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Destinations... Japan Travel Guide The Yamasa Institute |
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Destinations... Japan Travel Guide The Yamasa Institute |
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Edited by: Declan Murphy Recommended: Suggested Itineraries Favorite Nagano moments... Best ways to get there Nagano Photogallery Newsgroups: fj.rec.travel.japan, Alt-FAQ Bulletin Boards: Fun/Clubs/Nightlife  Accommodation/Discounts
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The Hakuba valley has 8 distinct ski grounds that are outlined below, making it a popular destination for skiers and snowboarders alike. These resorts offer some of the best skiing and snowboarding in Japan, and for snow quality and facilities Hakuba's only real rivals are the Shiga Kogen ski resorts and fields in Hokkaido such as Furano, Niseko, Sapporo Teine etc.
Hakuba Sanosaka Ski Grounds
Located at the southern end of Hakuba looking over Lake Aoki, Sanosaka offers 11 ski runs (gelande). These courses are mainly aimed at beginner and intermediate skiers, but there are some advanced runs too. Snowboarding is permitted in all areas, including in the mogul sections. Sanosaka is open from the first half of December to the first half of April.
Goryu Tomi Ski Grounds
Goryu Tomi is a medium-sized resort with courses suitable for beginner, intermediate and advanced skiers. The scenery is said to be the best of any ski resort in Japan - located among the Northern Alps, one can see Mt. Goryu and the Japan Alps, as well as the Himegawa river. There is 1 gondola and 15 chair lifts, which means less waiting time to actually hit the slopes. One of Goryu Tomi's most famous attractions is the 35-degree "Champion Gelande", a long and bumpy run renowned among expert skiers. Mogul runs and cross-country skiing courses are available, but as of the time of writing, snowboards are not permitted. The slopes are open from late November to mid-May.
This is the newest of the eight ski areas in Hakuba, having only been open for about five years. The '47' in its name isn't from the number of gelande or lifts on the grounds, but from the fact that it is open 4 seasons a year, seven days a week. The runs at Hakuba 47 are suitable for intermediate to advanced level skiers. There are four lifts and one gondola lift, with several courses descending from each lift. Hakuba 47 is located right next to Goryu Tomi, and the passes for the ski lift can be used in either area.
The most popular and crowded of the ski destinations, the major claim to fame of Happo One is its involvement in the 1998 Winter Olympics, when it hosted the Nordic Combined, Ski Jump, Alpine (downhill) and Cross-Country skiing events. Pronounced 'oh-neh', not like the number '1', it is the oldest of the seven skiing areas in Hakuba, and aside from the Olympic events Happo-one has hosted many international skiing events including world cup races. Needless to say, this area is mostly suitable for advanced skiers, but there are some courses that the intermediate level skiers can enjoy, too. The most famous run is the Rissen Slalom, a 3 km/long course. As the skiing area's altitude is so high, skiing conditions are good even late in the skiing season. Part of the attraction of Happo-one isn't just the ski runs, but the vast number of fancy shops and restaurants on the grounds - it also has about 100 hotels! There are 32 chairlifts, one gondola, and a total of 13 courses to choose from.
While at Happo-One, be sure to visit the Ski Jumping Stadium. This is where the Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined events were held for the 1998 Olympics. Visitors can take a chair lift or elevator up to the top of the 90 and 120-meter jump, and experience what it is like to be a skier about to take the plunge. Admission is 360 yen for adults and 240 yen for children, and the stadium is open all year except the first half of November and April, and during ski jump competitions.
Hakuba Iwatake Ski Grounds
Iwatake is located just up the road from Happo-one, but it is a great area suitable for all levels of skiers as there is a good variety of layouts and levels of difficulty in the gelande. The beginner and intermediate level skiers will enjoy Sunny Valley, Iwatake's main run, which is 3.8 km/long. More advanced level skiers can enjoy the challenging mogul runs. There are 19 lifts and one gondola lift.
Hakuba Minekata Ski Grounds
Minekata is by far the least crowded of the Hakuba ski areas, with only slightly more that 10,000 visitors in an average winter (by comparison Happo-one has almost 660,000 visitors). But this doesn't mean that it is a bad place to ski. Minekata's courses are a bit shorter and wider than most other ski areas - very suitable for beginner and intermediate level skiers. There is also a long cross-country ski course, and the view from the chair lifts is spectacular.
Hakuba Highland Ski Grounds
This course is also designed for beginner and intermediate level skiers.
It is also perfect for families as many of the courses are wide and gradual for those
who want to spend some quality time with their family on the slopes.
There was a day care center, however this is closed as of 2006. If you
are looking for day care it would be best to telephone first.
The runs on Hakuba Highland are said to be popular among snowboarders
due to their layout, as well. The main course, called Panorama, is a
1.5 km/long scenic course which offers a great view of the Japan Alps.
For information about the latest snow conditions, try this blog powdertherapy.blogspot.com
Tsugaike is fantastic for beginner and intermediate level skiers and for snowboarders. Technically advanced skiers will also find the advanced slopes a challenge, but unfortunately there just aren't enough of them. Accommodation in the snow is available - you can ski direct from your lodge - and the atmosphere is one of the best in Hakuba. An extra advantage is that because Tsugaike is in the northern part of the valley, it is slightly further away from Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka than the other resorts. It is thus a lot less crowded, lift lines are short and the overcrowding problem that affects so many resorts in Japan doesn't seem to occur at Tsugaike.
Of course, there are other sports to enjoy in Hakuba besides skiing. Rafting, kayaking, canoeing, paragliding, mountain biking, tennis, fishing, water skiing and horse riding are just a few. Some of these activities are available all year around. But, for those who are set on coming to Hakuba for skiing but come in the off-season, there are also a few summer skiing slopes in operation. One is located at Iwatake, and the other at Shirakaba (in Chino city, Nagano). And, as mentioned above, Hakuba 47 is open all-year round.
Tours - Japan Discovery visits Hakuba.
Click here for more information regarding when Discovery visits this destination.
Photographs and contributions
Do you have good photographs or a story to share about this destination? Please share it with us.
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Disclaimer and Request:
Opening hours, prices, booking procedures, schedules etc are subject to changes beyond our control. This site is just a guide, and we advise that you always check and confirm in advance. Suggestions, additions and correction of errors are always welcome. Please contact us.
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