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Hakkoda is snow monster central! This unique and amazing one ropeway powder paradise o ers ridiculous amounts of quality snow and spectacular views over Aomori City to the deep blue bay beyond. It feels so remote, and you share it with just small groups of fellow Japow lovers and local backcountry enthusiasts. Join them soon and discover what secrets

Aomori has to o er.

Thanks to the shinkansen, you can easily be here by lunchtime o an overnight flight into Tokyo. Beautiful historic onsen surround the mountain, great fresh seafood is a given, and laid back big city shopping is available downtown for down days. It’s one of my all-time favourites says Owain Price.

Hakkoda is not for everybody. But it is for every powder lover with a sense of adventure and intermediate or better skill levels. There is no need to be an expert. Marked back country routes with amazing scenery around 5km long offer some mellow grades and steeper options higher up. But you should definitely seek expert assistance from the excellent local guides to discover the many different routes available. Some lead down to onsen and/or the road that surrounds the mountain, from where the guides will organise pick-ups. Check their office at the base of the separate small ski area next to the ropeway. Here a double chairlift offers a couple of groomed runs, and some short but very sweet powder lines. It’s great for anyone with friends/partners who can’t ski the main Hakkoda runs, or if winds/blizzards shut down the ropeway.

From the top of the ropeway there are a couple of marked routes down you can follow without guides. However, even along these two main routes the tree wells are massive. You need to be aware, be organised, have your safety gear, and don’t go alone.

Always respect the Mt Hakkoda Local Rules, with information on controlled areas, rescue fees etc. available on the link below.

Where to stay at Hakkoda?

A choice of hotels to suit different budgets are right next to the base, with more options scattered around the mountain up to 5 star standard. They mostly run shuttles to the Hakkoda base, plus a JR Rail bus runs from the city and Shin-Aomori shinkansen station. It is a true get-away-from-it-all experience staying here.

As Honshu’s most northerly prefecture, Aomori is one of the least populated, home to magnificent wild scenery. Hokkaido is just a short shinkansen tunnel ride away, so the snow quality is the same.

Being close to both the Sea of Japan and the Pacific, Hakkoda gets dumped on from all sides, especially from January to mid-March. After a huge day smashing the powder, the many onsen are the perfect recovery session. Don’t miss Aoni Onsen in Minami (south Hakkoda). This is famous as the “lamp inn” throughout Japan.

The lamps of the inn are lit as the evening approaches, changing the atmosphere to a magical world. The lamps are the only light source in the inn, so soaking outdoors by lamp light in the hot onsen is a magical experience.

Hakkoda More Info

Hakkoda Ropeway https://hakkoda-ski.com/ Mt Hakkoda Local Rules http://www.hakkoda-ropeway.jp/wp-content/ Aoni Onsen https://aomori-tourism.com/en/spot/detail_35.html