Hakuba Connect 2019-2020 by Snow Connections

THE PERFECT CHOICE FOR YOUR STAY IN HAKUBA

Celebrate the beauty of the surroundings and connect with your wild side in Hakuba. Discover the perfect balance of relaxation and adventure, and create memories of a lifetime when you plan a unique mountain getaway at Hakuba`s spectacular Sierra resort. Hakuba Valley shuttle buses stop at the front of the hotel and will whisk you to your chosen ski area in a matter of minutes. After a day on the slopes, take advantage of our hot spring onsen, housed in a traditional 100 year old former private home. The perfect way to soothe out those aching pains. Choose either in house dining at either our French or Japanese restaurants or take a trip into town with a complimentary shuttle.

Avalanche accidents are confusing, tearful experiences. Executing a successful rescue requires that you control your emotions and focus on the rescue. Read how expert Evergreen Outdoor Center’s mountain guide James Robb dealt with the situation in Hakuba last season.

Soft, white, cool and romantic, snow makes us all kids again, and when we look at freshly fallen snow, all white

Kashimayari 120 Sanosaka 122 Hakuba Goryu & 47 124 Hakuba Happo-one 126 Iwatake Snowfield 128 Tsugaike Kogen 130 Hakuba Norikura 132 Hakuba Cortina 134 and clean, all we want to do is dive right into it! And what do you think dogs want? Exactly the same! Learn how a puppy living in Hakuba makes his debut in the annual Dog Sports Day at Iwatake Snowfield.

Don’t forget your camera the next time you head out to one of Hakuba Valley’s snow resorts. We did, but luckily, we had our smartphones with us. Taking photos on your adventures can be incredibly rewarding, but it can also be incredibly frustrating. Learn how to get that perfect Instagram shot on a smartphone camera.

Few of us like getting up before the sun, particularly if the temperature outside is sub-zero. Riding at first light of day when the mountain wakes up, on the undefiled snow, at the crack of dawn is an exhilarating experience.

Think you know the Hakuba Valley? Take this quiz and see this fun and informative list of facts about the local area that you may not have known. For instance, did you know that ...

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www.hakuba-h.tokyuhotels.co.jp

TEL: 0261-72-3001

low these tips and you’ll be more comfortable driving on the snow and ice. Is the Hakuba valley a good investment? Hakuba and all it has to offer in both winter and summer is the perfect get-away for many property owners, but there are many things to consider before putting down your hard-earned cash and signing on the dotted line.

There are many ways for each of us to reduce our impact on the environment, and the majority are remarkably easy. Here, we highlight a few ways to go green on your stay in the Hakuba Valley.

Navigating winter weather can be tricky, especially for those who’ve never driven in Hakuba Valley’s winter climate. Worry not— if it’s your first time driving on snowy roads, we have you covered. Fol-

Thinking about trying backcountry skiing or snowboarding? Before you head out on your first trip, it’s essential that you have a solid understanding of what it takes to travel responsibly in the backcountry and what training is required through an Avalanche Safety Course with the mountain guides from Evergreen Outdoor Center.

News 16 Events 42 Shopping 60 Hakuba Essentials 72 Onward Travel 74 Activities 84 Tours 93 On the Mountain 98

Hakuba Connect annual winter visitor guide is free when picked up at distribution points throughout the Hakuba Valley. © Snow Connections. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is prohibited. Individual advertisers are solely responsible for the content of advertising material which they submit to us, including ensuring that it complies with relevant legislation. We accept no responsibility for the content of advertising material, including, without limitation, any error omission or inaccuracy therein © Snow Connections.

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Winter is here, and I am so excited! We’re celebrating another snow season of ski and snowboarding adventures in the Hakuba Valley with tons of fresh snow. Yes, the skiing and snowboarding are phenomenal in Hakuba, but there’s a whole lot more going on here. Of course, we here at Hakuba Connect highly recommend that visitors ski or snowboard on the valley’s world-class slopes. It’s an exhilarating experience that’s tough to match. But we also think if all you do here is ski, you’re missing out on what could be some of the best times of your life. So, read on in this issue to discover more about other activities, such as snowshoeing, snowmobiling and even taking a visit to the ski-jumping stadium built for the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics. There’s so much to discover — on the slopes and off — that we’re sure you’ll just have to come back for more! SW

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Contact Information Snow Connections Mikiyo Williams 1606-4 Hokujo, Hakuba, Nagano 399-9301, Japan Editor Design English Tel: 080-3126-0247 Steve Williams Michael Grove Japanese Tel: 080-3422-9005 Contributors Ashish Bose sales@hakubaconnect.com Stewart Adamson www.hakubaconnect.com James Robb Mia Williams Photgraphers Published by Patrick Fux Snow Connections www.hakubaconnect.com

As the ﬁrst of its kind, not only in Japan but in the world, Hakuba Happo-one has brought the beach vibes to a ski resort. Visitors can sit back and relax on recliners and hammocks while sipping cocktails and Corona beer under beach parasols on the slopes, where not long before, Olympic skiers were hurtling down. The Mountain Beach’s centerpiece is

the pair of gondolas that have been converted into four-person saunas. Visitors will be able to sweat their worries and tensions away in a cozy gondola. Unfortunately for thrill-seekers, the gondolas don’t move; they are aﬃxed to the decking. The Mountain Beach will serve a range of hot-dogs, burgers, sandwiches, sal-

Hot on the heels of Omusubi (onigiri), which opened last year, new freeriding opportunities are available at Happo-one with the opening of the Tenbo area to skiers to the right of the Usagidaira slope. The slope is accessible from the top of the Alpen Quad lift. Please remember, if the area is closed, it is closed for a reason.

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ads and snacks to keep you going on the slopes. You’ll also find a variety of hot beverages so can enjoy a morning coffee or a hot cocoa as well as a range of cold alcoholic drinks, perfect for an afternoon après-ski drink. So, sit back and relax at the Mountain Beach that offers panoramic views of the beautiful Hakuba mountains and ski area.

Sanosaka Ski resort is becoming the ski area where you can not only have a lot of fun on the slopes, but you can also enjoy a little down time at the new Chairlift bar directly at the base area. As the name suggests, the Chairlift bar is made from assorted old chairlifts that have been converted to lounge in, chill out and listen to some tunes. Also new this year is a kid’s nature tour, so drop your kids oﬀ while you ski, and let the little ones snowshoe and learn all about the unique forests of Hakuba. Hopefully, they will even see some forest animals. Sanosaka have also added tree-skiing courses and a new beginners tow rope. Best of all, Sanosaka is dog friendly!

Able Hakuba Goryu is looking forward to the 2019-2020 winter season for many reasons, not the least of which is an upcoming 50th anniversary. It originally opened for skiing in the winter of 1969-

1970 as the Toomi ski area, which later merged with the Iimori ski area to form Hakuba Goryu. The resort is home to Japan’s ﬁrst gondola built in 1973. The many expansions and improve-

Want to try something new on the mountain? Trade your skis or board for a snow tube at the new snow tubing hill at Kashimayari Snow Resort. Sledding on inﬂated inner tubes has been around a long time, but modern lift-serviced snowtubing has only just started to become popular. It is becoming a favorite wintertime activity, as no special skills are required, and it appeals to all age groups. The tube hill is a whopping 500 meters long, the longest in Japan. Don’t worry about walking up—the tube slope is serviced by a chairlift.

ments over the years added chairlifts, base facilities and infrastructure to accommodate the growing population of snow enthusiasts from both Japan and overseas. Not to be outshone, Goryu’s

neighbor and shared lift pass Hakuba47 is celebrating its 30th anniversary. The Hakuba Valley’s most recent resort opened in 1990 and has probably the easiest name to explain. This is the place to enjoy all FOUR seasons, SEVEN days a week

Most winter visitors only see Hakuba blanketed in white, and they are surprised to learn that the valley is not only an international resort but also a farming village with rice as its main crop. Because a good quantity of water is necessary to grow the rice that is used to make sake, many farmers irrigate their paddies with water drawn directly from the nearby rivers. But because much of the terrain is mountainous, it’s common to have the paddies arranged in terraced slopes where the water ﬂows from top to bottom. So, the snow that you were skiing on last season is now the water that is used to grow the rice to make sake. The sake from Hakuba is called Kurobishi, named after the upper part of Happo-one. It will be released on January 18th and will be available at many restaurants in Happo Village and throughout Hakuba. As well as over the counter at Kajikura liquor store. Ask for it by name!

It’s a crazy world that’s only getting crazier so, in this day and age, a little convenience goes a long long way. Wouldn’t it be nice to have to unrestricted access to VIP lounges, a dedicated parking area, private bus service as well as priority lift line access. For almost anyone the answer is an obvious “yes”. Sounds too good to be true, but it is true at Hakuba Iwatake Snow Field this season in their Hakuba S Class. We are trying to think was S stands for…Select, Stylish, Superb, or even Japanese words Saiko or Subarashi! At the time of going to print we don’t have too much details, so check out their website for more iwatake-mountain-resort.com

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Evergreen Outdoor Backcountry Guide James Robb brutally honest account of a successful rescue of a skier buried in an avalanche. James recounts this story to share what he learned from a truly remarkable avalanche rescue in the hope that this information can make backcountry enthusiasts re-think where they are skiing and how a great powder day can turn really nasty, really fast.

s a ski guide in the Hakubamountain ranges for over 10 years, my guiding team and I are in the backcountry almost every day in the winter season and we see a wide range of people in the field. We often run into other guiding operations, recreational weekend warriors, tourists on holiday and even skiers and boarders out by themselves. We see many groups and individuals making both good and poor terrain choices in the backcountry. On this particular day, March 8th, 2019, we had four guided groups in the Tsugaike area. It was a beautiful sunny day with over 30 cm of new snow over the past 24hours. The winds had been up for the past 12 hours, lots of snow transport had been occurring and temperatures were

forecast to climb as soon as the sun came out. Conditions were going to be epic and they turned out to be pretty damn sweet where we skied our first run on Tenguhara main bowl (lookers right of the normal ascent route). On our ascent we saw a male Japanese telemarker out by himself skiing the Tenguhara face beside the up-track. We met him on the up-track and I asked how the snow was and I commented on the nice weather. We stopped and he continued above us, up the climbers left up-track towards West Tenguhara. We got to the top of our run, de-skinned and rode some excellent powder down the Tenguhara main bowl, then traversed over and skied straight on down to the small moun-

The buried skier was not conscious, not breathing and had no pulse. We checked his airway which had snow in it, we cleared that out, set on the CPR mask and gave two rescue breaths. 22

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taineering museum hut beside the Tsugaike Hutte. We were just starting to eat lunch with our guests when I looked up and saw a fresh avalanche crown that was not there about 2 minutes prior. There was one set of tracks going in, but no tracks coming out from the bottom. This particular slope is a â&#x20AC;&#x153;repeat offenderâ&#x20AC;? as I had seen a skier trigger and be caught in the exact same spot this past January. Luckily in that case the guy lost just a ski, was not swept down very far and was on the surface. I decided to check out the avalanche, as we saw no tracks coming out from the bottom. It took me about 5 min to skin up to the bottom of the debris, I turned my beacon to search, walked another 10 meters, then got a signal of about 28. At this point I called in to my other guides in the area, telling them I had a signal and was starting the rescue. I followed the signal to where I saw a ski poking out; there was a boot attached to the ski and a skier attached to the

boot. I immediately got my probe out, probed his torso or backpack, about 80 cm down and started to dig, also radioing in that I needed immediate assistance. Both his telemark skis were on and he had one pole on, with the pole strap attached to his wrist which was holding his arm down. His head was about 1 meter down facing into the mountain. He was lying across the hill, his feet were to the left, his backpack was on, he had no airbag and his beacon was on SEND. Two other Evergreen guides arrived on the scene after 5 minutes and we rolled him onto his back to begin checking his vitals and starting first aid. The buried skier was not conscious, not breathing and had no pulse. We checked his airway which had snow in it, we cleared that out, set on the CPR mask and gave two rescue breaths. While I was giving breaths, the other guide immediately began chest compressions. With three staff members there, we were able to switch rescue roles and I was able to act as the com-

munications person. We called into Evergreen Base, then I spoke with nearby Omachi & Hakuba police who confirmed our location, the weather at the location and then arranged a helicopter long-line evacuation. After 20 minutes another Evergreen guide arrived to help and luckily he had a nasopharyngeal airway,a kind of latex nose tube which allowed us to keep his airway open. We treated for shock and kept him insulated and warm. We provided additional first aid by treating by splinting a possible broken arm, possible broken leg and possible dislocated shoulder. After 30 minutes of doing CPR, to our astonishment and total relief, the man began to get an erratic pulse and began to breathe again on his own! We were so happy and felt our efforts really amounted to saving his life. We positioned him in the recovery position on his side and closely monitored him, taking notes of his pulse rate and breathing rate. About 90 minutes later the helicopter arrived, two helicopter rescuers

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rappelled down and took over the care of the man. For them to secure him and prepare him for the long-line extraction, they decided to roll him onto his back and remove all the covering insulation we had used. Subsequently by being rolled onto his

back the man vomited. We therefore had to get him quickly into the drainage /recovery position and clear his airway again. He continued to breathe on his own, thank goodness! They then secured him into a sewn rescue harness and long-lined the man up to the helicopter. Meanwhile, while we were doing the rescue and first-aid, our other guests were taken safely back down to the resort by the other guides. Since there was still overhead danger of avalanches coming down on us while we were doing the rescue, we had one tail-guide keep an eye on the terrain above us and would radio us if any other groups were coming in on top of us.

This allowed us to comment on our own responses, actions and plan to make any future rescues even better. Please note this skier was skiing alone, not part of any group and not part of an Evergreen tour.

What I really learned from being involved in this avalanche rescue are a few key points: • Having a good team to support you is really critical in getting an effective and ultimately positive outcome.

Once the man was helicoptered out, we packed up our rescue gear and skied back to Tsugaike resort. The next week, I met with the man’s family who were very appreciative of all the efforts of our guides and told us the man had been taken to the Matsumoto hospital, was breathing strongly on his own but still unconscious. At time of writing, fall 2019 he is in hospital doing rehabilitation, he can read newspapers and speak with his family. Hopefully he will make the full recovery and he wants to come skiing with us once fully active. We were all super happy to be able to aid in this rescue, do CPR and bring him back to life. As with many major accidents and rescue situations, we had a solid team debrief and review of the rescue.

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• That day’s conditions allowed for a positive outcome; we were in the right place at the right time, we had clear skies and light wind, the location was easily reached, we had a clear communication link, we had guides in the area for support. • Having the right First-Aid equipment with you is so important. In this case the nasopharyngeal airway was what saved his life. Oral or nasal airway tubes with a good CPR mask is critical • Skiing or riding alone in the backcountry is super risky. • Fresh powder and blue skies do tend to tempt people to step up their terrain choices and exposure • Keeping an eye out (below and above you) at all times is really important.

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Located at Iwatake snowfield, Hakuba Brew Pub is an oasis from the winter elements. Serving home cooked food and more than a dozen draught taps, the western style pub offers a charming rustic interior and views over the snowfield. Free evening shuttle service (bookings essential). Dinner reservations advisable.

Ph: 0261-85-2414

t is time for the annual Dog Sport’s Day at Iwatake Snowfield. Actually, the name is WAN WAN Sports day. WAN WAN is the onomatopoeic phrase sound that dogs make in Japan, similar to bow-wow in English. Many kids and even some adults will call dogs wan wan instead of the correct term, which is inu. Dogs are very popular pets in Japan and more so in the Hakuba Valley. One of the most famous dog stories in Japan is the story of Hachiko, who met his master at Tokyo’s Shibuya Station at the end of every workday. Even after his master died one day at work, Hachiko continued to wait at the station for 10 years. He became a popular symbol of devotion. After his death, Hachiko's body was put in a museum, and there is a bronze statue of him in front of Shibuya station! My name is Tiffany, and I am a one-year old golden retriever living year-round in the resort of Hakuba. I like to play in the snow, and I love the lakes and rivers in the valley in the summertime. This is my first time at the Wan Wan Sports Day, and being the youngest, I am quite nervous. The first race of the day is the owners and dogs 50-meter dash. I am up for this. I have a good plan: being a faster runner than my owner, I will pull her as hard as I can so we can get over the finish line in first place. We are under starting orders, and bang! Away we go! We are doing well, but at the halfway point, I can smell something. It smells like my favorite snacks: cookies. I have to stop and take a look and try to find the snack, I wag my tail, but I can’t find any cookies. My owner starts pulling me; this wasn’t in the script. I keep turning back to see if that snack will somehow appear. Sad to say, we don’t win the race, but at least everyone seems happy, and I do get a cookie at the end. Next up is the group relay. I am placed with the older golden retrievers. It is nice to make so many new friends. Our rivals are the smaller dogs, who look like easy pickings, and the mighty huskies, who seem to be so at ease in the snow. One of the huskies with blue eyes is watching me closely, I am getting a little frightened until he comes over for a sniff and just wants to make my acquaintance. The relay is fun, and we come out in second place behind the huskies. The final event is the obstacle course. Again, this is an owner and dog race; it involves going under matting, then having a quick bite for both me and my owner followed by putting on a fancy dress. Away we go in our heat of 4 other dogs. We get to the matting and my owner duly starts to crawl under, but I prefer to go over! People are cheering for us loudly. We take a bite of the giant cookie, then put on the fancy dress and it’s the homeward stretch. We pull into the lead and cross the finish line, but have we won?

We are both panting after the exertions and yes, we have won. It is great being Hakuba’s golden girl.

Wan Wan Sport’s day is scheduled for March 1st at Iwatake Snowfield

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t is one of the those perfect Hakuba Valley evenings, with hardly any wind blowing, and the snowflakes are the size of Japanese 500-yen coins, but of course a lot lighter. The stillness outside means that if this snowstorm keeps up, tomorrow will be a deep-blower powder day without the wind that usually accompanies the storms that blow in from Siberia in the north. We wake up to the sound of a small jet taking off. I realize that it’s the sound of the snow sliding off the steep roof. Actually, you will notice that all the roofs in Hakuba have steep pitches to make sure the snow slides off and does not build up on the roof. Just be careful when walking under the eaves! Snow sliding off roofs kills people every year. I put on my long snow boots, which are a necessity for anyone living in snow country. I open the front door and step outside, and I watch as my breath mixes with the cold air, like I am smoking a Cuban cigar. It is cold, a good sign that the snow will be blower powder. Blower powder is when the snow is fluffy, loose and you are unable to make a snowball. It’s great snow to ride on your skis or snowboard, and it gives you the feeling that you are (literally)

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This kind of snow feels bottomless when it falls in huge amounts.

floating on air. You cut through it like a hot knife through butter. This kind of snow feels bottomless when it falls in huge amounts. It is great for powder photo shots. I confirm this blower with a few shovels of snow; the snow depth is 22cm. 22cm might not seem like a lot, but you can usually double the amount on the mountain and even triple it on the northern resorts of Hakuba Cortina and Hakuba Norikura. It is the northern resorts that we decide to head to for a photo shoot. In the excitement of the new snow and deciding where to go, as we pack the car and backpacks, I somehow commit a photographer’s cardinal sin and forget to add the DSLR to the backpack. The only backup we have are our smartphones, which have good cameras for selfies but I’m not sure about the action shots in the deep powder. We get to the first lift at Hakuba Norikura and see the lift attendants struggling to clear the snow. Being nice guys, we decide to give them a hand, as the faster they get the lifts open, the earlier we can ride down the mountain. On the lift, we choose the line we want to hit and pray that the smartphone camera will be good enough. Instead of trying to shoot a few turns, which is what we usually we do with the

On the lift we choose our line that we want to take

DSLRs, we decide to photograph one turn close up. I ski down about 150 meters with a grin as wide as my last turn, so as not to track out the powder. We do the 100 count; after 100, the model will ski down.

We wake up to the sound of a small jet taking off, then I realize that it’s the sound of the snow sliding off the steep roof.

I remove the poles, rip oﬀ my gloves and get the smartphone out of my pocket. I swipe it and point it upwards to the slope just as I see the skier come over the rise. That was a quick 100 count; I shoot the last turn on burst mode by continuously holding down the photo button so I can capture all the phases of the turn. We meet up at the bottom to check the shot. It is deﬁnitely Instagram worthy but I’m not too sure it is print worthy. That is what Lightroom and Photoshop are for! After this, we spend the day enjoying the snow and not stopping for the usual obligatory photographs that we need to supply to this magazine as well as to others. Work today has taken a back seat, and though we do take some photos with the smartphone, we manage to get more turns in then we normally do. Towards the end of the day, I observe two kamoshikas (Japanese serow) in the snow at Hakuba Cortina. I have been trying to get a shot of more than one of these timid animals for a few seasons. I reach into my pocket for my phone, and as I swipe it on, the sound frightens them, and one runs away. That’s life! SW

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Your Smartphone

And share your Hakuba pics on Instagram!

t’s pretty much common knowledge that your smartphone isn’t going to be able to snap pictures that are as good as those from a dedicated digital camera, but most modern phones come with a decent camera and video option on them, enabling anyone who has one to create content. Make sure your “model” knows where you plan to shoot and which way they should be turning. Using a “burst” of photos can also help you nail the precise moment when the rider hits your zone. Extreme temperatures that we experience on those cold mornings are far from your smartphone’s best friend. We have all pulled our smartphones out of our jackets to ﬁnd it has a dead battery. Try keeping your phone as warm as possible. So, if you have to take it outside, make sure it stays in your pock-

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et and out of the cold wind as much as possible. Keeping it close to your body is also a good idea, as the gentle heat of your body will help to keep it warm. Another idea is to carry a small portable external battery. Once you have a shot of the day go, over to Instagram to share your Hakuba snow snaps. Instagram’s Lux with a touch of button will apply an HDR (high dynamic range)-like eﬀect to your photo that lightens shadows, darkens highlights and increases contrast. It does a phenomenal job, especially as many of your Hakuba shots will probably be in bad lighting. Don’t forget to share your snow snaps. Some great hashtags to include #japow #skijapan and of course #hakubaconnect

DAWN

PATROL Skiing in the Land of the

Rising Sun

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The alarm goes off; it’s 5:30am, way too early to get up. I shouldn’t have drunk that last cup of sake last night. I don’t like getting up when it’s still dark. I make my way down the stairs grabbing all my ski gear with halfclosed eyes on the way chanting to myself hats…gloves…goggles. I have already cleared the ice off the car through the automatic car starter. These are essential on the coldest of mornings to ensure the car is warm and frost-free before you even go outside. They say that the early bird gets the first powder, but today with no fresh snow, it will be the early bird getting the first tracks on the pristine pisted corduroy. There is something about sunrise skiing, it has a beautiful ring to it, conjuring up images of yellow and pink shafts of light on the corduroy or virgin powder snow.

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The lifts at Happo-one’s Nakiyami slope start moving at 06:30 as the sky just starts to get a little lighter. Few hardy souls are waiting in line; most are dressed in bright colors and looking way too chirpy for this time in the morning. Being a cloud-free morning, the temperature in the car registered -8c, but as we ascend on the Reisen Chairlift, the temperatures are definitely dropping, I want to check my phone, but no-way am I going to take off my gloves. I look over to the jagged peaks of the Hakuba mountains, and they have already started to be bathed in red. This phenomenon is nicknamed “Morgan Rot” in Hakuba, which must be a German thing! The top of the Reisen is called Usagidaira or “rabbit flats.” I see many rabbit footprints in the morning snow; they always seem to get first tracks. Here the cheerful staff makes sure that everyone obeys the rules and doesn’t disappear down courses that have not yet been open by the ski patrol. I prepare to ski down as the sun makes its first appearance of the day over the eastern hills. The freshly groomed slopes look so inviting under the pink sky as I set off to carve first tracks of the morning. Skiing down on the untouched course is an exhilarating experience, but I wish it wasn’t so cold. A few runs on the empty piste so early on a freshly groomed piste works up an appetite. Fortunately, the Usagidaira Terrace has opened for the first customers. The freshly brewed coffee and croissants tasted just right after the morning’s exertions. After breakfast and with a few laps of Reisen under my belt, the day finally begins for the weekend warriors from the cities to make their way up the mountains at the same time making the lift lines longer. Time to head down, after all, I am now used to having my own private mountain. Is it worth getting up for the first tracks? Well, yes, it is cold, and you have to get up before dawn, but once the sun shines the sunlight on the slopes, you’ll be glad you did. SW

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Hakuba Happo-one Lifts open at 6:40 (Nakiayma) Everyday December 28 to January 5 January 11,12 & 13 Every Sunday January 19 to Feb 23 Able Hakuba Goryu Lifts open at 7:00 Everyday December 28 to January 5 Every Sat/Sun/holiday Jan 11 to March 29 Tsugaike Kogen Lifts open at 6:30 (Shirakaba & Karamatsu) January 12,13,19,26 & February 9 Hakuba Sanosaka January 1,2,3 & from Feb 9 every Sunday

We caught up with Tony Anderson whose morning Facebook snow reports with 26,000 followers are a must read for anyone visiting the valley and wondering what ski resort to hit for the day.

BEEP, BEEP, BEEP. Shake it off and check outside the window. Sometimes the snow avalanching off the roof will be the sure indication of good snowfalls. The big snow clearers scraping down the streets is another sign of a good day ahead. Straight up out of bed and a 15 minute shower shakes the cobwebs off and the day begins. Out the door and make sure my wife’s car is cleared of snow (can add 20 mins) and then a stroll to the office. 5 minutes of silent bliss through the dark lanes of Hakuba although the legends clearing the roads that early, have to be dodged occasionally. It’s usually just me and the foxes. Long black coffee with a thick crema. The only

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way to kick it in the guts and get the day rolling. Snow cams, weather charts, traﬃc reports, information overload. Where is the snow coming from? North, south, west, rarely east. How much has fallen and where is the most. Is it too much? What about the winds? Where do I point people? Is it safe? What started out pre Facebook days as a way to get my guests at the Horse to the best resort on the day has turned into a real purpose to give everybody in the valley the chance to score. I was frustrated to hear years back when people at the bar were telling me they had an average day however my crew were getting that “best day ever”. There is a big diﬀerence between all of the resorts on any given day and I wanted to give everybody the chance to score during their stay in the

Hakuba Valley Bacon and egg sandwich and another coﬀee arrives at my desk. Scoﬀ that down and have a chat to the early risers. See who is coming for a slide. Ensure all other guests are well catered for. Lessons, tours and our private transfers to the resorts all fall into place. (we make it look easy) On the road. First lifts. Slay the beast. (This is why I live here in the Hakuba Valley).

Back in the office. Coffee No.3. Emails. Who’s coming in today? Happy and content as I got my time on the mountain. Every aspect of running a hotel can arise at this point. Maintenance, supplies, bookings, plumbing ect. There is no job I haven’t confronted. A couple of years ago I decided to start making a New York style wagyu pastrami. I’m not sure I needed the extra work however it has become very popular and there is an amazing sense of satisfaction when people keep coming back just for that. So it is a daily chore of gratitude that I continue the process. It takes 12 days to cure and smoke the brisket but the results are grand. Each day has a part of the process so that gets done around this time. Check-in time always gets busy. Hotel tour, rentals. lift tickets, booking lessons etc. Logistics of getting the guests back from all the resorts. Ensure everyone is accounted for. 5:00 Beer o’clock. Time to turn the computer off and enjoy the company of our guests at the bar. It’s a good time to relax but also to assess everyone’s experience on the mountain to gauge my recommendations earlier in the day. Not everyone is the same. I chase deep snow but that is the last thing a young family wants in their holiday. Little beached turtles scattered across the field is not a good time for anyone. Some edamame, a cheese platter, dig out a bottle of wine along with making restaurant bookings or lessons for the morning. I’m there to make it happen. Everything and anything. Just helping out where I can. The team can get busy in the restaurant so I’m there to assist with whatever they require. I’m always happy to have a chat to the customers and make sure they are getting the best of what the Hakuba Valley offers. Maybe that is why I have so many return customers! Last drinks. I may have to partake in a couple of shots with the guests before I send them off to one of the many late bars that Echoland has to offer afterall it is the best apres ski area of all Japan. Time to stroll home. Silent bliss. BEEP, BEEP, BEEP. Tony Anderson started up the White Horse Hotel in Echoland in 2006 after 3 consecutive visits to Hakuba. He now also operates a number of other accommodation options as well as the popular Mr. Miyagi’s Restaurant and Bar. Originally from Melbourne., he took the plunge to escape to the snow and in his own words is now “living the dream”. He is married with 2 young children and lives all year round in Hakuba. He is a snow fanatic and want’s nothing more than for everyone who comes to the valley to have an amazing time. Thus the very much liked Hakuba Facebook page. His morning snow reports are a must read amongst his 26,000 followers. www.facebook.com/hakuba1

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At the Nakiyama base area, events get underway from 7 pm with torch-lit skiers, skiing down the night slope and lighting the large fire. Expect lots of food stalls, local characters, sake, raffles, taiko drumming and culminating in a large firework display

Drumming, live music and lots of pyrotechnics will be on the slopes in front of Escal Plaza base area at Hakuba Goryu. Look out for the Dragon! Inside restaurants will stay open if it gets too cold for you outside. Free night skiing from 5 pm to 7 pm before the snow festival kicks off. Free shuttle buses are available.

You can participate as a member at the Tsugaike Kogen Snow Festival. Come early and sign in for fire torch-lit skiing. Registration is from 5.30 pm in front of Tsugaike Ski School. The snow festival kicks off at 7.30 pm and features, live music, drumming, food stalls and, of course, a spectacular firework display.

This is a recently-held event and more cultural in nature. The event is split over two nights, a week apart. First is at the upper part of Iwatake close by to the ski area. Visit an old shrine, enjoy taiko drumming and drink fresh sake. The following week, the event takes place at lower Iwatake near to Shouya Maruhachi Dining.

Riding in Japan takes another big step forward this winter as Hakuba once again hosts the Freeride World Tour, the only Asian resort to host an international freeride event. The Freeride World Tour is a series of events where skiers and snowboarders are given a steep mountain face to ride away from the lift-served area, and are allowed to choose their own route (or “line”) down the mountain. In keeping with the “freeride” moniker, there are no marked courses. Rather than competing on time, riders are encouraged to choose an original way of using cliﬀs, drops, and lips in the terrain to incorporate jumps and tricks into their run. The main Freeride World Tour will take place in the alpine area immediately above Happo-One Ski Resort.

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Snow Machine, a brand-new boutique alpine festival brings four snow-ﬁlled days of music and culture to the slopes of Hakuba, Japan. Snow Machine combines some of the world’s best live acts with the breath-taking landscapes and Japanese culture of the Hakuba Valley. Packed with world-class talent, the inaugural year will feature dance music royalty Peking Duk (DJ Set) and What So Not, acclaimed producer duo Hermitude, chart topper Illy, indie-pop quartet The Jungle Giants, party-starters Conﬁdence Man and Hot Dub Time Machine and retro revivalists Client Liason, alongside Crooked Colours, Art vs Science, Bag Raiders (DJ Set), Godlands, Owl Eyes and Running Touch. It will also feature legendary Japanese artists Kenji Takimi, DJ Kentaro, Shinichi Osawa and more to be announced, all

ﬂocking to the ski ﬁelds for the multiday, experience based festival. The heavyweight line-up will play amongst some of the most idyllic backdrops throughout the Hakuba Valley across Happo-one, Hakuba 47 and Iwatake. The artists will get the party started with events on the mountains in the afternoon for the perfect après atmosphere. The good vibes will then roll on into Happo Village where there will

be mainstage events followed by after parties throughout some of the valley’s best bars. For those already in Hakuba you can purchase yourself a four-day Snow Machine Festival Ticket, giving you access to all Snow Machine events throughout the valley. Purchase your tickets from snow-machine.com or at the Liquid Snow Tours Oﬃce in Happo, Hakuba.

Harking back to the era of snowboarding when style and soul was more important than the ability to spin etc, this year will see us celebrate that with a new event in Hakuba, the Hakuba Style and Soul Snowboard Session. This will be an event where entrants are judged on style and how much soul they throw down, not their gymnastic abilities. Think steezey not spinney. Think methods not triple quad corks or whatever that is. Think session not a comp. This is an event with a diﬀerence. It’s a day to celebrate snowboarding’s roots and having fun. Held on Feb 15 at Hakuba Sanosaka Ski Resort, come along and join them for a good time, doing what they love, snowboarding.

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Sake Tasting

Friday Special Japanese Buffet

Find out how well you know the Hakuba Valley, answers on the following page, no cheating! How many Hakuba Valley’s characters can you name?

Which of these ski areas are not physically connected? 1. Cortina - Norikura 2. Happo - Iwatake 3. Goryu - Hakuba 47

What is the population of Hakuba village?

What events did Hakuba hold in the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics? 1. Ski Jumping 3. Cross Country Skiing

1. 3,500 2. 7,,000 3. 9,000 4. 12,000

2. Downhill Skiing 4. All the above

Hakuba’s name in Chinese letters to the left have what meaning in English? 1. The land where it snows a lot

2. Mountain high

3. A white horse

4. The best snow vacation

5. It’s all downhill

6. Eat, drink & play

7. Powder heaven

8. Wake me up before you go

How much snow does Hakuba Cortina, the valley’s snowiest resort receive in a season? 1. 6 meters 2. 9 meters 3. 12 meters 4. 15 meters

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QUIZ ANSWERS Yuki the Yeti likes nothing better than playing the clown around young and sometimes not so young kids. Yuki is a member of Evergreen International Ski School and can be found around the kids slopes at Kokusai base area on Happo-one. Otari’s character, Tari Tari, or more aﬀectionately “Tari Tari Kun” is a woodpecker. He was designed by a local boy and named by a local girl. Woodpeckers are found, or should we say heard, throughout the Hakuba Valley. Rabbi Chan is the mascot for Happo-one Ski School. He or She (we are not totally sure but we will go with he) makes his appearance toward the end of the morning or afternoon lessons at Sakka Base Area Kids Park. His full name is a mouthful, Victorie Cheval Blanc Murao 3rd, but the locals know the Hakuba Village mascot as simply “Murao” Don’t be fooled by his beguile smile, the white horse Murao loves the mountains in both summer and winter. Outdoor events at the 1998 games were spread between the various ski areas in Nagano, with Hakuba as a principal venue hosting the Cross Country, Ski Jumping, Nordic Combined, and Downhill and Super-G alpine skiing events. Hakuba is named after the highest mountain above the town, Shirouma-dake. “Hakuba” and “Shirouma” are diﬀerent readings of the Chinese characters for “white horse”. Shirouma-dake is named after the shape of a working horse made by rocks that appear as the snow melts in spring. The horse is actually dark grey on white, and the “white horse” appellation is thought to have come from the word for “working horse” being mistakenly written down as “white horse”. The mountain does get very white, so it’s an easy mistake to have made!

SHIZUKU VILLAS HAKUBA ALPINE EXPERIENCE Ultimate relaxation among the forest

Located across the street from the Iconic Hakuba Ski jump, Shizuku Villas are a series of three new luxury 3 bedroom villas, ideal for your ski holidays this winter. Discover fireplace dining and private jacuzzi in each villa. All the furniture is minimal and modern to showcase nature as the main character in Shizuku Villas.

BOOKING INFORMATION: shizukuvillas@createasiamanagement.com

Even though all the resorts are connected by buses, physically connected resorts are Hakuba Goryu & Hakuba47 Hakuba Cortina & Hakua Norikura The local populace of Hakuba is around 9,000, but this ﬁgure goes up to almost ten times with the arrival of tourists, students, alpinists, climbers, backpackers and seasonnaires. Hakuba Cortina gets on average 15 meters of snow on an average season. Why is this? The cold air from Russia and China blows over the Sea of Japan and sucks up moisture. As soon as system hits the mountains , the result is huge amounts of snowfall. Hakuba Cortina is positioned perfectly to take advantage of this phenomenon.

SHIZUKU VILLAS HAKUBA

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f you’re thinking of buying for lifestyle this means that you’re either purchasing somewhere to live in Hakuba Valley full time, or you intend to spend regular time in your property over the course of each year. This is the most common reason for buying in Hakuba – you want to experience everything the area has to oﬀer, enjoying and immersing

yourself in the lifestyle. Maybe you’re moving here, or maybe you live relatively close and want to spend your weekends on the slopes, either way, the biggest factor is Hakuba itself. Another common thought to buying is to buy for investment purposes. Someone may wish to purchase or build a chalet to use for regular visits, but in order to do so they need to rent it out while it is unoccupied. »»

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In recent years, a number of non-Japanese have bought properties in Hakuba for both private and commercial reasons. Many buyers are amazed at the low prices of land and buildings compared to other international ski areas. As a general background, Japan's land and building prices have fallen significantly in both urban and rural areas during the last fifteen years. Land prices in Hakuba peaked in the 1990s and have since fallen to 30% of their level during the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics. Though in recent years, they have been steadily on the rise. Unlike the West, buildings in Japan are like cars in that they gradually depreciate until only the value of the land remains. This is mainly due to Japan's humid climate and the widespread belief that houses will only last twenty-five to thirty years. This contrasts starkly to the West, where buildings can be hundreds of years old. In recent years, improvements in materials and building practices mean that more recent structures in Japan should last longer than their post-war predecessors. Many of the homes and lodges built in Hakuba during the Japanese ski boom (i.e., the 1980s or thereabouts) were built with quality materials and should only need minor work to reach acceptable Western standards. The Hakuba Valley itself is home to over seven hundred hotels, lodges, and inns. Since peaking in the early 1990s, the number of domestic skiers has plummeted, leaving a massive oversupply of beds – both mid-week and during the off-season. Many owners bought during the boom and paid inflated prices for land. Some are still burdened with debt on properties that are only worth a fraction of their original value. The combination of low prices and increasing international interest in Japan as a ski destination has encouraged sever-

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al non-Japanese to buy lodges and build homes in Hakuba. This new demand is causing a large across-the-board increase in prices and many of Hakuba's new residents have successfully established businesses. They are enjoying the lifestyle gains that come with living in this lovely area. Though we urge caution to those wishing to invest for a capital gain, we think some good deals could be made. Here’s a short FAQ for those thinking of buying. Are foreigners and non-residents able to buy real estate in Japan? Yes, any non-Japanese can buy real estate in Japan. What is the general sales procedure in Japan The buyer first signs a Commitment to Purchase document. This assures the real estate agent that they can take the property off the market and prepare the necessary documentation. It takes about one week for the agent to draw up the statement of important matters and real estate contracts. Upon signing (or stamping) the contract, a deposit of 10% or 20% is payable. In Japan, the deposit is paid directly to the seller. The remaining balance is paid about four weeks later. At this time, the solicitor registers the transfer of title and creates the title deed. I’m not here all year round. Who will clear the snow? There are property and snow management companies in Hakuba who can take care of everyday running and upkeep. Will I be able to get a mortgage from a Japanese bank? It is virtually impossible for non-resident foreigners to obtain financing through a Japanese bank. What taxes are involved in real estate purchases? At purchase, a buyer will need to pay an acquisition tax. This is 3% of the council's evaluation of the real estate in question, and will also be levied on any registered building subsequently constructed on purchased land. From January 1st of the year following the purchase, the buyer will be eligible to pay fixed asset tax. This is 1.4% of the council’s evaluation and is payable in May of the same year. For individuals selling on for a profit within five years, a capital gains tax is levied in the region of 40%. What is the role of the solicitor in Japan? The solicitor is responsible for checking the real estate contract and statement of important matters. They prepare the necessary information, register the title transfer, and create the title deed. They also check that the real estate in question is free of debt. Strictly speaking, the "solicitor" involved during a real estate transaction is actually a judicial scrivener. The legal responsibility of ensuring all the information regarding the property is correct lies with the real estate agent and their transaction manager. They can be held legally responsible for providing false information, intentionally or negligently. Do I need a real estate agent? When looking for an investment property in Hakuba it is important to choose a knowledgeable, local real estate agent due to the complicated and varying of individual properties. Failure to do so could result in purchasing a property under the pretense of nightly rentals, then discovering you are unable to do this (you would not be the first to make this mistake!)

Starry Residence Suites will be holding weekly mini seminars in their offices in front of the gondola station at Happo-one ski resort. Have an informal talk with the experts who know the area and have hands on experience in acquiring land. Learn about the time frames, property management and building properties to the valley’s code of conducts. Every Wednesday 4pm Call: 0261-72-3946/ 090 3847 1111

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Happy Happy Home REAL ESTATE PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

Thinking of Investing in Hakuba? We spec ialize in c oncrete projec ts

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As the snow slowly recedes to higher altitude and the winter weather changes to spring sunshine, the cherry blossoms come out, the rivers flow and the landscape begins to change and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time to enjoy some other adventures.

Adventures and activities which will take your breath away as most of them enable you to take in the beautiful scenery, wildlife and the glorious views. Including; road cycling, mountain biking, hiking, tree adventure, white water rafting, kayaking, canyoning, and of course paragliding from the peaks of Hakuba just to name a few. In summer Iwatake Snowfiield literally transforms their mountain into some of the best MTBing courses in Japan if not the all of Asia. And it wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t stop there with more courses planned in the next few years. Is Iwatake busier in summer than winter? There are a few excellent businesses in the resort that maybe you have used on your trip this winter to help you get the best of your Hakuba adventure vacation. They offer services to make the most of your time in

the green season too, including Evergreen Outdoor Center and Hakuba Lion Adventure. Of course you could also take it easier by just enjoying the towering mountains, take a leisurely stroll or cycle around town, work on your photography skills or even just catch up on a book or two at one of the laid back coffee shops. With flights to Japan being as cheap as they have ever been, the Hakuba Valley is the perfect place for your adventure getaway and once you are here Hakuba offers a genuine vacation experience at the right price. We look forward to seeing you in the Hakuba Valley over the warmer months to try your hand at some of the great adventures and experiences on offer.

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Protect Our Winters (POW) is a nonprofit organization founded by professional snowboarder Jeremy Jones in 2007. POW turns passionate outdoor people into effective climate advocates. POW leads a community of athletes, thought pioneers, and forward-thinking business leaders to affect systemic solutions to climate change. Jeremy found that more and more resorts he’d always counted on for good riding were closed due to lack of snow. Something was clearly going on, and he felt the need to act. But he couldn’t find any organizations focused on mobilizing the snowsports community on climate—there was a gap between the impacts that climate change was already having on our mountains, and any organized action being taken to address it. And so Jeremy founded Protect Our Winters. The Japanese branch of POW was formed to see how climate change might impact the outdoor industry in Japan and to help dictate the outcome rather than react to a foregone conclusion. www.protectourwinters.jp

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How to Help Preserve Winter with Sustainable Tourism Choices in Hakuba Valley.

he Hakuba Valley is a fantastic place to live and recreate, but it’s certainly not perfect. As a resort that relies heavily on keeping winters white and snowy, one of the top priorities is, of course, sustainability; and climate change ranks as the highest concern for many residents

VISITORS So what about all those tourists that balloon the population of the Hakuba Valley to many times its actual size for a majority of the year? How can you help make a diﬀerence when you travel? Here are a few steps you can take to be a more eco-friendly skier or snow-

boarder, to protect the mountains for the next generation of snow enthusiasts.

LIGHTS OFF Turn oﬀ your lights and turn down your heat when you leave for the day: This simple step on your way out the door can end up saving dozens of kilowatts of energy throughout the day and thousands throughout the year.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT Use public transportation: Hakuba Valley has free bus programs that are simply unbeatable. With stops throughout town, it’s the easiest way to get around. Plus, it saves you the hassle of renting a car or ﬁnding parking. Plan your trip with the Hakuba Valley app, which will help you ﬁgure out what bus to get on and at what time. In the evening take advantage of the Genki-go night time bus, for only 300yen you can visit

diﬀerent areas of the resort..

RECYCLE Recycle: There are recycling bins throughout Hakuba Valley from on the mountain to around town and in your hotel room. Recycle bottles, cans, paper, and plastic so they can be reused to make new materials. If you want to know more about what you can and can’t recycle, ask your accommodation provider.

DRINK The tap water in the Hakuba Valley is some of the best you’ll ever taste. It comes straight from the mountains and is even bottled and sold nationwide. You can pick up a water bottle or mug at coﬀee shops, supermarkets, and gear stores throughout the resort.

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Custom Boot fittIng SPECIALISTS

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Hakuba’s ski, snowboard, and outdoor lifestyle shops oﬀer a special type of mountain expertise. From the knowledgeable and experienced sta who live and breathe the moun-

Looking for the perfect Hakuba souvenir can be a daunting task: it’s not just a matter of what to buy but also where to get it. 902 in Echoland have a great range of caps and T-shirts emblazed with their unique logo

Want to create a video clip that entices your friends to come skiing with you on your next Hakuba skiing tor snowboarding trip? Get the latest GoPro Hero 8 with the latest HyperSmooth 2.0 stabilization.

The Mountain Twin is time tested directional twin designed for playful shredders who want one board that can ride all of the Hakuba Valley like it’s an endless skatepark.

The Ridge Glove is a durable ski glove made from pigskin leather that’s been coated with waterprooﬁng Sno-Seal™ and triple baked by legitimate ski bums in their Colorado glove bakery.

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No more cold feet with Lenz’s tried and tested electronic heating toe cap with a merino wool compression construction, promoting improved blood ﬂow and keeping your toes warmer for longer. great in snugger-ﬁtting boots.

Mother Nature doesn’t always play nice. Imagine being able to stay warm, dry and comfortable. The parka is a high quality 1000 ﬁll power down and sheltering it with a weather resistant GORE-TEX INFINIUM™ breathable material.

tains, to the range of high performance and specialty items - the focus in the shops is to provide you with a shopping experience that you won’t ﬁnd back home or in the urban jungle.

A collaboration with snowboard wear maker Volcom and Hakuba Valley. Designed by Bryan Iguchi these unique T-shirts available in black or white are the hottest new items for this season!

Often imitated but never equaled, the original Sorel boot features a nubuck leather upper with waterproof construction, seam-sealing and a removable ThermoPlus™ felt inner boot for warmth, comfort and protection in cold and wet winter weather

The Freestyle Minded All Mountain Marauder. Perfect for deeper days, lapping groomers or side hits with mates. Available in NEW retail store in Echoland and also in rental at all four storesA go to board that can do everything throughout the day in Hakuba.

Picture Organic is a French label committed to ﬁghting climate change. The Chloe Reversible Jacket is just the coat to take your cold weather styling to new levels. It can be reversed for an artsy tribal print

Crafted with FUTURELIGHT fabric, the jacket keeps you dry and comfortable on Hakuba’s big-mountain powder. Breathe (and move) easier on any ride with a more relaxed ﬁt and a soft-brushed, against your skin

These goggles will let you can see more than ever before! . This state of the art lens technology has a 25% increase of overall ﬁeld of view. Intergrating dual lock mechanisms for quick and easy lens changing .

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pening for the 2019 -2020 Hakuba Clothing Company is proudly locally owned and operated right here in Hakuba. The owners are married couple Peter & Shiho Uchikawa. Peter, originally from Australia is a long-term resident of Hakuba and his wife Shiho has worked in Hakuba retail industry for over 20 years, so between them they should have something youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll love as a memento of your visit.

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The focus is on long lasting quality apparel that looks great. Whilst supplying limited run high quality T-shirts, hoodies and beanies their range extends to caps, hats, jackets, aprons, bags and more. Keeping with the local theme, which is a core business ethos for them, they have some of the most creative people in Hakuba Valley designing their exclusive prints and logos so youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be wearing a little bit of Hakuba no matter where you roam. You may even end up next to one of the owners, staďŹ&#x20AC; or designers on a chairlift this winter, as all are keen skiers and boarders. Supporting the local community, even in their 1st year, HakuClient Brief Item Hakuba Clothing Company Design Logo Proposal ba Clothing Company areLogo proud naming sponsors for the 2020 Hakuba Style and Soul Snowboard Session. Supporting local events and athletes is important to them and they are proud to be associated with this new for this season event and no doubt other local events in the future. Exclusively available at Hakuba Gallery and Gifts opposite the main Hakuba train station and a few selected other outlets in Hakuba, be sure to pick up some great apparel from the Hakuba Clothing Company and support another locally owned and operated business.

17/18 LIB LOGO SHEET- SNOWBOARD/SKI KRAFTSMEN LIB TECH LOGOS:

LIQUID CLASSIC LIB LOGOS:

How does tax free shopping work in Japan? tax exemption will allow you to purchase goods without the 10% consumption tax.

What can I buy? Commodities (non-consumable items), such as consumer electronics, bags, ornaments, clothing, shoes, etc. are tax-exempt on purchases above 10,001 yen. medicine, cosmetics, etc. to the list of tax-exempt goods, on purchases above 5,001 yen.

Do I need my passport? Yes, the store will place a proof of purchase in your passport, your document will be collected by a customs of Japan. For food, sake and cosmetics, the package must be kept sealed.

How much can I save? All items can be purchased at stores exclusive of the 10% consumption (VAT, GST) tax.

Who is able to shop tax free? All temporary visitors (less than six months stay in Japan) such as foreign tourists. Japanese nationals who live overseas and plan to do so for two years or more may benefit if they are visiting Japan temporarily.

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OUTLET CORNER 40% ~ 50% OFF

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Going to a Japanese supermarket to shop is a fun and tasty opportunity to encounter local life in Japan firsthand. We have listed a few items that you might find unique on a visit to a Hakuba supermarket.

You’ll know nori (also known as Japanese seaweed) as the stuﬀ that wraps onigiri rice-balls or ﬂoats in strips in bowls of ramen. Water thin, green, and crisp until the moment a drop of moisture comes within three feet of it, nori is strangely moreish, even if it does have a habit of sticking to your lips and the roof of your mouth.

Glico chocolate pocky sticks are light, delicious biscuit-like cookies coated in sweet chocolate frosting. Chocolate pocky sticks make a perfect snack, or simply a tasty ﬁnish to your favorite meal. You will never be able to eat just one stick,

The Japanese really have taken Kit Kat chocolate to a whole new level, with endless amounts of rich, imaginative ﬂavor ideas and amazing package designs. Are you bored of the regular Kit Kats you ﬁnd in your local grocery store? Try some Japanese editions, you won’t be disappointed

Available all year around, Pino are little dollops of ice cream lovingly encased in a crisp milk chocolate shell. Although they also come in a variety of ﬂavours such as almond cream and chocolate, you’re most likely to ﬁnd classic vanilla at Hakuba’s super market.

Apart from dressing in warm winter clothing, there is another answer to staying warm in the adverse weather conditions that Mother Nature leashes upon Hakuba. These are hokkairo or hot pads. Hokkairo are small pads that contain certain chemicals that heat up when exposed to the air. They are inexpensive and can provide up to 8 hours of heat. Hokkairo are designed to be placed in pockets of jackets and pants. For those people with poor circulation they will be pleased to know that there are some hokkairo that can be placed in shoes to keep your feet warm.

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Hakuba Station

Nagano Bank DELiCiA HAKUBA Supermarket

Hakuba Post Oï¬&#x192;ce

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Boasting a large dining area with the ability to handle large groups with Boasting a large dining area with the ability to handle large groups with ease, Lantern Asian Bar and Grill offers a great and affordable dining ease, Lantern Asian Bar and Grill offers a great and affordable dining experience and a fun night out for all experience and a fun night out for all The Boa Bar @ Lantern, nestled in a Japanese tea house is Hakubaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s The Boa Bar @ Lantern, nestled in a Japanese tea house is Hakubaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s home of Guo Boa, Craft Beer, Coctails and an extensive range of home of Guo Boa, Craft Beer, Coctails and an extensive range of Japanese Whisky and Sake. Japanese Whisky and Sake. Traditional Hakka Pork Belly, Shinshu Steak, Sake Chicken, Sizzling Azumino Traditional Hakka Pork Belly, Shinshu Steak, Sake Chicken, Sizzling Azumino Tofu and a large range of Nabe/Hotpot are just some of the amazing dishes on Tofu and a large range of Nabe/Hotpot are just some of the amazing dishes on offer at Lantern Asian Bar and Grill offer at Lantern Asian Bar and Grill

Located in the new Wadano Gateway entertainment precinct, just up the road from Locatedthe in the newBus Wadano Gateway entertainment just up the road from Happo Terminal and right next to theprecinct, Nagano Olympic Sign the Happo Bus Terminal and right next to the Nagano Olympic Sign Free Shuttle Available On Request (conditions may apply) Free Shuttle Available On Request (conditions may apply)

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Information Center

Ski Shuttle Buses

Taxis

Evening Buses

The Happo Information Center and bus station with a cafe and WiFi is located in the center of Happo Village. Besides selling bus tickets, it carries local tourist brochures and maps in your local language. English-speaking staďŹ&#x20AC; are on hand to help out with various inquires, including sending luggage onwards. They also have an international ATM and large ski lockers. It is open daily from 06:00 - 19:00.

Ski shuttle buses are plentiful and service all resorts. For some routes, you will need to change at the Happo Information Center/Bus Terminal. Please remember the number or letter bus you catch in the morning so you can get the same one back to your accommodation. Please note, though a little confusing, the Hakuba Valley buses that run from resort to resort are 510yen each way, unless you have an All Mountain Pass. Other buses from accommodation areas to individual resorts are free.

Hakuba is served by local taxi companies. Drivers are usually parked up at the main Hakuba station. Expect to pay about 2,000 yen between Wadano and Echoland. Ask your accommodation to book for you, as most drivers do not speak English. Please note that the taxis stop running around 1:00am. After that, you are on your own. Book early at peak times!

Getting around in the evening is cheap and convenient with the Genki-go evening shuttle bus services. The buses circulate the resort from about 5.30pm to about 11pm. There are four routes this year. Make sure you know what time the bus leaves to go back to your accommodation or it could be an expensive taxi ride or a long walk. The fare is 300 yen for both adults and children. Under age six ride free. The service runs from December 21st through to March 8th.

Happo Information Center 0261-72-3066

Alps Daichi Koutsu Service 0261-72-2221 Hakuba Kanko Taxi 0261-72-2144

You need to have a valid Inernational Driverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s License for renting

All cars : 4WD/Snow Tyres/Roof Rack Optional : English GPS, WiFi Booking over 72 hour: Free pick up at your accommodation in the Hakuba Area

S Class Nissan March/Toyota Vitz 5 Passengers

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G Class Mazda Premacy Subaru Forester XG Class Volvo v70 5 Passengers

F Class Nissan Elgrand / Honda STW 8passengers XF class Toyota Hi-Ace 10 passengers

Communications

Post Offices

Money

Clinics

Most hotels and lodges will either have computer terminals, wireless networks or both. Happo Information Center has a computer terminal for rent. Free public wireless internet is available around the town, though there is limited access. Many restaurants and cafes carry free internet. The green public telephones are for domestic use and the grey ones for international. Telephone cards can be purchased at convenience stores and at some hotels.

Hakuba has two post oﬃces: one is located near the Hakuba main train station and the other is near the Goryu train station. Both have international ATMs that accept most international-issued cards. The post oﬃces are open Monday to Friday 9am – 5pm. The ATMs are open until 7pm. Japan post boxes are red with a T mark with a bar across the top. Stamps can also be bought at convenience stores.

There are international ATMs available in 7-Eleven convenience stores, Echoland Base Camp, Happo Information Center. These will take foreign-issued cards and are open 24 hours. The ATM at the post oﬃce will also accept foreign-issued cards, but it is only open during normal postal hours. Even though credit cards are becoming more and more widespread, cash is still the king in Japan. Most large restaurants, hotels, ski rentals, and ski schools will take credit cards.

Hakuba doesn’t have a hospital; the nearest is Omachi, which is about 30 minutes away. Most ski accident patients are taken to Shintani Clinic. (0261-75-4177) English-speaking staﬀ are on hand to help out. Credit cards are accepted. For more serious cases, Shintani Clinic will arrange an ambulance service to nearby hospitals. Basic medicine can be bought over the counter at Ohta Pharmacy. The staﬀ speak English.

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Airport Shuttles

Luggage Delivery

Car Rental

Shinkansen

Nagano Snow Shuttle (026175-5360) oﬀers a reliable direct bus to Tokyo City, Haneda and Narita Airports. Buses leave from Echoland, Happo Information Center/Bus Terminal and from Hakuba Goryu four times daily. Bookings can be made online, through your accommodation, by phone. See back page for more information.

Travelling on after visiting Hakuba but don’t want to carry your heavy luggage around, including your skis and snowboards? Why not use the cheap and efficient courier service called Takkyubin in Japanese. You can send your luggage to the airport, which will then be held by the courier company until your flight departure as specified on the luggage tag. When you arrive at the airport, you will have to collect your luggage from the courier company and then check in as normal. Kuroneko 0261- 72-3811

If you are confident about driving on the snow and ice, renting a car is a great way of getting first tracks in the powder or going on a day trip. All rental cars are 4wd and come fitted with snow tires. Customers wishing to rent will need either a Japanese driver’s license or an international license with their passport. Without these, cars cannot be rented.

Buses leaving from Echoland, Happo, Hakuba Train Station and Goryu Station can be taken to Nagano Train Station where you can connect with Shinkansen, Bullet Train services to Tokyo and around Japan. Shinkansens are frequent from Nagano Station. The express trains take about 75 minutes to Tokyo. Check out www.hyperdia.com/en/ for shinakensen and other train times within the Japanese rail network.

TSUGAIKE KOGEN

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Windy Car Rental 0261-72-5382 Hakuba Car Rental 0261-85-0097

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ow to get first tracks every day? One way is to wake up at the crack of dawn and walk to one of the ski areas to get first in line or rent a car and drive before the ski shuttle buses arrive! With an average annual snowfall of up to eight meters, navigating the twists and turns of our mountain roads in the Hakuba Valley can be a bit of an adventure to the uninitiated. The local road crew do a wonderful job of keeping the roads plowed and gritted during the winter months. You’ll hear the snow plows out long before dawn, ensuring that the roads are snow free for people to get about the resort. But there are times however, during heavy snow storms, that snow build up might happen in between plows, so be prepared to deal with some snowy driving conditions on these days…and consider taking the free bus shuttle to the ski resorts to get to all that powder without the hassle of driving.

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Remember that all-wheel-drive does not make you invincible. We do recommend that you have an AWD or 4WD vehicle to take in the snow for better traction. All-wheel-drive makes your car better at accelerating on slick surfaces. However, it won’t allow you to stop on a dime! The roads can be slick! You still need to slow down and pay attention in bad weather. And remember the snow banks are not puffy and cushiony! Losing control and hitting one can seriously damage a vehicle, as a lot of locals know about the dents that they make. Slow down. All cars that can be rented in Hakuba will have snow tires to their cars to get around more easily in the snow. Snow tires don’t miraculously teach you to drive in snow, but they do offer the benefit of better traction and handling. If you are renting from the airport, please insist on a vehicle with snow tires. To avoid getting stuck, try not to stop

when you are going uphill, especially on the way up to Hakuba Cortina. Keep your tires in the areas that have been plowed or carved out by other cars. Keep your pace slow and steady! Think about taking the long route to the ski resorts on the larger roads, a lot of the small narrow roads have rice fields to the sides a lot lower than the roads, a number of cars fall into these fields every year. Drinking and driving is strictly prohibited in Japan with zero tolerance. If you are caught drinking and driving be prepared to spend a few days in a Japanese prison cell. In order to drive in Japan, you will need your international driver’s license, your passport, and your home country driver’s license. Now, get out there and enjoy your ski holiday in the Hakuba Valley. HC

PRIVATE ONSEN

7 10:30am - 3:00pm (Last Entry 2:00pm)

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by Bevan Colless

Even the best prepared and most experienced skiers or snowboarders can get injured on the slopes. So take a moment to brush up on the basics so you can get on with the fun bit and enjoy your time on the mountain.

o one plans to get injured on the mountain, but accidents do happen, so Asia Physio Founder Bevan Colless has drafted a guide on what to do if you or one of your crew is injured. Assessing the severity of the injury is key. It’s always better to over-estimate the injury than under-estimate. Denial is not a river in Egypt and injured people will often try to down-play their symptoms for putting on a brave face. For high impact injuries with head or neck involvement many first aid experts ask “Do you think you have broken your back” as a first question, as people innately seem to be aware they have a serious back issue, moreso than bystanders. Be sure to call ski patrol before moving anyone in this category. You’ll normally find the telephone number on the piste map and you can tell them your location based on the piste name and nearest terrain feature. When you first arrive at your resort, it’s worth taking a moment to put the local emergency numbers into your phone, just in case you need them.

One of the many concerns international skiers have about coming to a ski holiday in Japan is what will happen if they get injured? And let’s face it, on a ski holiday zooming through trees and over bumps, the probability of injury is not insigniﬁcant. Most assume correctly that as Japan is a developed nation, the medical care will be quite good, but there are still concerns over differences in language, culture and the potential cost of the care. So we have found that almost all international ski tourists wisely take travel insurance for their trip and we always recommending checking the details - will it cover oﬀ-piste, side country, back country or park riding? If you are injured Hakuba is well-placed to provide you with excellent care. There is a private clinic located in Iimori (Shintani Medical Clinic), about 15mins away by taxi. The closest hospital is in Omachi, 35 kms away. The Japanese clinics have done a reasonable job learning to adapt to handle international patients. The doctors typically speak broken English, but unfortunately there is no translators. Many skiers are trans-

Let’s face it, on a ski holiday zooming through trees and over bumps, the probability of injury is not insignificant. 78

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ferred by ambulance or taxi from the mountain directly to the private clinic. For very serious injuries patients are transferred by road or helicopter to a large hospital in Nagano or Matsumoto city. Happo village, our clinic Hakuba Physio has become the ﬁrst port of call for most foreigners that are injured. We often have a quick ‘triage’ discussion with patients who have dropped in and decide they are not suitable for us and arrange for them to be transferred to the hospital if needed. Of course there are many cases that do not require a visit to the hospital and the full day adventure that it becomes. We can handle almost all knee injuries and are experts in this area, many shoulder injuries, lower backs and necks and the like. If you were wise and have travel insurance you can claim the cost of treatment back from your insurer and often with a letter from us get an upgrade to business class for the trip home too! The cost of health care in Japan is not as expensive as most would assume and it is certainly cheaper than the US. So of course do your best not to get injured but rest assured that if you do there are systems in place to take good care of you and get you home.

Hakuba’s sports and relaxation massage specialists. Trust the most experienced therapists in the village. We guarantee to beat any massage price in the village.

Tel: 0261-72-4117 Happone Village Springs Hotel Shopping Plaza www.hakubamassage.com

Holiday Rescue Don’t let an injury keep you off the slopes. We’ll rescue your holiday. ✔ Open from 8am to 8pm every day

✔ Sports and Remedial Massage

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Springs Hotel Arcade

Tel: 0261-72-4117 Springs Hotel Arcade Happo-one Village www.hakubaphysio.com *We do not see fractures, dislocations or other serious injury. These conditions should go directly to Shintai Clinic. A S I A P H Y S I O N E T W O R K T O K Y O • N I S E K O • H A K U B A • N O Z A WA • MY O K O K O G E N • S I N G A P O R E • K U A L A L U M P U R

Getting naked, hot and wet with a bunch of total strangers is perhaps the most quintessentially Japanese thing to do. There are several onsen (natural thermal hot springs) scattered the length of the Hakuba Valley. The mineral content

of almost every onsen in Hakuba is slightly different, and many onsens use the healing effects of their particular mineral mix in their marketing. A trip to Hakuba is not complete without a trip to the onsen.

Birthday Suits Only!

Rinse Well

No bathing suits or clothing is permitted in the hot springs. You must disrobe before entering. Put your belongings into one of the lockers provided.

To keep the water as clean as possible. remember to rinse thoroughly so as not to get any soap in the onsen water.

MEMBER RE Refrain from taking an onsen immediately after eating or drinking alcohol. Remember no drinking or eating in the onsen, save that for after bathing.

Bathing Time Enter the water slowly to allow your body to adjust to the temperature which can be hot. Do not put your towel in the bath. Set you towel on your head or the side of the bath.

Wash First To the Japanese, the western practice of washing yourself in the bath is, wellâ&#x20AC;Ś pretty gross actually! Every onsen has a row of showers around the outside of the bath. Soap, shampoo and conditioner are usually provided. Wash yourself with soap and rinse before entering the baths. Use the stools to sit upon and be careful not to splash those around you when showering.

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Dry Off Dry off as much as you can before returning to the changing room with your modesty towel. Keep the changing room as dry as possible.

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MOUNTAIN HEALTH

hough mountains are great to look at and fabulous to play on, they can give your legs and indeed your whole body a hard workout. After a long journey here or a big day on the slopes, treat yourself to one of Hakuba’s massage and spa treatments to revive your tired muscles, ease any lingering tension, and bring true relaxation to your holiday. With more options appearing every year, Hakuba Connect have selected a few to help you on the road to recovery heaven! The Tokyu Hotel has an aromatherapy treatment as well as facial treatments. Soak in the hotel’s onsen before or after your time on the table. In Hakuba, Thai massage is available at Bangkok-ya, just around the corner from the cozy Thai restaurant. They have numerous massages available including traditional Thai massages and Thai reflexology. For those not wanting to venture out of their hotel can experience the comfort of a massage in their own hotel room. Tamamido Massage, led by the cheerful Miki, are dedicated winter sport enthusiasts who have developed a deep understanding of the physical intensity of skiing and snowboarding. Thet reatments on offer including both Japanese and Thai massages along with Swedish oil aroma. Tamamido also have a location at Shakespeare Hotel in Echoland Escape to the rituals of ancient India through Satvik Ayurvedic massage at Manu Massage, Manu an expat from India provides true relaxation by appeasing tension and energy flows, a great method to have you back on the slopes the next day If that is not enough, Manu also has a classical yoga class at the Goryu-kan Hotel every Sunday in winter Altitude Physio have been offering expert physiotherapy and massage services for over 20 years and arrived in Hakuba last year to help you get the most out of your ski or snowboard vacation. Whether you’re experiencing aching legs, or a stiff neck or back the team at Altitude will get you back into the powder. Hakuba Physio have extensive experience with the Japanese health system and can coordinate your care with specialists in Japan or Australia. All the staff are advanced skiers or snowboarders with extensive knowledge of the specific strains winter sports places on the body, through the Hakuba Massage they can also provide deep tissue or relaxation massages to release tension, facilitate recovery, sooth achy muscles and release tight joints.

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HakuBounce is an indoor adventure park which is solely dedicated to providing world class action entertainment to this world class holiday destination. They bring a whole new aspect to Hakuba with our trampoline park, kids play area, and many other action games and activities. In conjunction with the (in)famous Hakuba HEAT airgun shooting and NERF games, HakuBounce is truly your one-stop destination for fun and excitement for all ages. It is the perfect spot to host birthday parties, events, and also ideal for spending time oﬀ the mountain, or taking cover from the elements on rainy or windy days. They are focused supporting the local community and winter sports enthusiasts. They do this by providing the facilities and coaching to boost freestyle skiing and snowboarding skills in safe environment. Train like the pros and get improve much quicker .... oﬀ the snow and into a foam pit, learning new tricks the easy way! Hakubounce Page 89

Make the most of your winter vacation to Hakuba Valley by trying something new: snowmobiling. The tour is a great introduction to the sport, making it perfect for ﬁrst-time riders who want to start at a slower pace before opening the throttle. Your guides will lead you on the Hirakawa River in front of Hakuba47. Keep your eyes peeled for any wildlife that may appear. Lion Adventure Page 87

Immersing yourself in an onsen (Japanese hot spring) is an experience not to be missed whilst visiting Hakuba. Naturally-occurring volcanic hot water springs are a source of welcome relief from tired muscles and joints after a long day skiing or riding on the mountain. But not everyone wants to get naked in front of strangers; if this is you, then you must try out a private onsen all to yourself, family or even friends. See onsen listings Page 77, 81

A leisurely activity where one can really venture oﬀ the beaten paths is snowshoeing. Nothing compares to walking through deep fresh snow in a winter forest with snowshoes on. Without too much work, snowshoers can get into magniﬁcent old growth forests and sub-alpine plateaus with fantastic panoramic views of the Hakuba mountains. Snowshoeing is great for families, cou-

ples and people all ages and is a nice change from the busy resorts. Evergreen Backcountry Guides Page 105

Hakuba maybe famous for its outdoor adventures, but in between all those fun activities, you will also ﬁnd ways to relax and rejuvenate. The Tokyu Hotel has an aroma therapy course that will help you disconnect from the chaos of the real world. Soak in the onsen before the professional masseuses get to work on your tired body. Tokyu Hotel Aromatherapy Page 82

If you have ever wanted to shoot a pistol, machine gun or sniper rifle, then you are in luck. Top Target located in Echoland has a wide selection of modern replica weapons. The weapons are gas B.B. guns which fire small plastic pellets. The sniper rifles come with a scope and rests, allowing you to pause for a breath, take aim and hit the target with superior accuracy. Children are welcome in Top Target and can fire the weapons, though Top Target recommends they come with an adult. Top Target Page 86

Snowshoeing entails getting the right boots and sizing up snowshoes and then heading oﬀ with guides who regularly point out animal tracks in the snow along the way. After a while, sit down on a handmade snow-couch and table and partake of the yummy dessert the guides prepare, such as chocolate fondue with fruits, accompanied by hot spiced wine! Evergreen Backcountry Guides Page 105

When people think of traditional Japanese clothing, kimonos instantly come to mind. The modern day kimono is extremely complex and there is a specific step-by-step process to properly put one on. The friendly professionals will assist you in putting one on, making it extremely easy and hassle free. Come try on a piece of history and experience wearing a traditional kimono for yourself. Included in the morning tour is making of Japanese paper crafts and a tea ceremony. Available for ladies only and children taller than 150cm. The tours run every Wednesday & Friday from 3 Jan to 21 Feb Sanroku Tours 0261-72-6900 Page 70-71

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What is your usual day in winter? Winter is my favorite time of the year because I get to ski to on the mountain ﬁrst thing in the morning, and as well I am able to participate in events across the valley. As my job is promoting the Hakuba Valley, I sometimes have to take trips to various countries to showcase the appeal of my home town. On my days oﬀ, there are not many, I enjoy skiing on the mountain, and I imagine myself as a tourist to see what the valley can improve on.

Where do you get to ski? My company operates three of the valley’s ten ski resorts. At Happo-one, I love to ski fast down Riesen Slalom course, then test my freeriding skills on the newly opened Omusubi Course. At the end, I will do a non-stop ski down my favorite Skyline Course. Another mountain is Iwatake Snowfield, which non-skiers can also enjoy with the fabulous Mountain Harbor terrace that has the best views in the valley as well as the best coffee! Under the terrace, you can enjoy the famous back bowls and numerous tree runs. Lastly is Tsugaike Kogen, which has something for everyone, including gentle beginner slops, pisted intermediate slopes, and the famous TSUGAPOW double black diamond course. For a short lecture in either English or Japanese, you can ride in this area, which is avalanche controlled first thing in the morning.

What is the most poular tour? At Sanroku Tours, our most popular day trip excursion is to the lovable snow monkeys. We have ﬁve tours a week leaving Hakuba; the trip includes a great Japanese lunch at Obuse and visits to the impressive Zenkoji Temple. Another popular trip is the visit to the amazing Mastumoto Castle, which also includes a tour to a working wasabi, Japanese horseradish farm.

What cultural activity is good to try? Besides skiing or snowboarding, you can also participate in some activities that will make you experience in-depth Japanese culture in Hakuba. We have a kimono experience, which is a collaboration with local mothers where you can try on a real kimono in a historic old house. Our tea ceremony tour is also popular in discovering the unique Japanese culture.

I was born and raised right here in the Hakuba Valley. My house was close to Iwatake Snowﬁeld. I spent my school days skiing in the local racing club, and PE in winter was either cross country skiing or ski jumping. After leaving school, I wanted to show the world how good the Hakuba Valley is, so I joined Hakuba Tourism Development Co. Currently, I am in charge of the sales planning division on promoting the valley in both Japan and overseas. Not only does our company operate ski areas, but we also operate tours through Sanroku Tours for both Japanese and overseas visitors

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Which restaurant do you reccomend? I am a little biased, but the new Mountain Beach at Happo-one is a must, I mean, how often can you visit a beach on the top of a mountain in winter and enjoy real beach burgers. Another on mountain restaurant/ café is the City Bakery at Iwatake; here the food is baked ﬁrst thing in the morning adding a delicious aroma, but get there early they sell out fast. In the evening I recommend Shoya Maruhachi, a former wealthy merchant’s residence, the historic house was turned into an authentic Japanese restaurant and is reasonably priced.

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Located south of Hakuba, the impressive Matsumoto Castle is a must for anyone who wants to take a step back and view ancient Japan. Construction on the ﬁve-story castle was started in 1592 and is one of only a few castles to survive from that feudal period. Matsumoto is a fun compact city and easy to get to from Hakuba with 12 direct trains a day. Alternatively, you can join a tour with Sanroku Tours that also includes a trip to a sake brewery and a wasabi farm.

Most monkeys are happy swinging in the trees of tropical jungles, but not here in Nagano. For our monkeys, there’s nothing like soaking in a hot bath to ease their troubles away. One look at them relaxing in the tub, and it’s you who’ll be singing “Oobee doo! I wanna be like you! The snow moneky park is great for kids and a massive draw to photographers who can take memorable shots without waiting for hours or using big zoom lenses. Once out the tub, you can see how wiry they are under their fur. It’s quite a transformation. Trips run several times a week from Hakuba to the Jigokudani Park. It takes about two and a half hours to get there and once at the park, it’s about a twenty-minute walk along an often icy trail through the woods. Choose your footwear accordingly, and don’t forget your camera!

Omachi the city to the south of the Hakuba Valley is home to two of the valley’s ski areas, Kashimayari and the small Jigatake. Even though Omachi is classed as a city it has a large town feel to it. Being only 30 km away or about 35 minutes away by JR train, it’s a great place for a day or evening trip! This old mountain town in Nagano is full of charm and plenty to explore. There are plenty of small restaurants around the main train station. The restaurants are not as busy as the Hakuba ones so you don’t need to book, just turn up. Zenkoji temple has been admired for over 1400 years as Japan’s primary center of Buddhist faith. Zenkoji houses the first Buddhist statue to come to Japan, attracting pilgrims from all denominations. Approximately six million worshippers visit every year. The main hall is officially classified as a national treasure. Direct buses are plentiful from Hakuba to make this a perfect day trip. The temple is about a 20-minute walk from Nagano City train and bus station. The Tomyo light festival, offering to the gods is held in early February 6th -11th with the road lit up with hundreds of lanterns is definitely worth a visit.

WE, Woody Rental, promise you to meet your all requests and support your life in Hakuba. We will fulfill any needs of from axperts

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WAX FUTURE SERVICE

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February 17, 1998, was a snowy, typical winters day in Hakuba. That day, 50,000 spectators packed into the newly opened Ski Jumping stadium and watched the Japanese Ski jumping team win an amazing gold medal at the 18th Olympic Winter Games. The ski jumping facility consists of a large and a

small ski jumping hill - HS131 and HS98. Both hills are equipped with a plastic coating and are used frequently both in summer and in winter time. During winter the iconic symbol is open for visitors, you can take the chairlift from the bottom of the hill up to the top and enjoy the view from the Ski Jump Tower.

Completed: November 1992

Open: 10:00 - 16:40 Price: Adults 460yen Kids 280yen

Costs: approximately 85 million US$ Capacity: 25,000 on the terracing and 20,000 on the grassy areas. Elevator in the tower to 59 meters above the landing zone. A great view of Hakuba Hill Record: Winter 137 meters Summer 136 meters

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njoy being chauffeured to the slopes in the morning and back to your accommodation in the afternoon. The Hakuba Valley ski bus service make it possible to do a bit of après ski. To travel on the buses, simply arrive at one of the specified ski bus stops prior to the scheduled departure time. Take your ski or snowboard equipment with you and let your ski day begin.

Riding the ski shuttle buses in the Hakuba Valley has become a lot easier over the last few years, but it is still a little complicated for first-timers. We have tried to simplify it as best we can.

HAKUBA VALLEY BUSES Hakuba Valley buses run between the 10 different resorts split into HV-1 ,HV-2 and HV-3. Hakuba Valley buses are free for those who have the Hakbua Valley lift passes. Your ticket will be activated for the day when you board a bus, so if you are not go skiing or riding, it won’t be worth validating your ticket. Individual resort tickets are for only one ski area. With this ticket, you can still ride the bus, but you will be charged accordingly. The buses are 510 yen to ride, 250 for kids under 12, but free for Hakuba Valley pass holders. HV1 (Omachi Line). It services Kashimayari and Jigatake and picks up at Happo Bus Terminal and Echoland Base Camp.

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HV-2 (Konayuki Line) services Tsugaike Kogen , Hakuba Norkiura and Hakuba Cortina. HV-3 (Goryu-Happo-Tsugaike Line) has numerous pick-up points and runs from Goryu to Tsugaike, stopping at all ski resorts and main accommodation areas in-between.

INDIVIDUAL SKI RESORT BUSES Individual ski resorts also run their own buses from most of the main accommodation areas. The buses are free if you are skiing or riding at that particular resort. Instances of customers being refused have occurred with those not in snow wear for a day on the slopes

EVENING SHUTTLE BUSES In the evening, the GENKI-GO evening shuttle buses ply the streets between the main après ski areas. These finish at about 10pm, whereas you are on your own or in a taxi.

The Hakuba valley’s group of 10 independent ski resorts stretching from Hakuba Cortina in the north to Jigatake in the south are covered under one ticket, the Hakuba Valley pass. For any reason if one ski resort is under weather hold, you can change to another resort without having to buy a new pass. The individual resorts oﬀer a variety of ticket prices based on a handful of factors, for example, half-day passes that let you ski or ride from lift opening up to 1:00pm or from 12:00pm to lift closing. A unique ticket that is mainly aimed at the weekend warriors is a 1.5day ticket, ski all day on Saturday and up to lunchtime on Sunday to enable you to get back to the cities in good time. Children over 13 years of age are classed as adults in the Hakuba Valley. Kids under elementary school age, six in Japan, ski free at all the valley’s resorts. Make sure you get a ticket,

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though as the little ones still need to pass through the electronic gates. Once you have purchased a lift pass at any ticket office, you will notice a unique number on the ticket. With this number, you can recharge the pass repeatedly online at the Hakuba Valley web shop. Recharging online will save you valuable time in the morning by skipping the line to the ticket office, great if you are looking for first tracks. The pass can be re-charged as a Hakuba Valley pass or an individual resort pass. Recharge at www.hakubavalley.com

KNOWLEDGE IS

n the twelve years that I have resided in Hakuba Valley, I have developed a love for all things powder. Especially that untouched virgin powder that you take to get out of bed early to make sure that you are first in the lift line. As this love for powder matured, so did the thrill of skiing steeper and more challenging lines. A few times that I had been tempted to stray off the beaten track there has been that cartoon character angel on my shoulder nagging at me saying “What if you are caught in an avalanche?” With this in mind, I booked myself on an avalanche safety course (AST-1) with the experts at Evergreen Outdoor Center in a bid to find out how to properly judge snow conditions, avoid risky situations and how to rescue someone who might be caught up in an avalanche.

We assembled at Evergreen’s Iwatake Snowfield’s location for the first day, which will be an all-day classroom lesson. We introduced ourselves and the reasons why we are taking the course. It felt like it was a meeting of the United Nations with so many participants with different nationalities. Everyone’s reason was basically the same, that they wanted to explore the off-piste and backcountry of Hakuba except for one lady from Hong Kong who said “My boss is an avid backcountry skier, I want to be able to keep up with her, it might help my promotion” This brought smiles to everyone’s faces, it is maybe like the golf dilemma should you let the boss win, or more like, should you let the boss have first tracks. The morning had us looking at the different types of avalanches that can occur and what slopes are riskier than others. How to make a risk assessment by just looking at the mountains and trees, or sometimes lack of trees. Our chief instructor is Bill Glude; he is someone who you could trust your life with. He is regarded not only in Hakuba and his other home, Alaska but also by avalanche safety professionals around the world as one of the foremost avalanche practitioners. He shows us the unique types of snow and how they slide by using different mixes of sugar, flour and millet. A Scottish voice from the back was heard saying, “You could bake

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a cake with that mixture” to which Bill replies without blinking at eyelid “yes avalanche cookies are delicious!” Day 2 takes us over to the former family ski area of Highland that sadly closed about 10 years ago. We are shown how to use our transceiver beacons if someone is unfortunately buried under the snow. Once we are all confident in using them, it was time to put the practice into a scenario with multiple searches using our beacons and probes. You’ll know where to find someone buried in the snow Bill assures us, a head or a ski jacket feels so much different to snow. Next on the list is digging. The shoveling is done in an arrowhead formation with everyone pushing the snow back. This system of funneling the snow is quick and in a real-life situation can be a good method of saving someone who is buried “Always buy the best shovel,” says Bill “it shows you how much you like your friends!” After lunch on the slopes, we learn how to rescue someone from the backcountry and how to build sleds from skis, snow-

boards and anyything else in our packs. We are split into 4 teams and told to make a sled followed by a race on the snow. It is a good way to finish the day. Day 3 and we head over to Tsugaike Kogen, utilizing the lifts to take us up to the top of the mountain and our first foray into the backcountry. We put skins on our skis and split boards that will stop us from sliding down the slopes. Each of us has a turn of breaking tracks in the deep snow. Going is a little hard, and with the sun, layers start coming off, in the end most of us were hiking in only sweaters. We have another outdoor lunch on top of a peak; my sandwich had frozen in my bag, first time to eat frozen tuna! Funny isn’t it. The final lecture is on the snow and Bill showed us how to judge the snowpack, the weak layers of snow and its stability. He digs a pit in the snow to show us the characteristics of different layers of the snow that have developed as the snow changed due to compaction and weather changes. And then it is the fun part, skiing or snowboarding down in the beautiful Tsugaike backcountry. SW

Sleep Soundly at 1850m for First Tracks in the BC and a Beautif�l Hakuba

SUNRISE

Happo Sanso

*Happoike Sanso recommend an experienced mountain guide when travelling into the backcountry. ¥9,000

¥9,700

One night per person

Breakfast or lunch box

Dinner

¥10,800 Dinner, breakfast or lunch box

¥12,000 Dinner, breakfast & lunch box

Book at http://hakubakousha.com 0261-72-2855

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SANSO LOCATED AT THE TOP OF HAPPO-ONE SKI AREA

Get the ultimate first tracks backcountry experience a long time before the lifts start turning by sleeping at the top of Happo-one. Stay the night at Happoike Sanso with evening meal and breakfast provided, get up early to view the beautiful Hakuba sunrise followed by a hike with your guide, then onto pristine virgin first tracks.

TARIFF

H A P P O I K E

kiers and snowboarders come from all over the world to test their skills on the Hakuba Mountains. The colors are coded as blue for beginners, red for intermediates and black for advanced. Black lines on the lift map used to be the benchmark for the expert skier or snowboarder with the runs usually being the steepest, iciest and most moguled on the mountain. But recently in the Hakuba Valley, we are finding a new sign, and even though it is black, it has two diamonds to accompany it. Hence, the name double black diamond.

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What is a double black diamond? According to ww.trails.com, a double black diamond course is described as very challenging with the slopes being exceptionally steep, coupled with other hazards, such as strong exposure to winds, narrow terrain and other difficult conditions. This fits Hakuba pretty well. But where to go to get that inbounds backcountry powder and varied terrain? Head to one of the resortsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; double black diamond courses. Corduroy lovers need not applyÂťÂť

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Hakuba Cortina is the jewel in the crown in Hakuba free riding. The area of tree skiing and riding is huge and full of hazards. Hakuba Cortina operate on a self-responsibility code, where the skier or rider is responsible for any costs occurred, be it search or rescue while riding in these zones.

Tsugapow as the area is known at Tsugaike is accessed from the gate at the top chairlift. Before you enter the tree glades, you need to go to the 2nd ﬂoor of Jacky’s Kitchen restaurant at the bottom of the top lift, listen to the short lecture and get an armband to gain access.

Kashimayari has opened up their trees at the top of the mountain on lookers right. Don’t go in the trees at the opposite side as there is a beginner’s cat track below. The trees go on for about 900m before you must cut in to get back onto the slopes. Do not proceed any further down or you will have a very, very long walk back!

The area at Hakuba47 is called the Tree Riding Zone. Entry is permitted after you follow a few steps. First, register at the ski school, where you will be briefed on a short safety lecture. After signing a waiver form you will be issued with an ID card, exchange this card for a bib. You don’t have to do the safety briefing every time just bring your card and exchange it for the bib

Hakuba Iwatake Snow Field is moving in the right direction, in summer they are creating world class MTBing courses and for winter they are opening up more and more terrain for free riding. View-a (alpha) is one of these courses. Not to be confused with View A, it is a tree course about 500m long with lots of intriguing features.

The top ridge at Happo-one on skier’s left is called URAKURO. To get to the gate, you can either take the top Grat Quad and ski down to it, or walk/push over from the top of Alpen Quad. Ski Patrol will open the gate after making sure the conditions are right. Be wary on windy or foggy days, the ridge is exposed to a steep drop onto the north face!

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Always a great time to hit some berms and jumps and test what you are made of at Happo Banks. As the name suggests this is a park with numerous banks and berms.

Armed with a handful of super fun rails and boxes, as well as some of the natural bowls in Hakuba, you can always have fun in the DGTerrain Park. The difficulty varies in this park from beginner to more intermediate/ advanced terrain

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Without a doubt Hakuba47 has the best park in the valley, as well as the only resort to have a half pipe. Combine this with jumps, boxes, rails and two dedicated lifts, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be lapping the park all day.

Hakuba Goryu is home to two small but fun parks. One is on the slopes in front of Escal Plaza with the other on the nearby Iimori slopes. Both these parks offer a variety of small to medium size jumps that are perfect for kids and those first timers who donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to feel too intimidated at the larger parks.

If you are looking to progress and build your skills, Kashimayri is the place to go. The beginners park is located at Lake Nakatsuna base area.

Tsugaike is known as one of Hakubaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best resorts for tree skiing but many skip over the extremely fun and creative terrain in the HIT park. As the snow base gets deeper the jumps seem to get bigger!

One of the absolute best reasons to rise and shine early for your trip to the mountains is the sweet reward of laying down some tracks in some fresh coudoroy HAPPO-ONE Panorama Course is wide and can be relaitvely quiet. Olympic skiers came hurtling down here in the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics. HAKUBA47 A gem of a piste oﬀ the top of Chair C the broad red piste #1 oﬀers a good variety of terrain and a gorgeous view! HAKUBA GORYU Check out Champions to the left of the gondola, it’s abroad and approachable piste which is particularly suitable for intermediates

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and carving enthusiasts IWATAKE SNOWFIELD If you want plenty of space to carve out beautiful turns on the freshly-groomed snow, make sure to get to top of the gondola early in the morning. This is a perfect spot for intermediates and racers to practice their technique. TSUGAIKE KOGEN Interested in something a little steeper? The broad red piste from top to the mid gondola station oﬀers groomed skiing all the way down and a nice

view of the valley to boot. Again, the earlier you get here, the better the skiing will be. At the bottom of the piste, you can opt to descend further down to the base. HAKUBA CORTINA Mostly know for its powder, Hakuba Cortina also has some nice pistes that are quite wide, not too steep, and suitable for beginners and intermediate skiers and riders. Just be careful of the deep snow to the sides.

TEL: +81 261 75 4321

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Hakuba Ski Concierge

e Valley’s Boutique Ski School

• First rate instruction & resort guiding • Assistance with local services/reservations • Fully registered and resort approved

• Door-to-door private transportation • Full time ﬂexibility • Fully tailored to you

WHO WE ARE...

Differing from conventional ski schools, we are Hakuba’s ﬁrst and only to exclusively offer private ski and snowboard instruction and resort guiding services. With private experiences as our single focus we are able to deliver fully customised days that are built on your needs, interests and personal learning style. Valuing quality over quantity we have purposefully remained modest in size, handpicking our team of internationally accomplished instructors that are ready to show you the very best of Hakuba.

www.hakubaskiconcierge.com

FAST FACTS

40% BEGINNER

45% INTERMEDIATE

15% ADVANCED COURSES 15 including tree courses

LIFTS 8

including high speed quads

LONGEST 5000m

ELEVATION 720m

NIGHT SKIING YES 28 Dec ~ 5 Jan 11 Jan ~ 13 Jan 1 Feb 22 Feb ~ 24 Feb

SKI SCHOOLS Kashimayari Ski School 0261-23-1411

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KASHIMAYARI The area is serviced Intermediates by eight lifts with a A favorite run is to take respectable vertical the 1 Quad lift followed by the 10 Pair lift to the top of of 720m. The Cen- the resort. After taking the tral-Plaza itself is a obligatory photographs, put great area to base the camera away and head down the Route 10 or Route yourself and meet 4 courses. These are fast up for lunch with a groomed courses that will Baskin Robbins ice make you feel like a ski racer. cream parlor. From Advanced here you can ski in For powder lovers, turn left outside the mid-station every direction. Beginners For beginners, head skiers right for the long cat track down to the mid station. Kids can spend hours on a magic carpet with hoops and slides. For the older kids, there is a good intermediate park at the Nakatsuna base area.

building and jump on the No.5 Pair lift. There are a couple of courses through the ungroomed down to mid-station. Be warned that after a few days without snow, this course becomes a serious mogul ﬁeld. Tree skiing is available from the skiers left on the uppermost lift.

DID YOU KNOW

Kashimayari has two “base” areas depending on which direction you arrive from. If you are arriving from Hakuba then you will arrive at the Lake Nakatsuna base area.

500 METERS LONG

FAST FACTS

40% BEGINNER

40% INTERMEDIATE

20% ADVANCED COURSES 10 Bumps & Snow Park Courses

LIFTS 6 including a new beginners tow rope

LONGEST 2100m

ELEVATION 460m

NIGHT SKIING NO

SKI SCHOOLS Hakuba Snowschool 090-4159-9179

SANOSAKA On the south border between Hakuba and neighbouring Omachi, Sanosaka is a small family resort with more than initially meets the eye. In addition to the slope visible on approaching the resort, a further two areas are tucked away higher up. You’d never think the resort had 450m of vertical or five lifts.

Beginners The emphasis is on beginners with a number of a wide smooth pistes and none of the traffic that can be found at Happo and Goryu. The resort overlooks the magnificent Lake Aoki and spectacular views can be enjoyed from the higher

slopes.

Intermediates

Hakuba Sanosaka is an intermediates heaven with well groomed slopes covering all the mountain. The park will be upgraded for this winter with more features including rails and boxes. Kids nature snow shoeing course is available fo r p a re n t s t o d ro p o f f the kids, let the little ones get in touch with nature while they can shred the mountain.

Advanced For the 2019-2020 Sanosaka will open up tree skiing for the ﬁrst time. They will operate a self-responsibility code with resort visitors riding these trees at their own risk.

DID YOU KNOW

When high winds have stopped operation at the larger resorts, the more sheltered lifts at Sanosaka will often stay open, meaning you don’t have to miss a day. 122

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FAST FACTS

35% BEGINNER

40% INTERMEDIATE

25% ADVANCED COURSES 23 including Champions, Cosmos & Adventure

LIFTS 19

including 2 x gondolas

LONGEST 6400m

ELEVATION 926m

NIGHT SKIING YES (Goryu)

SKI SCHOOLS Hakuba Snow Sports 080-5357-6420 Hakuba47 Ski Academy International 0261-75-4321 Hakuba Ski Concierge 080-6933-5691 Snow Dragon Int’l Ski School 080-4151-0220

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GORYU & 47 The linked resorts of Hakuba Goryu and Hakuba47 form Hakuba’s most popular hill in terms of visitor numbers. Both resorts can be ridden using the same lift ticket. Beginners On the 47 side, ride the mid-mountain courses next door to the park or better still shoot up to the top lift linking 47 with Goryu. At Goryu, beginners are spoilt for choice with the long slope above the Toomi base and many gentle runs over towards the Iimori side that many people tend to miss. Skiers who are just starting out should really head over this way.

Intermediates

At 47, a top-to bottom run down Route 1 from the top of the quad offers about 600 meters of vertical at a s t e a d y 2 0 - 2 5 d e g re e pitch. Due to its overall northeasternly orientation, this course is usually rideable to the base even at the resort’s closing in May! Goryu has a wide intermediate slope at the top of the gondola with great snow and three lifts to keep you moving.

Advanced

Routes 2 and 3 off the quad at 47 both exceed 30 degrees, with the latter mostly un-groomed. At Goryu, simply do laps top to bottom off the gondola, taking the Champion Expert and not the switchbacks.

DID YOU KNOW

Hakuba47 is home to the best park featuring the only half-pipe in the valley. Hakuba Goryu has the best night skiing options with groomed slopes opening at 6:00pm

FAST FACTS

35% BEGINNER

40% INTERMEDIATE

25% ADVANCED COURSES 13 Riesen Slalom, Skyline, Omusubi, Tenbo

LIFTS 20 including one gondola

LONGEST 8000m

ELEVATION 1071m

NIGHT SKIING YES

SKI SCHOOLS Evergreen Int Ski School 0261-72-3200 Happo-one Ski School 0261-72-2126

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HAPPO-ONE Hakuba’s oldest, largest and most central ski hill. Happo offers riders a leg-burning thousand meters of top to bottom skiing with stunning views o f Ha k u b a’s t h re e symbolic peaks. Host to th e m e n’s a n d women’s blue ribbon downhill and super giant slalom events at the 1998 Nagano Olympics, Happo is the one hill not to miss in Hakuba.

Beginners Beginners should head out to the Sakka area where the gentle slopes will get yo u li n k i n g tu r n s in n o time at all. There is the

Sakka Kids Park area with a magic carpet for skiing and tobaganning.

Intermediates

A favourite is the Panorama slope just below the top of the gondola. It’s wide and well groomed with three lifts to keep you moving. The easiest advice to lower intermediates is to not go higher than the gondola.

Advanced Try your hand at the 1998 Winter Olympic men’s and ladies downhill courses. The Olympians finished in about two minutes. See how long it takes you. Powder Hounds first come, first served! The upper part of Happo is mostly ungroomed, so get yourself on the gondola when it opens.

DID YOU KNOW

Happo-one was host to the men’s and women’s blue ribbon downhill and super giant slalom events at the 1998 Nagano Olympics,

FAST FACTS

30% BEGINNER

50% INTERMEDIATE

20% ADVANCED COURSES 26 including White Ribbon & View A

LIFTS 15 including Noah Gondola

LONGEST 3800m

IWATAKE Hakuba Iwatake stands on its own mountain in front of the extended Japan Alps range. Unlike the other Hakuba resorts, the snowfield, literally drops over the back side Beginners

ELEVATION 539m

NIGHT SKIING NO

SKI SCHOOLS Evergreen Int Ski School 0261-72-3200

Beginners can stay low or take the gondola and ride a number of courses with lifts back up to the summit restaurant.

Intermediates Intermediate riders should be able to enjoy the whole hill. From the resort top, there is only one way down to the base – follow the signs and check the map if visibility is poor. Midway

there is the “Corridor”, a ﬂat section where slower skiers and riders should stay left to allow others to pass.

Advanced

The resort has a number of powder pockets that do not see the same traffic as at the big boys nearby. The resort has moved away from grooming all its courses and now leaves several areas to lay down some tracks. Due to the high proportion of snowboarders in the resort’s clientele, Iwatake remains almost completely free of the moguls you will find in ungroomed areas elsewhere. A number of park items are also provided along another easily-missed course, this time to lookers’ right of the restaurant at the top.

DID YOU KNOW

A ride on the gondola gets you to Iwatake’s summit, from which courses radiate out in all directions of the compass. 128

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FAST FACTS

35%

BEGINNER

40% INTERMEDIATE

25% ADVANCED COURSES 13 including Champions & Hi-no-ki

LIFTS 23 including Eve Gondola and high speed quads

LONGEST 4630m

ELEVATION 904m

NIGHT SKIING YES

SKI SCHOOLS Evergreen Int Ski School 0261-72-3200

TSUGAIKE Tsugaike’s biggest draw is the expansive beginner area at the bottom where ten lifts ser vice Hakuba’s widest piste. When not buried in powder, this area offers a nice easy introduction to sliding on snow. Beginners Tsugaike’s biggest draw is the expansive beginner area at the bottom where ten lifts service Hakuba’s widest piste. When not b u r i e d i n p owd e r, th i s area offers a nice easy introduction to sliding on snow.

Intermediates

First is a short hop over

very gentle slopes to a mid-mountain area where you can jump on or off, or more likely stay on to reach the higher upper area. From there you can take a number of routes down to skiers’ right or take a further lift up to the main ridge course. Tsugaike provides smooth respite to those who struggle in the bumps. You can really open it up and let the scenery fly by.

Advanced

HIT park further down the slopes has some big jumps and natural banks. For the trees at the top of the resort, you must sign in and register on the second floor of Jacky’s Kitchen restaurant opposite the top of the gondola.

DID YOU KNOW

Almost all of Tsugaike’s pistes are groomed, which may disappoint powder hounds, but means hardly a ny m o g u l s d e ve l o p b e twe e n storms. 130

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FAST FACTS

30% BEGINNER

50% INTERMEDIATE

20% ADVANCED COURSES 14 including Expert & Sky View Courses

LIFTS 10

including Alps 10 to link with Hakuba Cortina

LONGEST 2500m

ELEVATION 600m

NIGHT SKIING NO

SKI SCHOOLS Frontier 080-9526-8676

NORIKURA H a k u b a N o r i k u ra Intermediates i s l i n k e d t o i t s Hakuba Norikura is a neighbouring resort, weekend warrior kind of H a k u b a C o r t i n a , pl a c e , t h u s m a k i n g t h e which can be ridden c o m b i n a t i o n o f l o t s o f u s i n g t h e s a m e space, lots of snow, and the pass if you buy the lack of crowds that can be c o m b i n e d r e s o r t found at the larger resorts t i c k e t . We t h i n k providing a great stage for this is a must as it building up confidence. doubles the terrain that you can enjoy. Advanced Make sure you ask Norikura shares Cortina’s for the combined m i g h t y s n o w f a l l a n d t i c k e t w h e n extends for a very respectable 600 meters purchasing. Beginners A number of shorter lifts are also aligned along the wide foothills. There’s a great choice for beginners and those who may not have ridden fresh soft snow before.

of vertical up the ridge it shares with Cortina. Power hounds should head skiers left of the resort to the Alps 10 Pair Chairlift, from the top lap up the powder the hour before Hakuba Cortina opens.

DID YOU KNOW

Hakuba Valley’s most underrated resort. When combined with Cortina, it certainly offers a lot of different and deep powder options.

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ConnectedtotoHakuba HakubaCortina Cortina Connected

FAST FACTS

40% BEGINNER

30% INTERMEDIATE

30% ADVANCED COURSES 16 including Itadaira & Snake Courses

LIFTS 7 including 2 x quad lifts

LONGEST 3500m

ELEVATION 530m

NIGHT SKIING YES

SKI SCHOOLS Evergreen Int Ski School 0261-72-3200

CORTINA Hakuba Cortina Ski resort rises behind the imposing Bavarian-style Green Plaza Hotel with its crisscrossed black beamwork and large red roof. You will never lose your bearings while skiing here! Beginners A b ove t h e h o te l i t s e l f extends a long central beginner run with a dedicated beginners/kids snow park. In fact even though Hakuba Cortina is loved by powder hounds there is still plenty of areas for beginners to progress.

Intermediates

beginners is to head left as you come out of the hotel. This side is named Warabidaira and is linked with Hakuba Norkiura. The runs are groomed and fairly wide giving you ample of space to perfect your turns.

Advanced

As the closest resort to the sea, Cortina regularly records the highest amount of snowfall in the valley. It doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t just snow at Cortina, it dumps! When Happo-One and Goryu up the valley will report 20cm of fresh snow, Cortina will probably receive about 50cm! We u r g e a l l r e a d e r s t o respect the few rules they have. If they mark an area as out-of-bounds or closed, it will be for a reason.

A favorite run for

DID YOU KNOW

Not content with having the valleyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest hotel and heaviest snowfall, Cortina is also famous for having the steepest pistes, one of which averages 36 degrees and touches 42 in places. 134

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