Hakuba

About Hakuba
Only three hours from Tokyo, deep within the Japanese Alps, is the great ski resort of Hakuba. The site was used for many disciplines during the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano. The huge area consists of 7 ski resorts with slopes for every level. Furthermore, this resort has some of the longest slopes in Japan. The lift systems are incredibly efficient and long queues are rare. The area also has some of the finest powder snow, and an average of 7 cm of snowfall per day.

Ski in every imaginable way
The 7 ski resorts are located one after the other. The most popular are Happo-one, Hakuba 47 and Hakuba Goryu, where most hotels are also located. These areas have a great selection of restaurants and shops during the ski season, and if you live in one of these areas, most are within walking distance. Remember to acquire an All Hakuba Mountain Lift Pass, which provides unlimited access to all lift systems and slopes. There is a shuttle bus between the various resorts, so you can try all the slopes. Night skiing is possible in Happo-one, and the slopes are usually open until 21:00. Off-piste and excursions to other nearby ski resorts are also available. This is most easily and cheapest when arranged on-site. Cortina is the place for off-piste tours as the other resorts do not allow or have very strict rules for moving outside the marked areas.

Other attractions in Hakuba
Hakuba is a very lively area, even in the evening. The many bars and restaurants have good prices and usually good English service - many Australians travel to Hakuba! There are also many restaurants on the mountain tops in connection with the lift stations. Hakuba is also known for its many hot springs, or "onsen" as it is called in Japanese. Jigokudani is only 1 hour away - this is where you can see the famous snow monkeys bathing in hot springs!