[Niigata] Skiing and snowboarding are just not enough! Fun snow spots for parents and children

• Table of Contents
• Enjoy winter in the Satoyama countryside of Echigo-Tsumari , Niigata Prefecture !
• [No car necessary] Snow play spots and events around Tokamachi Station
• [No car necessary] Snow play spots around Matsudai Station
• Enjoy the collaboration of snow and art in Echigo-Tsumari!

Enjoy winter in the Satoyama countryside of Echigo-Tsumari , Niigata Prefecture !

Ma Yansong / MAD Architects "Tunnel of Light" (Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale work) photo by Nakamura Osamu

The Echigo-Tsumari region ( Tokamachi City and Tsunan Town ), located closer to Nagano in Niigata Prefecture , hosts a number of winter events every year. This heavy snow region surrounded by mountains is also known as an art town. Why not spend your winter time in Echigo-Tsumari, where nature and art come together in a unique way?

For more information about the Echigo Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale Triennale, please see the article below.

Only one transfer from Tokyo! Recommended for sightseeing in the surrounding area from Yuzawa

The Echigo-Tsumari region retains the scenery and lifestyle of rural villages, but it is also easily accessible from central Tokyo.

From Tokyo, you can take the Joetsu Joetsu Yuzawa, and then take a local train to Tokamachi Station or Matsudai Station, the gateway to Echigo-Tsumari. Enjoy skiing or snowboarding in Yuzawa, and then spend the next day sightseeing.

If you are driving your own car, head to Muikamachi Interchange on the Kan'etsu Expressway. From there, it takes about 25 minutes to get to Tokamachi Station. If you want to use a car to get around the area but are worried about driving long distances, renting a car near Yuzawa Station or Tokamachi Station is convenient.

Even on sunny days in winter, there is a risk of frozen roads, so be sure to use studless tires and drive carefully.

[No car necessary] Snow play spots and events around Tokamachi Station

First, we will introduce some snow play spots and events that you can enjoy within walking distance of Tokamachi Station.

Echigo-Tsumari Satoyama Museum of Contemporary Art MonET

Leandro Erlich "Palimpsest: Empty Pond" Photo by Kioku Keizo

In Echigo-Tsumari, a city of art, you can actually play in the snow at an art museum.

Echigo-Tsumari Satoyama Museum of Contemporary Art (MonET) is an art museum located about a 10-minute walk from Tokamachi Station. The building, with a square corridor surrounding a central pond, is a work of art in itself, but when snow piles up, the pond is transformed into a snowy field!

Photo by Nakamura Osamu

Every winter, a special exhibition is held on this snowy field, allowing visitors to enjoy snow and art.

"Winter in Echigo-Tsumari 2026" (Saturday, January 24th, 2026 - Sunday, March 8th, 2026) will feature an exhibit that creates a thatched tunnel in the thick snow. You can also try on traditional straw raincoats and snowshoes for free. Taking commemorative photos as if you were a snow child will make for a wonderful memory.

6lines studio + Yoshiharu Tsukamoto "Waiting for Snow" photo by Nakamura Osamu

Photo by Nakamura Osamu

Another year, a maze appeared in the snow.

Hara Rintaro + Hara Yu "Snowy Amida Crossing" photo by Nakamura Osamu

You can ride a kotatsu cart through the corridors,

Kotatsu cart photo by Nakamura Osamu

A completely different event is held every year. Each one is a unique experience that combines snow scenery and art. No matter how many times you come, you can always enjoy something new.

The museum also has a hot spring facility called Akashi no Yu, where you can relax and warm up in the large bath or sauna after enjoying playing in the snow.

Tokamachi Snow Festival

When you think of a snow festival, you probably imagine admiring snow sculptures, but the Tokamachi Snow Festival is much more than that. The Tokamachi Snow Festival is run by local residents and features handmade snow artworks by local residents, festival plazas throughout the city, and a theme of "making snow friends and enjoying snow."

The venues are located around Tokamachi Station and other locations. There are over 10 locations in total. On the day of the event, there will be shuttle buses from the station and sightseeing buses that will take you around each plaza, so you don't have to worry if you don't have a car.

The events held in each square are slightly different every year, but food stalls and playing in the snow are annual traditions!

To give an example from one year, other events included throwing rice cakes,

Snow soccer and Kinball using a large ball,

Snow fireworks are also launched at night.

Of course, there are also snow sculptures and stage shows, so you can have plenty of fun just by taking your time looking around.

The Tokamachi Snow Festival is held every year on a weekend in February. In 2026, it will be held from the evening of February 20th until the 22nd (the plaza will only be open on the 21st and 22nd). For the latest information, please check the official website .

[No car necessary] Snow play spots around Matsudai Station

Satoyama Snow Amusement Park

Photo by Yanagi Ayumi

A three-minute walk from Matsudai Station on the Hokuhoku Line, Matsudai Nohbutai Field Museum hosts the Satoyama Snow Amusement Park every winter. The venue is the vast snowy field behind Matsudai Nohbutai. In fact, there are roads and grasslands beneath the snow, but the blanket of snow makes it hard to imagine such a thing.

Photo by Yanagi Ayumi

As the name "Snow Amusement Park" suggests, you can enjoy snow activities here, such as snow tubing, banana boats, and push sleds.

Photo by Yanagi Ayumi

In one corner of the venue, they serve rice cakes grilled on a charcoal grill and freshly brewed coffee, making it the perfect place to take a break during your play.

Additionally, inside Matsudai Nohbutai, you can enjoy a buffet using local ingredients at Echigo Matsudai Satoyama Shokudo. Local cuisine, home cooking, and a variety of other menu items are popular, but in winter, they also offer a limited-time cheese fondue. It's sure to satisfy both adults and children.

What's more, the interior of the restaurant itself is a work of art. Why not spend some time fully enjoying the flavors of snow, art, and Satoyama? The buffet is only available on weekends and holidays, while a lunch set is offered on weekdays (closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays except for public holidays). Lunchtime is 11:00-15:00, last orders 14:00. Please check the official website for the latest information.

Jean-Luc Wilmouth "Café Reflet"

Enjoy the collaboration of snow and art in Echigo-Tsumari!

We have introduced some of Echigo-Tsumari's best places to play in the snow, focusing on areas that are within walking distance from the station. Please use this as a reference for your outings this winter.