Nagano · Village
Hakuba
白馬村はくばむらHakuba-muraOlympic slopes and alpine peaks in the northern Japanese Alps
Hakuba is a village in northern Nagano Prefecture at the foot of the Hakuba Sanzan, the northern end of the Japanese Alps; it hosted the alpine skiing and ski-jumping events of the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics and is the centre of Hakuba Valley, one of Japan's largest ski regions.
Overview
Hakuba occupies a high valley along the upper Himekawa river in the north-west of Nagano Prefecture, directly below the eastern face of the Hida Mountains, the Northern Alps. Along its western skyline rise the three Hakuba peaks – Shiroumadake (2,932 m), Shakushidake and Hakuba Yarigatake – together with Goryūdake and Karamatsudake. Heavy winter snow from the Sea of Japan and steep, long slopes make the valley one of Japan's premier ski areas.
The village's name comes from Shiroumadake: in spring a patch of dark rock in the melting snow takes the shape of a horse, the shiro-uma or 'paddy horse' that told farmers it was time to prepare the rice fields. The characters were later written 白馬, 'white horse', and read Hakuba. The present village was formed in 1956 by the merger of two villages.
The 1998 Nagano Olympics brought the downhill and other alpine races to Happō-one, the ski jumps to the Hakuba Ski Jumping Stadium and the cross-country races to Snow Harp. Since then the resorts of Hakuba and the neighbouring municipalities of Ōmachi and Otari have been marketed together as Hakuba Valley, attracting many international skiers. In summer the valley is a base for alpine hiking, the Hakuba Daisekkei snow gorge and the mountain huts of the Northern Alps, which lie within Chūbu-Sangaku National Park.
Landmarks
- 白馬三山Shirouma Sanzan
The three peaks of Shiroumadake, Shakushidake and Hakuba Yarigatake, a classic multi-day traverse of the Northern Alps.
Hakuba Daisekkei
白馬大雪渓Hakuba DaisekkeiA snow-filled gorge on Shiroumadake that lasts through the summer, counted among Japan's three great snow gorges; its route requires crampons and care because of rockfall.
Happō-one
八方尾根Happō-oneThe largest ski area in the valley and the 1998 Olympic downhill venue; in summer lifts lead to trails towards Happō Pond and Karamatsudake.
Hakuba Ski Jumping Stadium
白馬ジャンプ競技場Hakuba Janpu KyōgijōThe Olympic ski-jumping hills, with a lift to the top of the large hill for visitors.
Happō Pond
八方池Happō-ikeSmall alpine pond on the Happō ridge that reflects the Hakuba Sanzan on calm days.
Ōide Park
大出公園Ōide KōenSuspension bridge and thatched farmhouse on the Himekawa, with the classic view of the Hakuba peaks.
Districts
Happō
八方HappōThe village's busiest area, with hotels, restaurants and hot springs at the foot of Happō-one.
Echoland
エコーランドEkōrandoLodge and restaurant quarter between Happō and the Iwatake resort.
Kamishiro
神城KamishiroSouthern part of the valley, with the Goryū and Hakuba 47 resorts and the Snow Harp cross-country venue.
Iwatake
岩岳IwatakeSki and summer mountain area in the north of the village with wide views of the Alps.
History
The valley was a farming area on the Chikuni Kaidō, the 'Salt Road' along which salt and seafood were carried from Itoigawa on the Sea of Japan to Matsumoto. Mountaineering in the Northern Alps, promoted in the Meiji era by Walter Weston and Japanese climbers, made Shiroumadake a popular peak, and skiing spread to the valley in the early twentieth century.
After the Second World War ski resorts opened at Happō-one and elsewhere, and Hakuba village was formed in 1956. The 1998 Winter Olympics transformed the village's infrastructure and international profile, and from the 2000s growing numbers of skiers from Australia, Asia and Europe made Hakuba, like Niseko in Hokkaido, one of Japan's most international mountain resorts.
Edo period
The Chikuni Kaidō salt road through the valley links Itoigawa and Matsumoto.
Meiji era
Modern mountaineering in the Northern Alps makes Shiroumadake a popular climb.
1956
Hakuba village is formed by the merger of two villages.
1998
Hakuba hosts alpine skiing, ski jumping and cross-country events of the Nagano Winter Olympics.
2000s
The resorts of Hakuba, Ōmachi and Otari begin cooperating as Hakuba Valley.
Culture
Hakuba lives from the mountains in both seasons: skiing and snowboarding in winter, hiking, climbing and rafting in summer and autumn. Many ski instructors, guides and restaurateurs from abroad have settled in the valley, and in winter the Happō and Echoland areas are strongly international. Older traditions survive in the farming hamlets, in shrine festivals and in the memory of the Salt Road, walked each spring in a commemorative event. Backcountry skiing below the Alps carries serious avalanche risk and is subject to local rules on access gates.
Festivals
Shio no Michi Matsuri
塩の道祭りShio no Michi MatsuriIn early May, participants in Edo-period costume walk sections of the old Salt Road through the valley.
Summer mountain opening
山開きyamabirakiCeremonies in early summer mark the start of the climbing season on the Hakuba peaks.
Food
- 信州そばShinshū soba
Buckwheat noodles from the highlands of Nagano, a staple in the valley's restaurants.
Oyaki
おやきoyakiNagano's stuffed dumplings of wheat or buckwheat dough filled with vegetables or sweet bean paste.
- 野沢菜漬けnozawana-zuke
Pickled leaf mustard, the classic winter pickle of northern Nagano.
- 信州りんごShinshū ringo
Apples from the Nagano valleys and sake from the region's breweries, made with Alpine snowmelt.
Getting around
- Express buses link Nagano Station, on the Hokuriku Shinkansen, with Hakuba in a little over an hour; direct buses also run from Tokyo.
- Hakuba Station is on the JR Ōito Line from Matsumoto, about an hour and a half by local train, with some limited expresses from Shinjuku in winter and summer.
- Shuttle buses connect the ski resorts and villages of Hakuba Valley in winter.
Day trips
Zenkō-ji temple and the Shinkansen station, about an hour by bus.
The black castle town, by the Ōito Line.
The Northern Alps, including the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route from Ōmachi.
The snow monkeys of Yamanouchi, reachable via Nagano.
Other cities in the prefecture
Frequently asked questions
When is the ski season in Hakuba?
Generally from December to early May, with the most reliable powder in January and February; some higher areas open earlier or close later depending on snowfall.
How do you pronounce Hakuba and Shiroumadake?
The village is Hakuba; the mountain written with the same characters is traditionally read Shiroumadake, recalling the 'paddy horse' snow shape that gave it its name.
Is Hakuba worth visiting in summer?
Yes. Summer and autumn bring hiking to Happō Pond, ascents of the Hakuba peaks, the Daisekkei snow gorge, rafting and mountain biking.
What is Hakuba Valley?
The joint name for about ten ski resorts in Hakuba village and the neighbouring municipalities of Ōmachi and Otari.
Related
Sources
- 1.白馬村公式ホームページ (opens in a new tab) — 白馬村 (Hakuba Village)
- 2.令和2年国勢調査 (opens in a new tab) — 総務省統計局 (Statistics Bureau of Japan)
- 3.HAKUBA VALLEY (opens in a new tab) — HAKUBA VALLEY
- 4.中部山岳国立公園 (opens in a new tab) — 環境省 (Ministry of the Environment)