Hakuba

Hakuba is a village in the northwest of Nagano Prefecture, in a narrow valley at the foot of the Hida mountain range, the Northern Alps. To the west rise the three peaks of Hakuba Sanzan — Shirouma, Shakushi and Yari — nearly 3,000 meters high, which often keep snow until early summer. The village has relied on mountain tourism since the early 20th century, and its name comes from the Shirouma peak, written with the same characters.

In 1998, at the Nagano Winter Olympics, Hakuba hosted the alpine speed events, ski jumping and cross-country skiing. The ski-jump stadium still stands and includes a tower you can visit, and the Happo-one resort, where the downhill races took place, is the largest in the valley. The valley brings together around ten ski resorts, between Hakuba and the neighboring villages of Otari and Omachi, with a joint lift pass.

In winter, the season generally runs from December to March, with snowfall varying each year, and the valley attracts many foreign skiers. In summer and autumn, the lifts carry you to high-altitude trails: Lake Happo, above 2,000 meters, reflects the Hakuba Sanzan mountains, and Tsugaike Natural Park, a high-altitude marsh, has flowers and wooden boardwalks.

Hakuba is about an hour by bus from Nagano, where the shinkansen from Tokyo stops, and pairs well with Omachi, the eastern gateway to the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route, about 30 minutes to the south. There are hot springs in the village, such as those at Happo Onsen, and family-run inns alongside larger hotels.

This destination brings together 1 city: Hakuba.