Explore our property for sale in Hakuba Ski Resort
Discover Hakuba Ski Resort
The Hakuba Ski Resort, also known as Hakuba Valley, in Nagano prefecture is Japan’s most popular ski area and host to numerous events in the 1998 Winter Olympic games, including the blue riband Downhill races. Hakuba receives approximately 11 metres of snowfall annually, with most snowfall occurring in the months of January and February.
Hakuba Ski Resort is easily accessible at just 3.5 hours from Tokyo by road or train and 45 minutes by helicopter from Narita Airport.
Set among the most majestic peaks of the Japan Alps such as Mount Yarigatake (2903m), Mount Shakushi (2812m) and Mount Shirouma (2933m), Hakuba is the central hub for all the resorts in the long valley. Hakuba is one of the resorts featured on the Free Ride World Tour and also hosts the famous Snowmachine Music Festival.
There are over 200 restaurants/cafes and plenty of shops throughout the valley. Day trips from Hakuba are very easy. Historical destinations such as Matsumoto village and castle, and Nagano Zenkoji Temple are easily accessible, as well as Japan’s famous snow monkeys.
For these reasons, plus the 30+ onsen (hot spring baths) in the valley, Hakuba is considered the main ski resort on the island of Honshu and one of the premier Japanese ski resorts.
With ten ski resorts connected by an inter-resort shuttle which is free with the Hakuba Valley ski lift pass, the Hakuba Valley has something for everyone. The Hakuba Valley is home to ten ski resorts, with 135 lifts (inc. 5 gondolas) accessing over 200 runs and 9 terrain parks. There are at least 960 hectares of on-piste skiable terrain and a vast expanse of world class back country skiing to be found in Hakuba.
The resorts at the northern end of the valley are Iwatake, Tsugaike Kogen, Norikura, and Cortina, while at the southern end you have Happo-One (pronounced o-nay), Hakuba 47, Goryu, Sanosaka, Kashimayari and Jiigatake resorts.
Altitude 600m-1820m
All levels of skiers catered for
135 ski lifts
200 ski runs, 9 terrain parks
Connecting shuttle buses
3.5 hours from Tokyo
The Hakuba Valley is a veritable winter playground. Happo-One is the largest resort in the valley and was the site of the 1998 Winter Olympic downhill and Super-G races. Its 1701 metres of vertical drop are best suited to intermediate and advanced skiers who will also enjoy the long tree runs on a powder day. Iwatake is adjacent to Happo-One and is more protected on stormy days. It has mostly short runs plus good tree skiing as well as beautiful views. Tsugaike Kogen’s wide open green runs are great for beginners and there is a children’s area as well as the TG terrain park. Hakuba 47 is home to Hakuba’s premier terrain park and is connected to Goryu resort, which is well suited to intermediates and offers sunrise and night-time skiing. Cortina’s bowl, with its landmark mock-Tudor Green Plaza Hotel, receives up to twice as much snow as the other resorts and is one of Japan’s premier tree-skiing locations. Norikura is quieter than Cortina and good for beginners. Sanosaka’s main attraction is its stunning views of Lake Aoki, Jiigatake is good for children and has a sledding area, while Kashimayari is home to Japan’s longest snow tubing course (500 metres).
In summer the valley offers visitors blue skies, comfortable temperatures and glorious scenery. On the mountain the gondolas run from May to November 1st and plenty of mountain restaurants are open. Naturally the hiking is a highlight as well as mountain bike trails, mountain karts, paragliding and the Alpine Botanical garden in Goryu, a climbing wall and miniature train in Hakuba 47 and swimming or kayaking on Lake Aoki.
