HAKUBA

Hakuba is renowned for having some of the steepest (by Japanese standards at least) terrain in the country, and fortunately it also receives plenty of powder. With an average of 11 meters of snow each year, conditions are usually reliable through most of the season. And, like a gift from the gods, Hakuba also boasts more blue sky days than any other Japanese resort.

The main dream of anyone who has ever skied, worked or lived here is that one day at least some of the individual resorts will connect to create one giant ski resort. This isn’t as farfetched as it might sound – some of the resorts share common ridgelines or are separated by a river. But for now, the tendency is to stick to one resort per day (using public transport to get there). The upside of having a collection of individual resorts is that each one is a little different from the next – so you’ll be treated to a variety of experiences.

In total, the area’s 10 resorts boast 135 lifts and over 200 runs. Each of them are quite small so intermediate and above skiers will want to ski a variety of them over the course of a week to avoid the monotony of one small resort every day. Therefore when working out where to stay take into consideration that you will likely be commuting to other resorts, even if staying at the base of Happo One. The largest and most popular resorts are Happo-one, Hakuba 47, Goryu and Cortina. The terrain at each is varied, and suited to beginners through to intermediates.

If you’re an advanced skier, you’ll be able to find steep groomed runs at most of these resorts, but the off-piste, inbound tree skiing is limited to Cortina, though expanding a little at other resorts each season. As such, the advanced skiers flock to Cortina on powder days, which means it does get tracked out fairly quickly.

Meanwhile, if you’re yearning for some good powder skiing in the trees, the best way to get it is to hire a guide and head into the backcountry. There’s a wide variety of terrain to choose from and it’s a great place to try out backcountry for the first time. Evergreen Backcountry Guides is our go-to for fully guided BC and off-piste in Hakuba. Check out the tour descriptions here. Scout can book guides or group tours as part of any Hakuba ski package.

If you’re into moguls, you’re in luck because the Japanese love them and many slopes have perfectly formed, large, round bumps that the locals seem to fly over – leaving the rest of us to attempt before our backs and knees start to give in.

There are some good terrain park facilities at most of the resorts.

There are many reasons why Hakuba is a great option for families. For one, there are several accommodation options that are within walking distance of Happo-one’s four ski schools (with English instructors and some with child care). If this sounds perfect to you, look for accommodation close to the Nakiyama Base area (Happo Village), the Kokusai lift (Lower Wadano), or the Snow Plaza Sakka (Upper Wadano). Snow Plaza Sakka also has a day care facility. Scout can book lessons with Evergreen as partof your Hakuba Ski Package. Evergreen runs a shuttle stopping throughout Happo and Wadano making it easy to get your kids to and from ski school.

And while the resort and village areas are well and truly Westernized (thereby making it easy for you) there are still some Japanese experiences to be had. Although we will point out that there’s only so much culture you can absorb at a samurai sword show or a Japanese tea ceremony when you’re sitting in a room full of Australians.

Further details about ski schools, babysitting, and activities for kids can be found in our Hakuba Scout Field Guide which is complimentary for Scout guests.

The Hakuba area has a wide variety of Western-style accommodation options, including plenty of self-catered apartments in Hakuba Valley. However there are also a few Japanese-style hotels, pensions and ryokans that will provide you with a more authentic experience. While there are a lot of really nice places to stay around here, there area lacks a modern 5 star hotel… (so far).

Given the proliferation of developments by Westerners, the accommodation doesn’t book out as quickly as smaller resorts, but if you want your first choice, you’ll still need to get in early (by March/April for the following season). We know of some places that get booked out a year in advance for January and February. Let Scout help you find the perfect place and our Hakuba Ski Packages are a great way of getting the best value. 

Generally, the best accommodation options in the Hakuba Valley are located in four areas:

Happo Village: These are in the village of Happo, within close walking distance of the Happo Nakiyama base area. There are also a lot of great bars and restaurants to choose from. Happo Village is suited to young couples or groups of friends who want to be in the thick of the action.

Lower Wadano: Here you’ll find a cluster of nice hotels and apartment complexes. It is possible to walk about 5-15 minutes (depending on the hotel) to the Happo-one Kokusai base area via a fairly busy road and across a bridge. There are also a few dining options and bars, plus a ski rental shop. The Happo village area is also within walking distance – about 10-15 minutes down a hill.

Upper Wadano: One of the more recently developed areas in Hakuba, this is a 15 minute walk up the road from Lower Wadano. (Although be aware that at night, this walk can seem very long and dark). The restaurant and bar options are pretty limited, but it’s peaceful and the Happo Sakka base area is an easy walk from most hotels and houses.

Echoland: While quite separated from the action in Happo, and not within walking distance of any lifts, this small hamlet has a compact main street with a handful of restaurants and bars. It is home to a lot of larger houses to rent, and a few western style ski lodges. Generally speaking you would want to have your own car if staying in this area.

Hakuba has a wide variety of activities to keep kids and adults entertained off the snow – from making sushi, to firing a semi-automatic weapon, to visiting a historic Japanese temple – the possibilities are virtually endless. All of this is on top of the more classic ski resort activities such as snowmobiling and snowshoeing.

Many (actually most) of the ‘cultural’ activities cater entirely to Westerners, but what they might lack in authenticity they make up for in fun. 

Even though it might eat into your skiing time, we highly recommend the Snow Monkey tour. Here you’ll see cute monkeys soaking themselves in hot springs – a sight to behold! The tour we did also included a visit to the beautiful Zenkoji temple, as well as a fabulous lunch in a traditional Japanese town. Scout can help organise a snow monkey and Zenkoji tour as part of your Hakuba Ski Package.

And don’t forget to have a soak in a natural hot spring onsen… your ski muscles will thank you.

Additional activity details, including contact details and prices, can be found in our Hakuba Scout Field Guide, given free to Scout guests.

It’s relatively easy to get to Hakuba and there are several different ways of getting here – it just takes a bit of time. If you want to come directly from Tokyo's Narita airport, the easiest ways are via private transfer, semi-private shuttle bus, or the daily scheduled busses (if your timings work out). Those trips take 5-6 hours.

Alternatively, you can come via train and bus, with the option of taking the super fast and super fun Shinkansen from Tokyo to Nagano. It does require a few different changes of transport, but it is ultimately a bit quicker.

To get around Hakuba (and between the ski resorts and hamlets), you can walk, catch a taxi or a shuttle bus. Fortunately, the ski shuttle busses are plentiful and easy to negotiate. For later in the evening, there’s a nighttime bus called ‘Genki-Go’ that runs until 11pm. There are also taxis, which restaurants are happy to call for you. Given how easy it is to get around on public transport, we don’t recommend renting a car unless you are quite experienced at driving in difficult snow conditions and you are wanting a great deal of flexibility.

As part of a Hakuba Package Deal Scout can help organise tranfsers from the airport or between resorts.

The Hakuba ski resorts are all usually open for skiing by December (although coverage in early December can be risky). January and February are great months when it’s cold, and the powder is (usually) plentiful. March is still pretty good for coverage, but with smaller crowds. The ski fields usually stay open until early May.

Due to their proximity to Nagano and other urban areas, the resorts can be crowded on weekends. Hakuba gets extremely busy during New Year, early January and Chinese New Year, and books out early, so it's wise to contact us at least 6 months in advance if you wish to travel at this time.

Holidays & Festivals:

Omachi Snow Festival: Every Saturday in February. The Omachi-go bus takes visitors to Omachi every Saturday in February to see the Taiko drums, fireworks, and igloos.

Yuki-koi Festival: 2nd week of February

Iwatake Thanks Festival: early February. Japanese taiko drummers, raffles and pounding mocha.

Happo Fire Festival: Mid February. Happo-one Nakiayama slopes.

Tsugaike Kogen Festival: late February. Snow and Ultra Thanksgiving festival at Tsugaike Koken.

Reisen Slalom: First week of March. Annual race on Happo-one.

Goryu Snow Festival: First week/weekend of March. Fireworks, Japanese drums, torch light skiing.