Snow gear for a family trip to Japan.
Rent a jacket for three days and you could have bought one.
Rent the skis and boots. If you are staying more than three days, buying the wear works out cheaper. Gloves and goggles, if you rent the full set, are yours to keep. This is where families coming from year-round warm countries lose the most.
This article contains promotional content (PR). We include Klook affiliate links for booking airport transfers, transport tickets, experiences, and luggage delivery. If you book through these links, we may earn a commission to help run the site (at no extra cost to you). Options not covered by our partners, such as JR and other public transport, are compared neutrally.
Before anything elseFirst: even the family who don't ski need gear
"They're not skiing, so ordinary clothes will do" does not hold in Hokkaido.
It goes below -10°C even in town
In high season (roughly 20 December to mid-February), Niseko runs at about -2 to -11°C in town, and about -15 to -25°C at the top of the ski area. Annual snowfall is around 14 metres, most of it between mid-December and the end of February. A few minutes waiting for the shuttle, a few minutes from the hotel to the slope, and bare hands start to hurt fast. Snow boots and gloves for everyone, including those who are not skiing.
The ones not skiing stand outside the longest
People who are skiing are moving, so they warm up. It is the ones waiting who are colder — a reversal you only discover once you are there. Do not treat the accompanying adults' gear as an afterthought.
Get wet and your body heat goes all at once
Snow is not only cold — the problem is that it makes you wet. A cotton hoodie or trainers touching snow will not dry, and keep chilling you. Waterproof comes before warm.
What to rent: skis, boots, helmet
Bulky, heavy, and children change size every year. Not worth flying with.
| Item | Adult | Child (up to 12) |
|---|---|---|
| Ski set (skis + boots + poles) | ¥10,400 | ¥7,700 |
| Helmet | ¥3,600 | ¥3,000 |
| Wear (jacket + pants) | ¥7,500 | ¥6,000 |
| Full set (the above + gloves and goggles) | ¥21,400 | ¥16,600 |
Book the rental while the sizes are still there
In peak season there is no guarantee that all five sizes are available at once. Children's sizes in particular are limited. Book as soon as your dates are set.
*Booking is available in several languages. Prices and stock vary by season and by shop, so confirm sizes and quantities when you book.
With wear, the number of days flips the answer
The total for renting jacket and pants only (adult ¥7,500 a day, child ¥6,000 a day; the two- and three-day figures are discounted rates). Wear is something you still own afterwards, so the longer the stay, the more "buy" wins. Put the price of buying it at home next to this three-day total and compare.
Five people renting wear only, for three days.
Whether that is more than buying is for you to judge, at your own country's prices.
The size wall: children's wear stops at 140 cm
This, in fact, is what sends a big family's costs up.
- The children's range: skis 70-140 cm / boots 15-24 cm / wear 90-140 cm
- "Child" in the rental sense means up to 12 years old
Which means an older primary school child or a teenager over 140 cm pays the adult price. For wear that is ¥1,500 a day, multiplied by people and by days. Note that sizes can be swapped on the spot, so if you are unsure, fit them when you get there.
Where you gainGloves and goggles: renting leaves you with more
Rent the full set (skis + boots + poles + wear + helmet + gloves + goggles) and the gloves and goggles do not have to be returned. You take them home.
So those two items are, in effect, a purchase included in the rental price. Buy them first and then rent, and you end up with two of each. If you are considering the full set, do not buy gloves and goggles before you leave.
Honest drawbacks: what to know before you book
Carry the numbers in this article across as they are and some of them will not line up.
These are Rusutsu prices for the 2025-26 season
Other ski areas price differently, and prices for the 2026-27 season have not been announced. Take away the principle rather than the figures: past about three days, buying the wear is cheaper.
We are not giving the price of buying
We could not verify actual retail prices in Japanese stores, so we have deliberately left the figure out. Put the price of buying at home next to the three-day rental total and compare. The table and chart above give you enough to decide.
Toddler stock differs from shop to shop
Children's wear starts at 90 cm, but smaller sizes and toddler boots depend on the shop. Always confirm for anyone aged 3 and under when you book. Assuming it will work itself out on arrival is not the safe bet.
Buying and bringing it means more luggage
Winter gear for five fills a suitcase. If you decide to buy, think about it together with forwarding your luggage ahead within Japan. Sending it straight from the airport to your hotel makes the journey much easier.
Frequently asked questions
We have far too much luggage. What can we do?
Bulky winter gear can be sent ahead to your hotel. The detail is in forwarding your luggage in Japan: the takkyubin guide to travelling hands-free.
Is there wear and are there boots for toddlers?
Children's wear is stocked from 90 cm, but smaller sizes and toddler boots vary from shop to shop. Always confirm when you book.
Do we need to book the rental?
You can apply online. In peak season there is no guarantee that all five sizes are available at once, so move early. Sizes can be swapped once you are there.
What can the family who don't ski do?
There is a kids park (¥2,400 a day) and a hot spring. The detail is in a day in the snow at Rusutsu without skiing.
Read these next and the snow trip gets easier
📍 See all our practical guides