When buying a lift ticket in Japan, there are two ways you can go about it: first, buy it before you arrive at the mountain; second, buy it when you arrive. Japan is a country where people generally plan their trips thoroughly enough to commit with absolute certainty to a set itinerary. If you're among them, then you're probably all set for advance purchase. Should you be one of the majority, however, who will probably go with the flow and buy his or her ticket at the slope-side on the day of departure, your options may be more limited. Some hotels in Japan do still offer discounts for tickets purchased through their website -- check if yours does before you leave. Regardless of which way you decide to go, your rei lift ticket will be valid for the entire season. If you only use it once or twice, though, it may feel like a waste. And if you end up deciding to buy another ticket on the day of departure, and then find that you've already bought one, your second ticket will now be wasted.