Happo One
Hakuba Happo-One is one of Japan’s best-known ski resorts, with long, challenging runs, varied terrain and panoramic views of the Northern Japanese Alps.
- Lifts: 33
- Runs: 30% Beginner 50% Intermediate 20% Expert
- Longest run: 8km
- Steepest run: 38
- Elevation base: 760m Top 1831m
- Night skiing: Yes
From the lodge a 5-minute walk or a 1-minute free shuttle bus.
Beginners
Beginners can start in either the Sakka area to the right of the photo, the Shirakaba area in the middle or the Nakiyama area to the@left. The Sakka area is close to the lodge and offers runs through stands of cedar with a roped off nursery area for kids to practice safely under supervision. The Shirakaba and Nakiyama areas also offer a variety of runs with cafes surrounding the base to enjoy a coffee or a beer. Once beginners have cut their teeth in these areas they can progress higher up the mountain to the intermediate areas above the kokusai lift and return at the end of the day down the variety of long snaking cat-track trails.
Intermediates
Intermediates are spoiled for choice with plenty of wide cruisers that seem to go on and one. Particular picks are Skyline and the runs down from the Riesen quad lift.
Experts
There are great opportunities for experts at Happo. First of all after the frequent dumps of powder only the middle part of the runs on the lower half of the mountain are groomed and almost the entire upper mountain are ungroomed leaving plenty of easily accessible powder to play in. The mountain adopts a ski at your own risk policy so the off-piste areas in the trees are also great after a dump. Expert skiers can see how their times compare to the greats by hitting the Olympic downhill and Super G course, both thigh burners that start near the top and end over 1km below. Mogul skiers can test their mettle in the Kurobishi area at the top of the mountain.
Backcountry
Happo has great access to fantastic backcountry. A range of steep bowls on the northern side of the happo ridgeline extend away above the resort from Kita-one to Happo-zawa, to Garagara-zawa and Mume-zawa and beyond. All of the extensive bowls lead down over a km of vertical into Saru-kura valley and back to Obinata onsen where you can skate back round to the base of Happo. It is recommended that you go with a guide (Evergreen Outdoor centre just round the corner from us offer this service) or be fully versed in Avalanche theory and carry a shovel, probe and beacon and ride with friends who carry the same if you venture into the backcountry.