Hakuba Valley- Everything You Need To Know
A showcase of everything the Hakuba Valley has to offer!
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Just over three hours from downtown Tokyo in the Northern Japanese Alps – Hakuba is an experience incomparable to others. The valley can claim more sunshine than its neighbours, a cluster of mountains with wide ranging terrain, delicious restaurants, great bars, huge snowfalls and the steepest runs of the country’s 600 alpine resorts.
For those who have rightfully decided to tick this off their bucket list of must-ski destinations, here is an insider’s guide for what is one of Japan’s largest winter resorts. Download our full guide to find out everything you need to know about Hakuba. We’ve provided a preview of what’s in the guide below.
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How To Get There
Flying in to Tokyo, Narita airport you have two options for transportation to Hakuba. The fastest route requires two trains and a bus. The first train will be from Narita airport (these trains leave the airport frequently), delivering you to Tokyo Station within the hour. From there you take the bullet train – famously known as the Shinkansen – to Nagano Terminal. Pre-book for the Shinkansen (8,200 yen) so you can assure yourself of a seat. It will probably be the nicest train trip you’ve ever taken with scenic views of the Japanese countryside and the pure modern amenities of the train itself (wait till you see the bathroom’s, you’ll want to live in one!). From Nagano Terminal you take a one and a half hour bus (1,800 yen), which will deliver you safely to Hakuba Station. In total this route will take no more than four hours.
The second option is to take the Nagano Snow Shuttle (10,250 Yen) from Narita airport into Hakuba. This trip will take just over five hours in total but it’s the most direct route and will save you having to lug your things around from station to station.
Where To Stay
As ski towns go, Hakuba is definitely on the vast side and therefore has plenty of options to choose from in terms of accommodation. The valley is separated into various boroughs including Goryu, Kamishiro, Echoland, Happo Village and Wadano. There are plenty of options for those who are doing Hakuba on a budget as well as those who want to take the five star route.
When it comes to Accommodation we recommend staying in the Echaoland, Happo and Wadano areas of Hakuba as this will give you easy access to more ski resorts, more après options, bars, restaurants, café’s and shops.
Restaurants and Dining
Hakuba is blessed with an array of restaurants to suit the budget conscious or the fine dining enthusiast. Sifting through the various online reviews may leave your head in a spin as to where to eat while you are on holiday, so we thought we’d take the time and offer up our take on some of the best restaurants to eat in Hakuba. Whether you are after sushi or schnitzel, a bulging wallet or on a budget, our guide has you covered on all fronts.
Our complete guide tells you how to get there, where to ride, things to do, rental equipment, lessons, guiding, where to stay as well as where to eat and drink.
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