties and buns developed specifically for the resort and are so popular that 16,000 of them are sold in a season. Some gourmands travel all the way here just for a burger, with no intention of skiing whatsoever. Moving over to midway down the ski slope, we find a restaurant serving famous chicken tempura that has been crowned third prize in a Japanese national ski-resort restaurant competition. At the base of the mountain is a variety of takeaway restaurants offering many popular dishes, such as curry udon soup using kishimen (a type of flat udon noodle famous in Aichi, a prefecture near Gifu). There’s no better place to enjoy the amazing food offerings of Western Japan whilst also shredding up the slopes on your skis or snowboard.
NATURAL HOT SPRINGS AND A PRIVATE CONDOMINIUM
What makes MEIHO so unique is that it also features a natural hot spring (onsen) at its base—YUSEIKAN, as well as a private condominium—GRACE BALM. Gifu Prefecture is known in Japan as a renowned hot spring locale and MEIHO has its own characteristic hot springs that sets it apart from all of the other famous ones in the area. YUSEIKAN is loved as a place to relax after a long day of snow sports with its amazing natural hot springs as well as reasonably-priced meals featuring local A5-rank wagyu beef. Over at the GRACE BALM is a condominium featuring three maisonette-styled bedrooms and the luxury of being able to enjoy the natural hot springs from inside the cottage itself. Guests can also feast on some delicious food, such as sukiyaki using local wagyu beef, from the comfort of the cottage. Those who are staying more than a night at the condominium will get to feast on different local dishes each night, making extended stays all the more fun.
MEIHO is a great place to stay for visitors looking for a resort with great access to all the other joys of Gifu Prefecture, whilst also seeking out amazing ski slopes and delectable food with the added bonus of a cottage by the hot springs.
Web: meihoski.co.jp/winter/en/
