PlanetSKI’s Japan Ski Adventures Continue

6th February 2025 | James Cove, Hakuba Valley, Japan.

Last modified on February 9th, 2025

PlanetSKI is in Japan for a month or so. Our stay in the Hakuba Valley on the main island of Honchu ends, with yet more fresh snow.

We have already posted from the Haukuba Valley as we hit the main resorts of Hakuba 47, Happo One and Iwatake:

PlanetSKI is skiing in Japan

The Hakuba Valley, Japan. Image © PlanetSKI

Then we took time out to see Japan away from the ski slopes and visited Kanazawa and its surrounding area:

PlanetSKI in Japan

Natadera Temple. Image © PlanetSKI

Now we’re back in the Hakuba Valley and heading to the powder fields of Cortina.

First there was the small matter of digging the car out after all the recent snow.

The Hakuba Valley, Japan. Image © PlanetSKI

It was surprisingly easy, and took just a few minutes.

You simply need to clear the snow from windscreen and then drive out – the snow is that light here in Japan.

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Arriving in Cortina we were greeted by one of the classic Japanese ski hotels at the base of the ski area.

The Hakuba Valley, Japan. Image © PlanetSKI

And up close:

The Hakuba Valley, Japan. Image © PlanetSKI

The resort has a total ski area of 13,335m with 6 lifts giving access to 16 marked runs.

The Hakuba Valley, Japan. Image © PlanetSKI

Once again, we had struck gold with the snow.

The Hakuba Valley, Japan. Image © PlanetSKI

We headed straight for the trees to find some of that JaPow again.

We weren’t disappointed.

So, why does Japan receive so much snow?

It benefits from some very cold air masses travelling from the Yakutsk region of eastern Siberia.

This then collides with moisture laden air from the North Pacific.

The two air masses collide over the mountains of Japan & then…Pow!

However, do not think there is light powder the whole time.

There isn’t.

Sometimes it doesn’t snow, so although the pistes are covered, the snow quality will be the same as anywhere else.

Several friends have visited and missed out on that very special Japanese powder, but on our visit fortune was on our side.

As I mentioned in the video the rules of where you can and can’t ski are different to Europe.

The marked runs are safe to ski, but large areas of off piste are out-of-bounds, and I have heard stories of lift pass being confiscated and fines issued.

Stick within the boundary area is very much my advice.

The Hakuba Valley, Japan. Image © PlanetSKI

If you want powder adventures stick to the designated areas and have all the correct safety equipment.

The Hakuba Valley, Japan. Image © PlanetSKI

Other areas are OK, but you take responsibility.

The Hakuba Valley, Japan. Image © PlanetSKI

Then there are the areas open.

We stuck to the open tree areas in Cortina.

We simply lapped my current favourite lift in the entire world.

The Hakuba Valley, Japan. Image © PlanetSKI

The views were truly spectacular and one could only be in Japan.

The Hakuba Valley, Japan. Image © PlanetSKI

We skipped lunch to be in the Cortina powder, and built up a healthy appetite for dinner that night.

The food here in Japan is utterly fabulous and very reasonably priced.

Around £12 – £15 for a meal with a beer or small jug of saki.

The Hakuba Valley, Japan. Image © PlanetSKI

In many restaurants English is not spoken, but the menus have helpful pictures and the food is far better than the glossy images suggest.

Hakuba Vallley, Japan. Image c/o PlanetSKI

Sometimes there are words on the menu too – helpful if horsemeat is not quite to your taste

Hakuba Vallley, Japan. Image c/o PlanetSKI

Some restaurants even offer plastic replicas of the food in their main window.

The Hakuba Valley, Japan. Image © PlanetSKI

Then there is the suchi.

The Hakuba Valley, Japan. Image © PlanetSKI

Sometimes though it is good to go back to something more familiar.

The Hakuba Valley, Japan. Image © PlanetSKI

As English is not widely spoken, there is much smiling/arm waving and drawing images on pieces of paper.

Some of the petrol stations go up a level.

The Hakuba Valley, Japan. Image © PlanetSKI

One of my most welcome sights was when we were very low on petrol and worrying about running out when a garage appeared.

I pulled in and two men came bounding out and bowing away.

One filled up the car, while the other took my card and took the payment from the machine that did not have an English option.

Politeness and respect are everywhere with much bowing, smiling and thanks.

Our final resort on our stay in the Hakuba Valley was Kashimayari.

Once again, the omens were good as we approached with the local village buildings buried under snow.

Hakuba Valley, Japan. Image © PlanetSKI

And up on the slopes?

Yup more snow.

The Hakuba Valley, Japan. Image © PlanetSKI

There wasn’t the extensive and steep slopes of Cortina but there was still plenty of fresh JaPOW.

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The resort has an area of 14,200m with 8 lifts giving access to its 15 marked runs.

The Hakuba Valley, Japan. Image © PlanetSKI

As it is one of the smaller ski areas and least accessible at the southern end of the valley we were the only westerners on the slopes.

The resort is mainly for locals only.

For the first time we didn’t hear an Australian voice all day.

Snowboarding remains popular here in Japan with around 20% of people on snowboards rather than skis.

The Hakuba Valley has ten different ski areas:

Jiigatake
Kashimayari
Sanosake
Gorya
Hakuba 47
Happo-One
Iwatake
Tsugaike Kogen
Norikura Onsen
Cortina

The resorts have more than 200 runs with countless routes through the powder.

There is a joint lift pass that costs 55,900 Yen (£290) for six days, though it actually works out cheaper to buy one daily.

We decided to buy daily lift passes and our total came to 40,100 Yen (£210).

The joint valley lift pass gives free access to the public buses, so you will need to factor that in when you make your choice.

We had a hire car and used the hotel bus, so did not need the local bus.

And if you are wondering whether to hire skis or take your own then top quality rentals cost £180 for 6-days.

On our flight with Turkish airways a ski bag went for free, so there was no extra charge to bring one’s own skis.

All too soon our week-long stay in the Hakuba Valley in Nagano drew to its conclusion.

PlanetSKI’s first experience of skiing in Japan had lived up to expectations.

And more, much more.

Just the feeling of skiing in Japan is fabulous with reminders of where you are in the world everywhere.

Next, we’re spending a few days in Tokyo before flying north to the island of Hokkaido.

It’s home to some of the best ski resorts in Japan and annually receives even more snow than the Hakuba Valley.

Bring it on!

Visiting Japan

A handful of specialist UK operators offer ski holidays to Japan.

One is Ski Safari that has perhaps the most experience of the country with tailored packages built on the company’s extensive knowledge and experience.

It offers the following six resorts:

Niseko – Japan’s largest and best-known ski resort, the quality and quantity of snow here is unparalleled – for powder, it doesn’t get much better than a Niseko ski holiday

Hakuba – Hakuba ski holidays are blessed with alpine-like terrain and huge variety. Hakuba is a great place to use as a base for exploring multiple resorts on one lift pass.

Rusutsa – A quirky, powder-filled paradise, Rusutsu ski holidays are great on their own or as part of a longer trip in Hokkaido.

Nozawa Onsen – Japan’s oldest ski resort, Nozawa Onsen ski holidays are as famous for onsens as they are for skiing – perfect for a ski trip with added culture.

Kiroro – Relatively under-the-radar, Kiroro ski holidays feature deep powder, quiet slopes and fantastic tree runs off-piste.

Furano -Choose a Furano ski holiday for a traditional resort in an idyllic setting and top notch piste skiing. A good value option, Furano is a thriving town in its own right.

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