{"id":1634,"date":"2019-09-16T05:59:27","date_gmt":"2019-09-16T05:59:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.villa-finder.com\/magazine\/?p=1634"},"modified":"2023-10-02T07:11:25","modified_gmt":"2023-10-02T07:11:25","slug":"the-essential-hakuba-skiing-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.villa-finder.com\/magazine\/the-essential-hakuba-skiing-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"The Essential Hakuba Skiing Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"

Consistently superb skiing conditions, a variety of ski resorts to choose from, plenty of kid-friendly amenities\u2014Hakuba<\/a> definitely checks off the boxes as a prime ski destination for families.<\/span>\"kid-in-winter\"<\/p>\n

It\u2019s home to 10 major ski resorts, with each offering unique features, so getting to ski across different venues is one of the highlights here. Away from the slopes, Hakuba offers a great family experience<\/a>. There are excellent restaurants and apr\u00e8s-ski bars to check out, cultural activities to try out and onsens to unwind and take in stunning panoramas of the Japanese Alps.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Below, we\u2019ve put together a comprehensive Hakuba skiing guide<\/strong> for Hakuba first-timers. We\u2019ve covered the essentials<\/strong>, including where to ski, renting ski equipment and getting ski lessons.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Skiing in Hakuba<\/strong><\/h3>\n

There are <\/span>10 major ski resorts<\/b> in Hakuba Valley (Iimori is considered part of Goryu), with a few being connected resorts with shared lift passes: Goryu and Iimori connect to Hakuba47, and Norikura connects to Cortina.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Here\u2019s a brief overview of each resort:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Hakuba Goryu Snow Resort<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Hakuba Goryu connects to Iimori Goryu and Hakuba47, so you\u2019ll enjoy access to a variety of ski runs and facilities. The resort is a <\/span>great option for<\/b> beginners and intermediate skiers<\/b>, as it offers gentle slopes and long wide trails. Families will appreciate the resort\u2019s kid-friendly amenities – including childcare facilities and kids play areas – as well as the serene environment of Goryu Village.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Iimori Goryu Snow Resort Hakuba<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Iimori features long green runs and wide, groomed slopes <\/span>ideal for beginners<\/b>. The beginners\u2019 area offers lots of space too, and is a great space for first-timers to learn on. From the summit, you can access Hakuba47, where there are plenty of interesting runs suited for intermediate and advanced skiers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hakuba47 Winter Sports Park<\/strong><\/h4>\n

While Hakuba47 offers limited terrain for beginners, its challenging runs, dedicated off-piste tree zone, fantastic terrain park (it\u2019s the largest in Hakuba Valley) and half-pipe makes it a <\/span>great option for intermediate and advanced skiers<\/b>. If you\u2019re planning to do backcountry skiing, make sure you sign up for the Double Black Diamond Club upon arrival. You\u2019ll then be provided with a bib that grants you access to off-piste zones.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Jiigatake Ski Resort<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Jiigatake is a <\/span>great option for kids and beginners<\/b>. The resort offers wide-open course<\/span>s with gentle slopes, in addition to kids amenities like the \u201cKids\u2019 Trail\u201d and the popular \u201cKids\u2019 Troika\u201d attraction. Beginners l<\/span>ooking to\u00a0<\/span>take things up a notch can try skiing down the steeper runs located near the top of the resort. Jiigatake is also considerably less crowded and offers more affordable ski rental rates.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"ski-slope\"<\/p>\n

Tsugaike Kogen Snow Resort<\/strong><\/h4>\n

With the majority of its courses ideal for <\/span>beginner and intermediate skiers<\/b>, Tsugaike Kogen is one of the most <\/span>beginner-friendly<\/b> ski resorts in Hakuba.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Around the base of the mountain, you\u2019ll find gentle slopes and a spacious area where beginners can practice at. First-timers can practice skiing down the Kane-no-naru-oka Slope, a wide course (the maximum width spans 1,200 metres) with a gentle incline. There are just two major courses for advanced skiers, so Tsugaike Kogen isn\u2019t recommended if you\u2019re planning to practice across a range of challenging courses.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

If you\u2019re looking to stay away from the tourist hotspots of Happo and Echoland, Tsugaike<\/a> will fit the bill. The village is quiet, and lends itself to vacationers seeking a tranquil holiday.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hakuba Sanosaka Snow Resort<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Smaller than other major ski resorts, Sanosaka doesn\u2019t offer many runs, but it does feature a great terrain park for <\/span>beginners and intermediate skiers<\/b>. From the summit, you\u2019ll enjoy breathtaking views out to the surrounding mountains and a lake.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hakuba Iwatake Snow Field<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Iwatake offers plenty of terrain for <\/span>intermediate skiers<\/b>, and jaw-dropping views\u2014from the summit, you\u2019ll enjoy panoramic vistas of the Japanese Alps. There\u2019s also a terrain park, several steep green runs for beginners looking to <\/span>take things up a notch, as well as bump runs and powder lines for advanced skiers. However, there isn\u2019t a beginners area at the base, and there are few advanced runs and expert terrains for experienced skiers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"ski-filed-view\"
Credit: Gendron Ski<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Kashimayari Ski Resort<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Kashimayari is smaller compared to the other ski resorts, but it isn\u2019t as crowded, and offers a good variety of runs ideal for<\/span> beginners and intermediate skiers<\/b>. Skiing here is a feast for the eyes too\u2014Mt Kashimayari is scenic, and you\u2019ll enjoy views out to the lake and surrounding mountains from the peak.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hakuba Norikura Onsen Snow Resort<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Norikura offers a <\/span>good variety of runs for all levels<\/b>; there are wide gentle slopes for kids and beginners, as well as tree skiing and off-piste skiing for advanced skiers. The resort also contains a snow, park, kids park and mogul course. It connects to the Cortina too, and both resorts combined offer enough variety for a few days of skiing or snowboarding.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hakuba Cortina Snow Resort<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Advanced skiers<\/b> will appreciate the high snowfall (Cortina gets more snow compared to other resorts), fantastic tree runs, steep piste runs and quick access to off-piste. There\u2019s also a decent beginners area at the bottom, plus a good number of runs for <\/span>intermediate skiers<\/b>. However, the resort can get crowded during the peak season, such as on powder days where a 30 to 40-minute wait for the lift line isn\u2019t uncommon.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hakuba Happo-one Snow Resort<\/strong><\/h4>\n

As the largest ski resort in Hakuba, Happo-one features four base areas: Nakiyama, Shirakaba, Kokusai and Sakka. While the resort offers something for everyone\u2014including beginner slopes, mogul courses, long piste runs and off-<\/span><\/p>\n

\"ski-field\"
Source: Gendron Ski<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

piste terrain\u2014it\u2019s <\/span>best suited for intermediate and advanced skiers<\/b>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The wide, gentle slopes at Sakka makes it extremely beginner-friendly. It\u2019s also a great family area; there\u2019s a kids park, plus all the runs lead to the same place so there\u2019s little chance that groups will be split up.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Intermediate skiers will enjoy the resort\u2019s long groomed runs and superb fall-line. Head up to the Panoram and Kokusai 3 lifts to ski down a challenging red run, or try the Skyline Course. Advanced skiers can head for the steep groomed runs, Olympic courses and black mogul runs.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hakuba ski passes and lift tickets<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Most of the ski resorts offer a selection of lift tickets and season passes, such as lift tickets designated for use at a specific time of the day (i.e. day or night tickets), for a specific period (i.e. half-day or full-day tickets) or for a specific duration (i.e. two-day tickets).<\/span><\/p>\n

For avid skiers staying for an extended period of time in Hakuba, getting the season pass is your best option. If you\u2019re staying for just a couple of weeka, and want to hit the slopes across the different ski resorts, consider getting the <\/span>Hakuba Valley Lift Ticket<\/span><\/a> (previously known as the \u2018\u2019All Mountain Lift Pass\u201d). It\u2019s an all-mountain pass that provides full lift access to all 10 resorts under the Hakuba Valley group.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

If you intend to get individual resort lift tickets and passes, check out the links below:<\/span><\/p>\n