Hey guys, sorry for the long hiatus. Life and work got in the way and of course, the pandemic worsened. That meant not as many trips anymore, but it surprisingly mellowed down over the New Year break throughout Japan. With spring officially here in Japan, just as the cherry blossoms get a fresh start, so am I. So, I want to share with you guys the highlight of my Japanese winter - visiting Nagano Prefecture, specifically Hakuba.
Nagano Prefecture
Nagano Prefecture is located in central Honshu, just a 2-hour train ride away from the centre of Tokyo, and surrounded by the Japanese Alps. Due to its geography, it enjoys immense snow as early as November and all the way to March. However, the months of January and February see the most snow days, perfect for a ski trip to the abundance of ski resorts in Nagano.
As the host of the 1998 Winter Olympics, it is a testament to its quality and popularity as a winter sports destination. Boosting the most number of ski resorts in the whole of Japan, any winter sports enthusiast or first-timer who are dying to see snow are spoilt for choice in Nagano Prefecture. Some of the popular ski resorts in Nagano include Hakuba, Shiga Kogen, Nozawa Onsen and Karuizawa. Shiga Kogen is the largest and highest ski resort in Japan, while Nozawa Onsen, as the name suggests, is famous for its natural hot springs. In this post, I will share with you from my personal experience why Hakuba is one of the popular ski resorts for both local and international tourists alike.
Getting to Hakuba
Thanks to the extensive railway network, getting to Hakuba from Osaka or any other major city is a breeeze.
Firstly, it involves taking the shinkansen from Shin-Osaka station to Nagoya station which takes around 50 minutes (the shinkansen is such a time-saver). Following that, transfer to the JR Shinano express train at Nagoya station heading towards Nagano station which takes 3 hours. Hence, the total train journey would take around 4 hours and cost ¥12,520. I booked the tickets online via JR West Japan website. If you have the JR Rail Pass, it is covered by the pass.
After arriving in Nagano, you have to take a bus from Nagano Station to your preferred stop in Hakuba. It would take around 1.5 hours in good weather and cost ¥2,200. However, due to the unpredictable snowy weather in Nagano at times, you may expect your journey to take longer than usual. So take that into consideration. You can buy the tickets from the Alpico bus company office near Nagano station or book online.
A cheaper alternative is to take the overnight bus from Osaka directly to Hakuba. It leaves at night and 9 hours later, you will wake up in snowy Hakuba. It costs between ¥9,000 to ¥9,300, depending on your stop in Hakuba.
If you decide to fly, the nearest airport to Hakuba is Matsumoto Airport. From the airport, you can take a direct bus to Hakuba which will take about 2 hours and the ticket costs ¥2,500.
However, for those coming from Tokyo, you have it easier. Just hop on the Hokuriku Shinkansen from Tokyo station and you will be there in Nagano in under 2 hours in comfort. A one-way ticket will cost you ¥8,540, or it is covered by the JR Rail Pass as well. However, do look out for some ski package that JR sometimes have to places like Nagano where you can save on tickets, accommodation or ski passes.
My 3-day Itinerary in Nagano
Day 1: Nagano City
This was my first time in Nagano Prefecture and my first stop was Nagano city, where Nagano station is located in. Due to heavy snow during the day I left for Nagano, the shinkansen heading for Nagoya travelled at a slower speed at some parts of the route, resulting in a delayed arrival in Nagoya and missing my next train. So, I had to catch the next train arriving 45 minutes later. Despite the delay, the picturesque views through the valleys and around snow-covered mountains made up for the lost time.
I had decided to stay in Nagano city for a night so that I could explore the city and also split up the long journey to account for any delay. I am glad I thought about that because it, in fact, did happen. Also, if you are travelling from Osaka, the earliest you can arrive at Nagano station is noon, so transferring straight to the Hakuba-bound bus would mean that you will arrive in Hakuba around late afternoon. So you will not have time to hit the slopes, so do consider whether you would prefer to just relax in Nagano City or Hakuba instead.
Once I had dropped off my bags at my hotel which is just across from the station (I stayed at Nagano Tokyu Rei Hotel), I got on a bus to go to the famous Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park, where you can see monkeys soaking in the hot springs. Is that not such an unbelievable thing to see? I recommend getting the Snow Monkey Pass for ¥3,600 which includes return tickets to and fro Nagano station and the admission ticket fee for the park. You can purchase from the Nagaden Railway ticket office near the Nagano station.
So I mentioned earlier that the snowy weather can be unpredictable right? Well, it snowed so heavily that day that I ended up arriving 5 minutes before the closing time of the park, so I did not get a chance to see those snow monkeys at all. Oh well. But I hope you have better luck than me next time. I recommend visiting the Snow Monkey Park because it is more convenient to go from Nagano station compared to Hakuba as the park is located in Shiga Kogen, which is on the other side of Nagano city, with these two ski resorts flanking either side of the city.
A little disappointed, I decided to make my way to the nearest station, Yudanaka station to take the train back to the city instead. The train ride is also included in the Snow Monkey Pass, so it is worth getting it. You have to take the bus from Snow Monkey Park bus stop to Yudanaka station and then it is a 45-minute train ride to Nagano station past snow-covered apple orchards and sheer white as far as the eye can see. There is something cathartic about being in a warm train cabin and looking out the blinding white expanse.
Once back in Nagano city, I just had dinner at one of the many restaurants available around the station and headed back to my hotel for an early night.
Day 2: Hakuba
It has been snowing heavily since I left for Nagano and continued to do so on the day I left for Hakuba. The travel time was supposed to be around 1.5 hours but ended up being over 2 hours. I arrived at Hakuba Happo Bus Terminal. From the bus terminal, you can take a free shuttle bus that runs throughout the ski season around Hakuba, or you could also get a cab via the phones set up in the bus terminal. Don't worry, instructions are available in English to book a cab through these phones and the operators speak English. Depending on the availability, the cab may take between 10-20 minutes to arrive.
Only 15 minutes away from the bus terminal, I arrived at my B&B, the Apricot Pension, a quaint cottage along a narrow alley. Although you have the options of the major hotel chains like Courtyard by Marriott, Prince Hotels, most visitors stay in one of the arrays of B&Bs and ski chalets. With all the log cabins and cottages scattered along alleys, Hakuba looked like what I would imagine a European village in the mountains would be like in winter. It almost felt like I am no longer in Japan and was such a refreshing atmosphere. It was strikingly peaceful, the silence only broken by people scuttling around with their skis or snowboards in tow to catch one of the many free shuttle buses that will ferry you to the various ski slopes in Hakuba.
After leaving my luggage at the B&B, I got on the shuttle bus from the Hotel Oak Forest bus stop, which was just 3 minute walk around the corner, to Hakuba 47 Winter Sports Park. This ski park was where I had my first experience of snowboarding. I highly recommend taking a snowboarding lesson for your first time. I booked a 2-hour private lesson from Hakuba47 Ski Academy International with Milo. The ski school has English-speaking instructors, so you can fully focus on your skiing or snowboarding skills and not have to worry about deciphering the Japanese language. Milo was amazing at teaching at the student's pace - either going slow and easy, or giving you a challenge if he sees you handling it well. I managed to learn a lot of tips that I could apply the next time I go snowboarding on my own. However, do not expect to get it down immediately as it usually takes a couple of days before you get the hang of skiing or snowboarding. So, you might want to stay in Hakuba for a few days, although I regrettably only had a day in Hakuba.
And the snow, do not get me started. Probably the softest and most powdery snow I have experienced in my life, and this is not an exaggeration. It really helped especially if you are learning a winter sport for the first time, as you are not as afraid to fall or realistically speaking, crash land because let's be honest, you will probably be doing that for the majority of your first time. However, that is part of the learning process, so having soft, cushiony snow helps alleviate the fear and make it more enjoyable. Even if you are not keen on trying winter sport, it is just fun to roll around in or go sledding.
After an intense and body-aching day at the ski park (do prepare for those body aches!), I went back to the B&B and had a nice, hot shower before heading out to dinner in Hakuba. I suggest heading down the main street (search for Sound Like Cafe as a landmark) if you are staying around the Misorano Resort Estate /Echoland Roundabout where you will find rows of cafes, restaurants, a convenience store and some shops. One of the big reasons why a lot of foreigners love Hakuba is that it is very foreigner-friendly. Most staff in the B&Bs, hotels, restaurants and shops speak English, so you don't have to fret over the language barrier. Road signs are also in English, so driving is fairly convenient and easy. Restaurants have English menus too. Another similar place is Niseko in Hokkaido, so there's another option for ya
Due to the many English-speaking staff around, the convenience of the free shuttle buses, the amazing atmosphere and world-class snow, you can not go wrong visiting Hakuba in winter. You bet I want to go back next time.
Day 3: Matsumoto
After a lovely night's stay at the B&B, I was sad to leave Hakuba but onward to the last stop of my Nagano trip. The wonderful staff at the B&B offered a free ride to Hakuba train station where I got on a train to Matsumoto. Hakuba station is a small station and only has train service to and fro Matsumoto, and not Nagano. So if you are coming from Matsumoto, the train is another option for you. Depending on your departure time, you can take the limited express train for ¥2,190 and it takes about an hour or the local train for ¥1,170 which takes 1 hour and 45 minutes.
Going to Matsumoto was a short stopover to explore the city before taking the JR Shinano express train back to Nagoya, followed by the shinkansen to Shin-Osaka station. I recommend giving Matsumoto a couple of hours to explore as most of the sightseeing spots are within walking distance from the station. Some of these spots include the famous Matsumoto Castle, Nawate-dori and my personal favourite, Nakamachi-dori. Nakamachi-dori, or Nakamachi street, was a delightful surprise as there were many cool boutique stores selling handmade crafts and Instagram-worthy cafes all housed in traditional-looking buildings. The juxtaposition of old and new was visually intriguing to just stroll around.
And with that, I hopped on the train back to Osaka, concluding the end of my winter trip. Absolutely remarkable and I can not wait to go back to Nagano. Maybe Nozawa Onsen next? I guess my final take-aways from this trip are: stay a couple of nights in Hakuba, plan your trip to account for possible delays due to heavy snow, Nagano city is the best jumping-off point for the popular spots in Nagano Prefecture and also do try to visit Matsumoto, even for a few hours.
I hope you get to see Nagano just like how I did and enjoy the amazing snowy winter in Nagano! Let me know if you have any other recommendations :)
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