Where to Stay in Hakuba?
Host of multiple events during the 1998 Winter Olympic Games, Hakuba has a global reputation for big snow, great terrain and lots of fun off the slopes. Popular with both Japanese and international visitors, the area offers a huge variety of accommodation ranging from high-end to mid-range and budget, including large hotels, luxury chalets and family-run lodges. On this page you will find the following information:
— Best Places to Stay in Hakuba
— Accommodation & Ski Packages in Hakuba
— Hakuba Valley Ski Resorts: The Stats & Facts
— Japan Ski Resorts: Everything You Need to Know
— 25 Things to Do Around Hakuba
— Book With Us! Nagano’s No.1 Tour & Charter Operator
Dotted through the area, the greatest concentrations of accommodation are of course found around the ski resorts. The resorts are spread-out across a decent distance with only a couple being connected to each other. Of the resorts, Hakuba Happo-One Snow Resort is the largest and is directly accessible from Hakuba Village. Unsurprisingly, this area also has the most accommodation, dining, nightlife and can be accessed on-foot from the Hakuba Happo Bus Terminal.
Based in Nagano and operating all year round, we are a registered travel agent, tour and charter operator. We can arrange accommodation, transport, ticketing, rental, tours or put it all together into a ski package at any of Hakuba’s great resorts. For more information, see ‘Book With Us! Nagano’s No.1 Tour & Charter Operator’ below. Now let’s get into it with the big question:
BEST PLACES TO STAY IN HAKUBA
As Nagano’s best-known and most popular winter sports destination, Hakuba is now quickly developing a reputation as an all year round destination offering just as many reasons to visit in spring, summer and autumn. With its reputation built on winter, it’s no surprise that most accommodation can be found in and around the ski resorts and therefore, spread-out across the valley. Choosing where to stay depends on which resort you want to visit in winter, the activities you wish to enjoy from spring to autumn, and the range of dining and nightlife you want access to. In this section we will discuss the following accommodation areas:
HAKUBA VILLAGE — ABLE HAKUBA GORYU — HAKUBA47 — HAKUBA TSUGAIKE — HAKUBA CORTINA & NORIKURA
Each area offers good accommodation while allowing for access the major resorts of the valley. Let’s start with the most popular and best accommodation area in the valley:
HAKUBA VILLAGE
Located around the centre of the valley, Hakuba Village is a large area positioned between Hakuba Station and Hakuba Happo-One Snow Resort. In this area you will find the greatest range of accommodation, plenty of restaurants, shopping outlets, bars, supermarkets and the Hakuba Happo Bus Terminal making it the ideal base from where to venture to any ski resort or part of the valley. Within Hakuba Village, accommodation is concentrated in three main districts:
1 / HAPPO-ONE AREA: located around the bus terminal and the Happo Gondola Station / Shirakaba slopes of Hakuba Happo One.
2 / WADANO AREA: located a little further to the north and providing access to the Kokusai and Sakka slopes of Hakuba Happo One.
3 / ECHOLAND AREA: lively area of accommodation, bars and restaurants between the Hakuba Ski Jump and Hira River.
For accommodation listings for the overall village, see our ‘Hakuba Village / Happo One Area’ hotel page. Now let’s consider each area of the village:
1 / HAPPO-ONE AREA / Happo Bus Terminal accessible on-foot
The Happo-One area of the village offers lots of accommodation, including plenty of mid-range and budget options, restaurants, shops and nightlife. Located around the Hakuba Happo Bus Terminal, this is the ideal location from where to head to any of the ski resorts by bus or taxi, while being able to walk to the Shirakaba and Nakiyama slopes of the largest resort in the valley, Hakuba Happo-One Snow Resort.Lively at night, this area is popular with a younger crowd and it can be noisy. For visitors staying in the area, we recommend:
Marillen Hotel
Sitting at the base of the Nakiyama ski slopes at Hakuba Happo One Snow Resort, Marillen Hotel offers guests the convenience of ski-in/out accommodation and Western amenities. Guests can choose from multiple room types – suitable for single travellers, couples, groups of friends or families – featuring Western-style bedding, private bathroom and Austrian-style timber furniture with the hotel’s restaurant and bar looking onto the ski slopes – the perfect place to end the day and talk-up your exploits!
2 / WADANO AREA / 5-minutes from Happo Bus Terminal
Just to the north of the Happo-One area, Wadano offers visitors some excellent large hotels and self-contained accommodation. Spread through a forest, Wadano is picturesque and has some great restaurants including those catering to an older crowd. Depending on the exact location of your accommodation, you may be able to walk to the Kokusai and Sakka slopes of Hakuba Happo-One. If you’re after higher-end accommodation and a little seclusion, Wadano is a good choice and we recommend:
Hakuba Tokyu Hotel
Situated in the Wadano area of Hakuba Village and within easy reach of Hakuba Happo-One, Hakuba Tokyu Hotel offers high-end accommodation in the heart of the action. Tokyu Hotel offers guests a selection of spacious, Western-style rooms along with two restaurants and a bar/lounge, in-house hot spring and day-spa, and full concierge services. Guests will love the choice of three restaurants serving both international and Japanese cuisine and daily breakfast service, along with the in-house hot spring facility and full concierge services.
Phoenix Chalets
Looking for Hakuba’s most luxurious private accommodation? Look no further than Phoenix Chalets. Located in the forested Wadano area of Hakuba village, multiple luxury and ultra-luxe chalets are available throughout the year. Between 4 to 10 guests can be accommodated in chalets ranging from 2 to 5-bedroom, with each chalet appointed with luxury furnishings, modern design and full concierge services provided through nearby Phoenix Hotel including in-house catering and complimentary vehicle.
Phoenix Hotel
Phoenix Hotel blends Japanese aesthetic and Western amenities is a seamless and elegant blend of luxury and comfort. Offering five room types, with the option of both Western or Japanese ‘futon’ bedding, the design of each rooms uses traditional Japanese minimalism in order to maximise the space, comfort and relaxation of guests. Located in the forested Wadano area of Hakuba village, Phoenix Hotel places you within easy reach of Hakuba Happo-One and the valley’s best dining and nightlife.
The Ridge Hotel & Apartments
Offering luxury accommodation in the forested Wadano area of Hakuba village, the Ridge Hotel & Apartments puts guests within easy reach of Hakuba Happo-One along with the best restaurants, bars and nightlife in the valley. The hotel offers contemporary self-contained apartments including Western-style rooms, bedding and full kitchens with an emphasis on space, comfort and privacy. With the added convenience of the hotel’s inhouse restaurant, lounge and full concierge services, The Ridge is hard to beat.
3 / ECHOLAND AREA / <10-minutes from Happo Bus Terminal
To the south of these two areas – 10 to 15-minutes drive (depending on your exact location) or a long walk in winter – Echoland feels like a village all to itself. Accommodation, restaurants and bars run along the main road with plenty of hotels and lodges spread through the surrounding streets. This area is not directly connected to any ski resort but places you midway between Hakuba47 Winter Sports Park and ABLE Hakuba Goryu Snow Resort to the south and Hakuba Happo One Snow Resort to the north – all around 10-minutes drive. Another area popular with a younger crowd, the main street can be pretty lively at night meaning that if you want a bit of peace and quiet, look for accommodation in one of the side streets and away from the bars. For accommodation listings, see our ‘Hakuba Village / Happo One Area’ hotel page.
HAKUBA GORYU AREA / 10 to 15-minutes from Happo Bus Terminal
When approaching Hakuba Valley from Nagano City, the first ski resorts you will see are ABLE Hakuba Goryu Snow Resort and the adjoining Hakuba47 Winter Sports Park. Always popular with international visitors, skiers and snowboarders planning to spend a lot of time at the resorts might want to consider staying in the area immediately around them. Visitors heading to Hakuba Goryu have the option of staying around Escal Plaza – the main area of the resort and serviced by buses to the Hakuba Happo Bus Terminal and other resorts in the valley. There’s a decent number of options to choose from including lodges, family-run guesthouses and some self-contained accommodation. Best suited to visitors planning to spend most of their time skiing and snowboarding at Goryu and 47. For accommodation listings, see our ‘ABLE Hakuba Goryu Area’ hotel page.
HAKUBA47 AREA / 10 to 15-minutes from Happo Bus Terminal
Hakuba47 Winter Sports Park sits at the southern end of Hakuba Valley and connects to the larger ABLE Hakuba Goryu Snow Resort. When considered together, the two resorts are only marginally smaller than Hakuba Happo-One Snow Resort and offer some of the best skiing and snowboarding in Nagano. Hakuba 47 only has a couple of options when it comes to accommodation and little in the way of nightlife. If you can’t find what you’re looking for in the area, consider staying in the Hakuba Goryu area – as the two resorts are connected by their upper runs or Hakuba Village – only 10-15 minutes drive away. For accommodation listings, see our ‘Hakuba47 Area’ hotel page.
HAKUBA TSUIGAIKE AREA / 15 to 20-minutes from Happo Bus Terminal
Tsugaike Kogen Snow Resort lies around 8km to the north of Hakuba Village and Hakuba Happo-One Snow Resort. Tsugaike is a relatively large, single resort well-suited to beginners. Connected to a decent-sized village itself, Tsugaike can also be used as a base to stay a multi-day visit – although if your intention is to explore multiple resorts, it makes more sense to base yourself in and around the Hakuba Village. For accommodation listings, see our ‘Hakuba Tsugaike Area’ hotel page.
HAKUBA CORTINA & NORIKURA AREA / 20 to 25-minutes from Happo Bus Terminal
As the most northern resorts in the Hakuba Valley, Hakuba Cortina Snow Resort and Hakuba Norikura Onsen Snow Resort take a little more effort to get to, but when the snow is good it’s great and you’ll be very happy you made the effort. As the larger of the two resorts, Cortina is serviced by the very large Hotel Green Plaza at the base of the ski fields, while Norikura has a couple of large hotels and smaller guesthouses. Norikura also boasts a couple of accommodation options with ‘onsen’ (natural hot springs) – hugely enjoyable at the end of a long day on the mountain. For accommodation listings, see our ‘Hakuba Cortina / Norikura Area’ hotel page.
ACCOMMODATION & SKI PACKAGES IN HAKUBA
Based in Nagano and operating all year round, we are a registered travel agent, tour and charter operator offering a full-suite of winter services including ski/snowboard packages, accommodation, lift passes, private charters and a range of tours including both group and private options covering the resorts of Hakuba:
HAKUBA ACCOMMODATION & SKI PACKAGES
The multiple resorts of Hakuba Valley are among Nagano’s most popular, offering a plenty of terrain and the region’s best backcountry skiing and snowboarding. Hakuba boasts the most services for English-speaking visitors and huge range of accommodation including plenty of mid to high-end options, shopping, restaurants and nightlife. Always popular, it pays to book early – PLAN & BOOK IN HAKUBA NOW!
HAKUBA VALLEY SKI RESORTS: THE STATS & FACTS
The resorts making-up Hakuba Valley are some of the most popular in Japan, offering fantastic skiing and snowboarding in combination with lots of great accommodation, restaurants and nightlife. Not sure why which is right for you? Our ‘Hakuba Valley Ski Resorts’ page has everything you need to know to plan and book your next winter getaway including all the resort stats and facts, how to get there and of course more accommodation and ski package info.
JAPAN SKI RESORTS: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW
Did you know that the resorts of Hakuba are just some of the more than eighty ski resorts in Nagano and more than five hundred in Japan? Needless to say, when you choose Nagano for your winter getaway you are spoiled for choice! Our ‘Japan Ski Resorts’ page has everything you need to know to start planning your ski and snowboard adventure including: LATEST NEWS & DEALS, THE BEST RESORTS IN NAGANO & JAPAN, FAQs and of course OUR SKI PACKAGES, ACCOMMODATION, TRANSPORT & TOURS.
25 THINGS TO DO AROUND HAKUBA
Most famous for the snow of winter, Hakuba is quickly establishing itself as an all-year-round destination with just as much to do in spring, summer and autumn. From the adventure of hiking some of Japan’s tallest mountains, rafting, ballooning and more to the indulgence of great restaurants, hot springs and glamping, Hakuba has something for everyone. Our ’25 Things To Do Around Hakuba’ page is a great place to start when planning your visit.
JAPAN ADVENTURE TRAVEL
Lying in the foothills of the Chubu Sangaku National Park – the third largest national park in the country and Japan’s highest mountain range – Hakuba has quickly established itself as one of Japan’s premier green season/adventure travel destinations with lots on offer from outstanding hiking and mountaineering, MTB, water sports and more. Our ‘Japan Adventure Travel’ page has lots of great information about the activities on offer along with the other great adventure destinations in Central Japan.
HOW TO GET TO HAKUBA
Hakuba lies around one hour to the west of Nagano City and can be easily reached using buses from Nagano Station and the Tokyo airports, by train, by car or by arranging private transport straight to your accommodation. Our ‘How To Get To Hakuba’ page explains how to reach the valley from different areas of Japan.
BOOK WITH US! NAGANO’S NO.1 TOUR & CHARTER OPERATOR
Snow Monkey Resorts is Nagano’s No.1 tour and charter operator. We have the local knowledge of where and when to go, to help you discover and enjoy the region’s many ski resorts and other fantastic destinations and activities.
For guests wanting to access the resorts in the comfort of their own transport, we can arrange a private tour or charter customised to fit your needs, starting and ending at any destination including from/to Nagano Station and any resort in the region. Our drivers and vehicles are fully certified, allowing us to transport you to and from your preferred destinations in combination with any activity that suits your schedule.
All vehicles are fitted with a protective screen – separating the driver from passenger and luggage area – and our drivers wear protective masks, allowing you to move between your destinations in comfort and safety. We can arrange both private tours with an English-speaking guide or a private charter, including a private vehicle and driver but without a guide. We’d love to be part of that experience and help you discover even more!
Why choose us?
Awarded a 2022 TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Award for our 1-Day Snow Monkeys, Zenko-ji Temple & Sake Tour – recognised as one of the Top 10 Experiences in Japan – we have the local knowledge and experience to help you get the most out of your time in Japan.
Got a question about visiting Hakuba? Contact us and let’s get planning together!
