Hakuba

Hakuba (白馬村 Hakuba-mura), is a skiing resort in Nagano Prefecture, in Chubu region of Japan.

Understand
The name Hakuba which means white horse was derived by the shape of a horse of snow on the mountain side during spring time. History shows traders following the famous Salt Road from the Sea of Japan to Matsumoto who would stop in the Hakuba valley overnight to rest.

Tourist information site
The village an official bilingual guide site.

By train
Hakuba is a stop on the JR Oito Line.

From Shinjuku in Tokyo, there is one daily Super Azusa limited express service that runs to Hakuba. The ride takes 3 hours, 45 minutes and costs ¥8070 each way. There is also an additional Azusa service on certain dates, making the run to Hakuba in about 4 hours.



Otherwise, you will have to take an Azusa or Super Azusa to Matsumoto and take one (possibly two) Oito Line local trains, increasing the journey to 4½ hours.

The fastest route from Tokyo is by Shinkansen (bullet train) from Tokyo Station to Nagano: 105 min/¥8,170. Then by bus from Nagano to Hakuba 65 min/¥1,500. Trains run every half hour or so, buses every hour. Note that the last bus from Nagano Station to Hakuba is 20:30. This whole trip takes just over 2½ hours, ¥9,700 one way.

These trips are useful for Japan Rail Pass holders, or else it is probably cheaper to take the bus.

Get around

 * Outside of the winter months, there are plenty of bike trails and walking paths to get around the area. Many hostels have bike rental which helps if you are a little bit outside of Hakuba proper.
 * If you are based around Kamishiro station, you are on the main rail line and road so a trip into Hakuba proper is only five minutes by JR or by bus.
 * The Shuttle Bus "Genki-Go" runs from December through March in the evenings from 17:00. Three lines run throughout Hakuba for ¥300 a ride.

During the Green Season
Near Hakuba, during the green season (i.e. spring, summer & autumn), there are three freshwater lakes that are so clean that you can swim in them. In order from south to north, they are called Aoki-ko, Nakatuna-ko, and Kizaki-ko. The use of engines and outboard motors is banned on Aoki-ko, making it the quietest and nicest of the three. Popular activities include boating, sport fishing, and windsurfing. Nakazuna-ko is very small and only really attracts fishermen. Kizaki-ko is the most developed, and since engines are allowed, sports like wakeboarding are popular.

During the summer, most of the ski resorts operate some of their lifts to allow access to higher elevations. At Hakuba 47 and Aokiko (in nearby Omachi), the lifts allow access for mountain biking. Hiking or simply enjoying the views are popular at Happo, Goryu and Tsugaike. Above Happo, an easy trail extends for 40 minutes to a small pond in which the local alpine peaks are reflected. A couple of hours further up the trail lies the peak of Mt. Karamatsu on the main ridge of the North Alps. The top ski run at Goryu becomes an alpine garden in summer and another trail leads further upward to a viewpoint (around 50 minutes) or the peak of Mt. Goryu itself (around four hours). Above Tsugaike, a further ropeway takes you to a wetland that is designated as a national park. A trail from here takes you up to Mt. Shirouma, after which Hakuba is named. Shirouma and Hakuba are different readings of the kanji for "white horse". The smaller ski field of Iwatake uses its pistes to grow thousands of lilies in summer and also has a dry ski slope if you're desperate for turns.

Like all mountain areas in Japan, temperatures in Hakuba stay much cooler than in the cities on Japan's Pacific coast. That alone makes it worthy of a visit.

Hakuba, located in Nagano Prefecture, equally central to Osaka, Nagoya and Tokyo and nestled at the base of the Northern Japan Alps is towered over by the Three Peaks which provide a stunning backdrop year round. While Hakuba is world famous for it's snow and boasts more than 10 resorts, the green season offers plenty to those craving an escape from the confines of Japan in general.

Do
Whether you're a snowboarder or skier, beginner or pro, with seven ski resorts in the area you shouldn't have problems finding a run to suit your style.

There are plenty of onsen (hot spring baths) in the Hakuba area, perfect for soaking away the aches and pains of a day on the slopes. Don't forget to wash off before you enter the water.

Buy
Hakuba's specialty products include blueberries and purple rice.
 * Fresh blueberries can be picked straight from the vine during spring and summer at the Blueberry Farm,, or purchased from most gift stores in the region.
 * For the same berry flavor with increased shelf-life, try some locally made blueberry youkan (sweet jelly) or daifuku (rice cakes with sweet paste).
 * Hakuba Murasakimai, or purple rice, is the result of boiling a mixture of glutinous and non-glutinous grains. It's available from roadside stations around Hakuba.

Go next

 * Visit the nearby towns of Ikeda, Matsukawa, and Otari.
 * Stop off in the prefectural capital of Nagano, with historic sites dating back to the 7th century.
 * Chikuma - Explore the onsens, mountains and temples of this small city straddling the picturesque Chikuma River
 * Matsumoto - Check out the famous black castle
 * Azumino - Spice up your life with a visit to the Wasabi farm
 * Jigokudani Monkey Park &mdash; snowbathing monkeys
 * Joshinetsu Kogen National Park &mdash; More fun in the snow at Shiga Kogen, Japan's largest ski resort
 * Ueda - castle ruins and mountain hikes