Seaside view of ANA InterContinental Manza Beach Hotel & Resort in Onna, Okinawa, Japan

Japan's Resort Property Market: A Guide to the Country's Best Mountain, Coastal, Onsen, and Ski Destinations

Published On: 9월 1, 2026

A definitive guide to Japan's resort property market – explore the country's best mountain, coastal, onsen, and ski destinations for lifestyle buyers and investors.

Japan's resort property market is more diverse than many overseas buyers may expect. A buyer could purchase a villa in the woods of Karuizawa, a weekend destination with views of Mount Fuji, an oceanfront property in Okinawa, a traditional home near a historic hot spring, or a ski chalet in one of the best powder snow areas.

Each market offers distinct characteristics, accessibility, tourism appeal, and property prices for consideration. Certain areas, including Karuizawa and Niseko, are well-established, whereas myoko, Madarao, Zao, and other regional destinations offer lower prices and potential for growth.

Ultimately, the buyer should decide on the purpose of the property. A weekend getaway from Tokyo, a holiday rental, a place to retire, a hospitality business, or a long-term investment in one of Japan's resort region. This guide explores the major resort property markets that appear in our series on Japan's resort areas, split into three categories: Highland and Mountain Resorts, Ocean and Hot Springs, and Ski and Snow Resorts.

Japan's Resort Property Market

Japan's principal attraction as a resort destination is the diversity of its market within a small country.

The variety of landscapes offers many opportunities for lifestyle change. A buyer can travel by Shinkansen to experience the forested areas of Karuizawa within an hour from Tokyo, a hot spring in Hakone enjoying the view of Mount Fuji, or Atami for a seaside escape within an hour's travel by bullet train. Further south lies Okinawa, a tropical climate beach resort, popular among overseas tourists for its resort villas, year-round warm weather, and international tourism, contrasting with other regions of Japan. Japan's snow region, particularly Hokkaido, Nagano, Niigata, Yamagata, and other northern areas, are well known for the quality of powder skiing, hot springs, mountain activities, and a range of well-known and smaller village developments.

Thus, there is not a singular Japanese resort property market.

Category 1: Highland & Mountain Resorts

Highland and mountain resorts appeal particularly to buyers looking for cooler summers, forests, outdoor activities, and second-home living. These destinations are often strongest among domestic buyers from Tokyo and other major cities. Accessibility is therefore a major factor in their long-term appeal.

Kumoba Pond surrounded by autumn foliage trees in Karuizawa. — Source: lumoplank - https://www.flickr.com/photos/199350666@N08/55038855889, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=195807334

1. Karuizawa, Nagano

Karuizawa is essentially Japan's second-home region. Situated in Nagano Prefecture, this area has long been a summer residence for wealthy Japanese families and foreign residents. The area offers forests, golf courses, dining, shopping, cycling, and a well-established villa culture.

Its main benefit, and a significant value point for buyers, is its accessibility to Tokyo, connected by the Hokuriku Shinkansen bullet train, with an approximate one hour travel time from Tokyo, making it an excellent choice for weekend trips.

In terms of value, Karuizawa falls into the most established villa market category; prices may be high in desirable areas for modern homes and land. However, the area has one of the most established second-home cultures in Japan, and many of its new developments are starting to attract international attention.

Best for: Established villa ownership, weekend homes for Tokyo residents, family, golf, and long-term buyers.

2. Hakone, Kanagawa

Hakone is one of Japan's most famous resort destinations with a hot spring, Lake Ashi, museums, volcanic terrain, and stunning Mount Fuji views.

Hakone's value point is its proximity to Tokyo, making it a desirable weekend destination with a range of accommodation options. Depending on the buyer's criteria, different areas within Hakone offer a variety of lifestyles from the easily accessible Hakone-Yumoto to the established Gora's villa culture and the expansive Sengokuhara Mountain Village.

This region is highly attractive to buyers who prioritize onsen access and proximity to Tokyo.

Best for: Weekend getaways, onsen properties, established tourism, and Mount Fuji views.

3. Kawaguchiko & Fujikawaguchiko, Yamanashi

Few resort areas offer the iconic Japanese scenery of Kawaguchiko, with the combination of Lake Kawaguchi and Mount Fuji. Tourism in Kawaguchiko is high throughout the year due to the appeal of the area with sightseeing, adventure tourism, seasonal festivals, and international visitors.

For property buyers, a range of options is available depending on the buyer's criteria. Some may prioritize lake and mountain views or rental potential in a popular area, while others may prefer a more laid-back, less touristy lifestyle.

Generally, Kawaguchiko is a good fit for tourist-related buyers looking for lake and mountain views or an established second-home area nearby.

Best for: Mount Fuji views, lakeside homes, tourist-friendly properties.

4. Nasu, Tochigi

Nasu's long-standing connection with Japan's imperial family and the domestic vacation culture make it a sought-after resort area. Situated in Tochigi Prefecture, this area offers forests, golf courses, hot springs, farms, and more spacious accommodations with cooler summer weather than other resort areas near Tokyo.

Nasu provides an accessible second-home area in contrast to other established markets.

Buyers seeking more spacious homes and golf opportunities will find this area highly desirable, while prices remain relatively accessible outside of the resort area.

Best for: Spacious homes, golf, family, and summer.

5. Izu Kogen, Shizuoka

The mountainous area of Izu Kogen offers buyers the choice between a traditional mountain cottage and an accessible coastal resort area on the Izu Peninsula.

This region boasts detached houses, holiday cottages, onsen, and ocean views of the Pacific Ocean. Unlike other resort areas centered around mountainous terrain, Izu Kogen offers an accessible combination of mountain and coastal living, appealing to a buyer seeking hiking, surfing, golf, and hot spring activities.

In addition to its natural appeal, the Izu area attracts many tourists, providing another value point for buyers seeking a second home or hotel investment in the region.

Best for: Holiday cottages, ocean access, hot spring, and four season second home.

6. Yatsugatake & Hokuto, Yamanashi

Yatsugatake and Hokuto appeal to the buyer seeking a slower pace of life in the Japanese countryside. This area is known for clear skies, mountain scenery, farms, forests, and spacious lots.

In contrast to mountain resorts offering luxury developments, Yatsugatake has a charm of traditional homesteading with its appeal to remote workers and second-home buyers.

Buyers seeking a more affordable traditional Japanese countryside lifestyle with natural beauty will find this area an accessible and desirable option.

Best for: Farm living, remote work, lifestyle change, and land.

Category 2: Ocean and Hot Springs

Japan's coastal resort markets offer a different kind of opportunity. Some are close to major cities, while others thrive on tourism, beaches, hot springs, or international visitors.

The strongest markets often combine more than one of these elements.

View of Tokashiku Beach on Tokashiki Island, Okinawa — Source: L. K. - Flickr - https://www.flickr.com/photos/lgkiii/43076340594/, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=122178315

7. Atami, Shizuoka

Atami has undergone one of Japan's most exciting resort redevelopments in recent years, transforming from a traditional tourist destination into a modern area with restaurants, cafes, museums, and a young population. The value point of Atami is its proximity to Tokyo, connected by the Tokaido Shinkansen bullet train, with an approximate travel time of less than an hour.

The ocean views and onsen culture remain the main attractions, making it desirable for weekend home buyers.

Best for: Second homes near Tokyo, ocean views, onsen properties, and tourism.

8. Ito & Shimoda, Shizuoka

Ito and Shimoda represent two sides of the Izu Peninsula, a region popular with weekend home buyers seeking seaside living and hot spring access. Ito is known for its onsen and residential lifestyle, whereas neighboring city Shimoda boasts beaches and a more relaxed southern Izu lifestyle.

Both towns are popular with domestic buyers seeking ocean views and onsen access, and a range of property options are available, from traditional Japanese-style homes to resort-style condominiums or villas with ocean views.

Best for: Ocean frontage, onsen, beach, and holiday home.

9. Naha & Central Okinawa

Naha and central Okinawa offer a different resort experience than mainland Japan, combining urban and resort lifestyles. Naha provides the comforts of Okinawa's capital with excellent transport links and shopping, whereas the areas of central Okinawa are hot tourist destinations with beaches and an international community.

This region offers buyers an excellent opportunity for year-round tourism-related investment with a demand for both local and overseas tourists. Compared to a ski resort area, this market offers a desirable climate and an established rental yield for buyers seeking a more permanent residence.

Best for: Rental properties, urban convenience, tourism, and year-round island.

10. Onna & Yomitan, Okinawa

Onna and Yomitan are two of Okinawa's most desirable resort areas, with the west coast known for its beaches, luxury hotel developments, diving opportunities, and restaurants.

Onna's reputation as a large-scale resort development makes it an appealing investment for buyers seeking to participate in Okinawa's booming villa and resort market, whereas Yomitan offers a more community-oriented lifestyle with easy access to the beach.

Best for: Beachfront villas, vacation rentals, resort development, and international tourism.

11. Ishigaki Island, Okinawa

Ishigaki presents a unique resort lifestyle in the far reaches of Okinawa, boasting tropical beaches and diving opportunities. With an emerging tourism market and resort development, this region offers opportunities for buyers seeking to participate in Okinawa's villa and resort boom.

However, buyers should be aware that constructing or maintaining resort developments in Okinawa can be complicated due to being an island.

Best for: Tropical beach resort lifestyle, tourism properties, and villa development.

12. Beppu, Oita

Beppu is famous for its hot spring resorts; however, unlike smaller onsen towns, Beppu has an established city with excellent medical care, schools, and transport links. Beppu's combination of accessibility and onsen culture makes it desirable for buyers, with a range of property options from traditional onsen inns to modern developments.

As with other onsen towns, Beppu has an established tourism industry with a demand for accommodation, appealing to buyers seeking to participate in the onsen tourism market. Compared to other resort areas, Beppu generally has more affordable property prices.

Best for: Affordable entry, onsen tourism, rental demand, and mixed-use.

13. Kusatsu Onsen, Gunma

Kusatsu Onsen is one of Japan's most famous hot spring resorts, with a unique appeal centered around its Yubatake (hot water wells), traditional inns, and mountainous scenery. The area has a well-established tourism industry, making it an attractive investment for buyers seeking to participate in the onsen accommodation demand.

As a mountain resort area, Kusatsu Onsen has an established second-home culture in contrast to urban hot spring resorts.

Best for: Onsen-focused lifestyle, traditional ryokan properties, and tourism business.

14. Shirahama, Wakayama

Shirahama combines beaches, hot springs, and accessibility from the Kansai region. This resort town is a popular domestic holiday destination and offers a different coastal lifestyle compared to the Tokyo region.

Combined with its onsen culture, Shirahama offers excellent opportunities for buyers seeking tourism-related properties or an established second-home area close to the Kansai region.

Best for: Kansai weekend home, beach properties, onsen, and domestic tourism.

Category 3: Ski & Snow Resorts

Japan's ski property market is gaining international attention with buyers attracted to the region's exceptional powder-snow skiing conditions, unique to Japan. The excellent ski resorts in Hokkaido and along the Sea of Japan on Honshu provide a skiing-focused lifestyle with hot springs, fine food, culture, and unique Japanese village charm that cannot be found elsewhere.

However, each ski market has its unique characteristics.

A view of a ski slope in Shirataka Ski resort in Shirataka town, Yamagata Prefecture, Japan — Source: Tail furry - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=159807175

15. Niseko, Hokkaido

Niseko is Japan's most famous ski property market, attracting buyers and tourists from Australia, Asia, Europe, and North America. With its exceptional powder-snow skiing conditions, excellent amenities, English-speaking services, and luxury developments, Niseko is Japan's premium ski resort area.

Niseko's market is well-established compared to other ski resort areas, meaning it has a high international appeal, but with higher prices to match.

Best for: International investors, luxury properties, established rental demand, and global buyers.

16. Hakuba Village, Nagano

Hakuba offers skiing opportunities with excellent international ski facilities and an easy access from Tokyo. Hakuba has multiple ski resorts in the Northern Alps and is the host of the 1998 Winter Olympics.

The area has an increasing international community, and the property market is seeing a growing interest from overseas buyers. As a result, some of Japan's highest property price growth was recorded in Hakuba in 2026 due to sustained international interest.

Best for: Easy access from Tokyo, international buyers, year-round outdoor, and value growth.

17. Nozawa Onsen, Nagano

Nozawa Onsen has a traditional village feel with many of its public baths and narrow streets still well-preserved. The area boasts one of Japan's largest ski resorts located just above the village.

This combination of skiing and traditional Japanese village lifestyle is highly desirable for lifestyle buyers.

Best for: Traditional village living, ski access, onsen culture, and lifestyle buyer.

18. Myoko Kogen, Niigata

Myoko is one of Japan's emerging ski investment opportunities, with excellent snowfall, multiple ski resorts, traditional hot spring towns, and an increasing international community.

Compared to other ski resort areas, Myoko has more affordable entry pricing, and the growing international interest has seen increased resort development in the region.

Best for: Deep powder, emerging investment opportunities, and affordable buyers.

19. Furano, Hokkaido

Furano's unique appeal lies in the combination of skiing in the winter and the lavender fields in summer, offering a year-round tourism draw compared to other ski resort areas.

Furano can appeal to buyers seeking to participate in Hokkaido's tourism market with a more affordable entry price point than Niseko.

Best for: Year-round tourism, Hokkaido lifestyle, skiing, and summer attractions.

20. Madarao & Iiyama, Nagano

Madarao and Iiyama offer the unusual combination of ski resort with easy access to Tokyo. Iiyama Station in the city of Tokyo offers a quick Shinkansen ride to the ski resort area of Madarao.

Madarao itself is the resort area, whereas Iiyama has a more traditional city and country feel, offering an affordable alternative to other resorts. Affordable snow-country homes and traditional lifestyles are available for buyers interested in ski resort living with an accessible commute from Tokyo.

Best for: Affordable snow-country home, Tokyo access, and traditional Japanese living.

21. Zao Onsen, Yamagata

Zao Onsen is famous for its natural ice formations (juhyo) and large ski resort, as well as a hot-spring town with historic inns.

While Zao Onsen has an established onsen and ski resort culture, it is not as internationally driven as other ski resort areas, which means buyers have an opportunity to purchase in an established and desirable area with high value potential.

Best for: Onsen culture, skiing, unique tourism appeal, and lower price points.

How to Choose the Right Japanese Resort Property

When considering a resort property in Japan, buyers should ask themselves the following five questions:

1. Will You Use the Property Yourself?

If you are considering using the property for personal use, choose an area with good access. Areas such as Karuizawa, Hakone, Kawaguchiko, and Atami have excellent transport links to Tokyo, making them ideal for owners seeking to use the property regularly. Alternatively, an area further away could be considered as a holiday home or as an investment.

2. Are You Looking for Rental Income?

An area with strong tourism demand is important for rental income, but seasonality should also be considered for long-term value. For example, a ski property will see most of its income during the winter, whereas an ocean-front property might have higher demand during the summer. The best markets for year-round demand have a combination of different attractions, such as skiing and lavender tourism in Furano or a mix of skiing and summer activities in Hakuba.

3. What's Your Budget?

Japan's resort markets have a wide range of entry pricing and value points. The most well-established areas, Karuizawa and Niseko, have high entry costs. However, other areas offer an excellent value for money on established second homes or traditional Japanese lifestyles. It is important to consider the overall cost of ownership, as lower-priced areas often require more maintenance.

4. Do You Want an Established or Emerging Market?

An established market is generally easier to navigate and has better value security, whereas an emerging market can offer excellent value growth opportunities. Some of Japan's best-established resort areas include Karuizawa, Niseko, and Hakone, whereas emerging markets include Myoko, Madarao, and Zao.

5. Are You Ready for Local Property Management?

Resort property management can be challenging, as snow country homes require snow removal and winter maintenance, whereas coastal homes may have saltwater and typhoon damage. Local property management may be a good option for overseas buyers who wish to minimize their responsibilities. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism in Japan has a good resource on real estate prices and land market information that may be of assistance to buyers.

Interested in buying property in Japan's resort areas? PropertyAccess specializes in real estate across Japan's premier resort destinations. If you would like to explore available properties or discuss your options, book a private consultation using the link below.

🔗 Book a Free Consultation Session with Our Team 🔗

Final Thoughts

Japan's resort property market is becoming more diverse with international tourism bringing attention to areas that were once domestic destinations only. Improved transport links and remote working opportunities are making second home ownership more desirable for some buyers. The best long-term opportunities will look different for different buyers. Some will seek to enter established luxury resort areas, whereas others may be drawn to traditional homesteading or affordable second homes.

However, the diversity of Japan's resort property market is its greatest strength. Buyers considering purchasing a property in Japan can choose from a wide variety of lifestyles, from the forest and the beach, skiing and subtropical islands, traditional hot-spring village and high-end ski resort. The most desirable area for you will not necessarily be the one with the highest price growth, but the one that fits with your long-term plans for the property and your expectations for life in Japan.