Hakuba Valley
Hakuba Valley, located in northwestern Nagano, is gifted with abundant high-quality powder snow, which accumulates to about 11 meters (36 feet) annually on average. Stretching for nearly 30 kilometers (19 miles) along the northern Japan Alps, it is Japan's largest alpine ski resort, also widely known as the main venue for snow sports of the 1988 Winter Olympics.In the ski season, usually from late December to late March, Hakuba Valley’s 10 snow resorts, scattered with 146 ski lifts and over 200 trails, will give you unexpected and unforgettable skiing experiences. Even if you are new to skiing, English ski teachings available in any resort will allow you to enjoy the snow entirely. While in the other seasons, usually from mid-April to late November, Hakuba Valley is ideal for trekking, biking, and sightseeing.
Village in Hakuba Valley
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Best Ski Resorts in Hakuba Valley
Hakuba Happo-one Snow Resort: The Largest and the Most Popular
Happo-one, located in the most central valley, is the nearest resort to the Hakuba Happo Bus Terminal, making it the first choice for many tourists.Happo-one has a slope with a vertical height of 1,071 meters (3,514 feet)- one of Hakuba Valley's steepest courses. The ski jumping venue for the 1988 Winter Olympics is nearby.
The longest slope in the valley reaches 8 kilometers (5 miles), allowing all skiers to enjoy the superfine powder snow to the fullest.
Various restaurants and cafés around the slopes provide Nagano's local delicacies and delicious food worldwide. The Snow Plaza Sakka in the resort base has a children’s park and child-care center for kids from 3 months to 9 years old.
Tips: 1. The New Year Countdown Celebration and Happo-one Fire Festival in every February are held here.
2. If you are interested in challenging vertical slopes or cross-country skiing, make sure to do so under the guidance of a professional coach, whether in any resort.
3. Check the local weather forecast and snow conditions in advance so as to enjoy the best powder snow.
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Village in Hakuba Valley
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Tsugaike Mountain Resort: Perfect Choice for Beginners and Children
Tsugaike is the second largest ski resort in the valley, having a sizeable open course at the bottom with a length of 1 kilometer (0.62 miles) and a width of over 1.2 kilometers (0.67 miles). The broad slide with an average angle of only eight degrees makes it ideal for beginners to practice confidently. It also focuses on parent-child interaction and has many indoor and outdoor children’s play areas.Intermediate and advanced skiers can take a gondola lift to the top to experience more thrilling sports like cross-country skiing. The 4-kilometer (2.5-mile) gondola ride to the top is an exciting activity itself that allows you to overlook the snow scene.
Tips: 1. If you live in the Tsugaike village, remember clearly where you live since the village runs almost 2.5 kilometers (1.5 miles) along the resort.
2. If you are unaccustomed to family-run hotels with Japanese-style bedding on the floor, shared bathrooms, and Japanese food, we advise you to choose hotels in Hakuba village.
3. The last bus back to Hakuba Happo leaves at 5:45 pm; after that, you have to go back by taxi.
ABLE Hakuba Goryu Snow Resort: Multiple Slopes in Different Features
Goryu has two popular alpine skiing areas: Alps-daira and Toomi.Toomi’s long-distance ski courses, with the longest being up to 5 kilometers (3.1 miles), are popular with beginners and intermediate skiers. It is also the valley's most significant night ski area, but there is a separate charge. The Toomi zone is equipped with a children's supplies section with sleighs and other equipment free of charge.
The Alps-daira zone at the top, opening till the end of Golden Week, usually late April to early May, has specific steeper slopes like Mogul Course, suitable for masters to show their ski skills.
Hakuba 47 Winter Sports Park: Longest Ski Season among All
Hakuba 47, one of the best terrain parks and cross-country ski areas, has steeper slopes, especially for advanced skiers. It provides various sports items for professionals to enjoy. Since the slopes face north, its ski season is the longest among all ski resorts in Hakuba Valley, generally to May.Tips: 1. Hakuba 47 and ABLE Hakuba Goryu are two neighboring ski resorts connected by ski courses.
2. Hakuba 47 holds the “Snow Sculpture Festival” every January.
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Enjoy Snow without Crowd
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Hakuba Cortina Snow Resort: Enjoy Powder Snow without Crowds
As the northernmost resort in the valley, Cortina usually has more snowfall than the others and owns the highest annual snowfall record. Its large quantity of powder snow fascinates many tourists, especially on snowy days. Since Cortina is not as easy to reach as other snow resorts, it is less crowded and more cost-effective. But it has the biggest hotel in this area- Green Plaza Hakuba, which you can ski in and out directly.Opening Time
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Resorts |
Daytime |
Night Ski |
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Happo-one |
8:00 am to 5:00 pm |
5:00 pm to 8:00 pm |
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Tsugaike |
8:00 am to 5:00 pm |
6:00 pm to 9:00 pm |
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ABLE Hakuba Goryu |
8:00 am to 5:00 pm |
6:00 pm to 9:30 pm |
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Hakuba 47 |
8:00 am to 4:20 pm |
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Cortina |
8:30 am to 5:00 pm |
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One-Day Ticket Cost
Resorts
Adult
Happo-one
JPY7,000
Tsugaike
JPY5,900
ABLE Hakuba Goryu
JPY7,000
Hakuba 47
Cortina
JPY5,800
Tips:
1. ABLE Hakuba Goryu and Hakuba 47 are accessible with the one same ticket.
2. The above listed are online prices for reference, which are lower than those at ticket windows on the spot.
3. A multi-day pass is more economical if you plan to stay long in Hakuba Valley.
4. You can get a 5-day consecutive ticket for free if you have the Epic Pass.
Best Things to Do in Other Seasons
Trekking to Happo Pond
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Trekking in Green Season
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Take the gondola to Happoike Hut, which has two paths up to Happo Pond. The left route is easy with a wooden walkway, taking about 1.5 hours, while the right path is challenging with some ripraps, taking about 1 hour.
Hakuba Iwatake Sightseeing
It is hard to store snow in Hakuba Iwatake, the lowest resort in the valley, so it is better known for sightseeing than skiing. Iwatake’s supporting facilities in other seasons are more considerate than other sites. Gondola lifts will bring you to the mountaintop, and from the view terrace of Hakuba Mountain Harbor, a full view of Hakuba Mountain will come into your eyes.A thrilling experience here is playing the “Yoo-Hoo! Swing” facing the stretching mountains, like throwing yourself into nature.
Swing Time: 9:00 am to 4:00 pm
Cost: JPY500/time
How to Get to Hakuba Valley
Step 1: Get to Nagano Station
From Tokyo: by Hokuriku Shinkansen- about 1h 36min; JPY9,100 for non-reserved seatFrom Osaka: by Tokaido Shinkansen to Nagoya Station and by Shinano 23 Limited Express- about 4h; JPY16,890 for non-reserved seat
From Nagoya: by Shinano 23 Limited Express- about 3h; JPY9,660 for non-reserved seat
From Kanazawa: by Hokuriku Shinkansen- about 1h 6min; JPY9,880 for non-reserved seat
Step 2: Nagano Station - Hakuba Happo Bus Terminal
Hakuba Happo Bus Terminal is the transit hub of Hakuba Valley.Take the Alpico Hakuba Express Bus at the No.26 Bus Stop on the east side of Nagano Station and get off at the Hakuba Happo Bus Terminal. It takes about 75 minutes and costs JPY2,500 for a single trip.
Step 3: Hakuba Happo Bus Terminal to Ski Resorts
To Happo-one: You can walk there in about 5 to 10 minutes. To others, you can travel either by shuttle bus or taxi.
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Resorts |
By Shuttle Bus |
By Taxi |
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Tsugaike |
20 – 35 min |
15 – 20 min |
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ABLE Hakuba Goryu |
35 min |
15 – 20 min |
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Hakuba 47 |
25 min |
10 – 15 min |
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Cortina |
40 min |
20 – 25 min |
Tips:1. The Hakuba Shuttle Bus only operates during the ski season, usually from mid-December to mid-March.
2. The shuttle bus has no night service.