Hakuba Blog

Hakuba Accommodation

Posted on June 13, 2017 by Hakuba Blog

Japanese style rooms with western comforts

There are many options for accommodation in the Hakuba Valley. When you are searching for the best place to stay for your holiday there are a couple of things you should look for. Position is important. Ski-in, ski-out is not necessarily a good thing here. With 8 resort areas and 25 kms separating the furthest ones it makes more sense to stay central. The northern resort of Cortina does get a huge amount of snow however it does not always come from that direction. The key to Hakuba is having easy access to all of the resorts. The White Horse Hotel has a private shuttle service that will drop you off and pick you up at all of the resorts at any time of the day. If you want to be first in line for fresh tracks or get to your lesson in relative comfort with no stress then definitely this is for you. We also advise you on the best places to go every morning so you’ll be sure to get the most favourable conditions on a daily basis. Everyone is different and while a lot of people talk about chasing the deep powder which we certainly specialise in, we also find that many of our guests are just looking for uncrowded groomed runs with maybe just a little fresh snow. We take everybody’s needs into consideraton when helping them choose where to go each morning.

Position also comes into play for apres. Being able to stroll out of your hotel and have a number of fantastic options for dinner and drinks is a bonus. Once again the White Horse Hotel is perfect in this regards. The hotel is located in Echoland which is the main restaurant and bar area of Hakuba. We also have our own bar and restaurant for our guests to enjoy if you just want to stay in for the evening. Having been here for over 10 years now, we continually strive to give our guests the best experience possible. I hope you can come and enjoy our hospitality in this very beautiful part of the world. When booking, it is always best to go directly through the hotel regardless of where you want to stay. We limit the number of rooms available for the booking engines as we want to be able to service our repeat and referred guests especially during the peak periods. Contact us directly for availability.

info@whitehorse-hakuba.com

Posted in Hakuba, Hakuba Accommodation, Hakuba apres, Hakuba Hotels, ski and snowboard | Tagged accommodation, Hakuba, hotels, snowjapan, stay | Leave a comment

Season wrap 2016/17

Posted on June 2, 2017 by Hakuba Blog

Hakuba Cortina 31st January 2017. What a day that one was.

What an awesome snow season we had here in Hakuba for 2016/17. The season began with first lifts spinning on the 8th of December and finishing up on the 7th of May. It was a little late to start and teased us for a while but then on the 11th of January Hakuba did what it does and in a big big way. Talking to one of the expert avalanche safety patrol guys on Tsugaike, his measurements on the upper to mid mountain was 4 meters over 10 days. Over the next 2.5 months we had consistent dumps of snow giving everyone a chance to experience what keeps bringing people back. For me personally I was able to continue to explore and discover new, easy to get to spots and am constantly amazed in what I am able to find. In regards to the groomed runs there is always plenty of fun to be had there for all levels of skiers and boarders. The parks were upped a level with bigger and better set-ups and the usual standout, Hakuba47, were able to run to the last day. The new lift ticket system was rushed into action at the start of the season so no doubt there were some teething problems however I have confidence that next year it should run a lot smoother. The new gates are easy to get through and the convenience of not having to buy a ticket daily or exchange a voucher is excellent for tourists. Off the mountain and into the valley Hakuba continues to grow domestically and internationally. There is a lot of development going on and even more in the planning stages. There are new restaurants, cafes and bars opening each year and the choice is outstanding. Every year I have been here I have seen subtle changes which make the experience much easier and more attractive for the foreign tourists. Thank you Hakuba for another amazing winter. I am blessed to call you my home.

Plenty of bluebird days too

Hakuba Powder Hounds found Heaven this season

Hakuba Kashimayari – that moment when the sun shines through

Posted in Hakuba | 2 Comments

First day of the season competition 2016 /17

Posted on November 14, 2016 by Hakuba Blog

A pic from the 28th of November 2015. Last seasons winner for picking the first day was Steve Williams.

Here we go again. Each year we run a competition to pick the first day of the season. The rules are

The first day the lifts open for skiers and boarders at any one of the resorts in Hakuba.
One date per person. If 2 or more people choose the same date then we will have a draw out of a hat to choose the winner.
The date must be chosen at least one week in advance
If a date isn’t chosen then it’s the closest date before.

The prizes are

Your choice of a Monkey Rider hoodie or White Horse Long sleeve T
5000 yen voucher at the White Horse Bar and Restaurant in Echoland.

So go to the bottom of this blog and put your date in the comments section or email me HERE and I will add it. Good luck. Remember that the resorts will open as soon as there is enough snow on the ground so it’s pretty much any time now. Just waiting for THAT storm.

The list so far.

Gerard Hollands – 23rd November

Shay Mason – 24th November

Simon 24th November

TJ – 25th November

Ange – 25th November

Olivia – 25th November

Tyler – 26th November

Andrew Clarke – 26th November

Melody – 26th November

David Bridger – 26th November

Onotch – 26th November

Erica – 26th November

Jack Johnson – 26th November

Nicole Spencer – 26th November

Ingrid – 26th November

Jake Lyons – 26th November

William Righton – 27th November

Kiralee Dempster – 27th November

Grant Hakuba House – 27th November

Austin Campion – 27th November

Matt Reed – 28th November

Shane Steere – 28th November

James Gill – 28th November

Andreas Zweibrot – 28th November

Kieran – 28th November

Chiharu W – 28th November

Thomas Williams – 28th November

Daniel – 29th November

Aimee Jones – 29th November

Lisa Gale – 29th November

Heath Gallagher – 29 November

Olga Gordan – 30th November

PJC – 30th November

JB – 30th November

Mike – 31st November (good luck with that)

Brian Morris – 1st December

Anthony Ginman – 1st December

Zuzana Solcova – 1st December

4wanderlusters – 1st December

Troy – 2nd December

Richard Copland – 2nd December

Deborah Curry – 2nd December

Jacob Luff – 2nd December

Michael – 3rd December

David McAlister – 3rd December

Jamie – 3rd December

Chris – 3rd December

Ryan Crumlish – 4th December

Paul – 4th December

James Millane – 4th December

Adam Roberts – 4th December

Alex – 5th December

Ruthryan – 5th December

Dylan – 5th December

Heidi Dell – 5th December

Hannah Sayer – 5th December

Fraser Burrough – 5th December

Stephen – 6th December

Paris – 6th December

James Willoughby – 6th December

Tereza Foulcher – 6th December

Jeremy Corner – 8th December

Jesse Fenn – 8th December

Nathan Moore – 8th December

Reuben – 10th December

Steve Nixon – 10th December

Clare – 10th December

Carlie Lidstone – 13th December

Tamara Gallagher – 13th December

Alex – 14th December

Meesha Novotny – 16th December

Shane – 17th December

Dane – 17th December

Dee Mathiesen – 28th December

Posted in Hakuba | 73 Comments

Travis Rice in Japan

Posted on October 28, 2016 by Hakuba Blog

The Hakuba mountains in Japan is where Travis Rice filmed the Japanese segment of his latest film “The Fourth Phase”. The movie footage is amazing and you will be pretty much guaranteed similar conditions if you come here mid season for a 2 week stint. Here is some footage of what he got up to in the Valley. A Cortina powder day is an obvious choice for even the pro’s. Can I recommend ensuring you are geared up for rescue if you try any lines like these and also please don’t slide on our roads. Fun to watch but buses hurt if they hit you. I think they used a stuntman 🙂

Posted in Hakuba | 1 Comment

Mt Hakuba (Shirouma) climb. 白馬岳

Posted on August 18, 2016 by Hakuba Blog

Almost to the top. Mt Shirouma lodge on the right with the peak just beyond that.

We have world class hiking here in Hakuba for every level of experience. I recently took on the big one, Mt Shirouma, through the Daisekkei snowfield for a day hike. I would recommend staying up at the mountain lodge for the evening to truly take in the great atmosphere of one of Japans most famous hikes. On this particular day we had a good mix of conditions which added to the experience. No rain thankfully however at times a misty fog would surround us. The snowfield is glacier like with lots of creaks and groans in the snowpack giving an eerie mood. Adding to that is the intermittent sound of small rockfalls on either side of the gorge. There is constant threat and existence of larger rockfalls so there is a need to be vigilant. It’s a solid hike for 5 hours with some of the most spectacular scenery you will ever experience. I can thoroughly recommend it along with the ramen and beer at the top. You do require crampons for the snowfield which can be purchased at the base for 1000 yen.

We are going up

A little bit further and we hit the ice field

Conditions were icy and like walking on a giant golfball. You need crampons

and looking back down the valley

Beautiful wildflowers along the way

the scenery constantly changed from brilliant

to magnificent

the clouds would come and go

with some amazing displays

Nearly at the top

Hikers Heaven. On top of the world with a shelter, food and drinks. The peak in the background just 10 minutes away

The peak monument @ 2932 meters

The ramen up top was actually very good and, well Sapporo is always good.

Thank you to my good friend and Professional Guide, Hiromi Ishihara, for taking me along on this amazing adventure. I can certainly recommend her services if you are looking for some knowledgeable assistance to the region.

If you would like more information on this and anything else about Hakuba then please contact me directly at info@whitehorse-hakuba.com

Posted in Hakuba, hiking, Sightseeing | Tagged Famous world hikes, Hakuba, hiking, Japan hiking, Japan outdoors | 2 Comments

New Lift Ticket System – game changer

Posted on June 9, 2016 by Hakuba Blog

and then the clouds clear.

Huge news for the Hakuba Valley this week with the anouncement of a new lift ticketing system to be introduced for this 2016-17 winter season. It’s a big and positive step for the resorts to get together and introduce a state of the art lift pass. Life will be a lot easier now for everyone coming here to ski and snowboard. No more waiting at the ticket box exchanging vouchers or buying daily passes. The lift ticket, which you will be able to pre-purchase, will enable you to walk straight through the gates which puts you on the lifts faster to get you where you want to be. Goryu, Iimori, Hakuba47, Happo One, Iwatake, Tsugaike and Norikura will all have scanning gates this season to allow you instant access to the lifts. Jigatake, Kashimayari, Yanaba, Sanosaka and Cortina will introduce them the following season however your pass will still enable you to exchange a day pass.

Just a little history on my take of the way things were done previously. There are 500 or so ski resorts in Japan. Most of them are owned by separate entities all vying for their piece of the ski market. There has been a lot of competition and that included between each of the resorts in Hakuba. Over recent history there has been a lot of encouragement from the locals in Hakuba for the resorts to join forces and become one of the biggest and best resort areas not only in Japan but on a world scale. “THE HAKUBA VALLEY”. Finally with the hard work of a few very motivated men and woman we are starting to see the potential of what Hakuba can be.

For more info on the system check out the Skidata website HERE.

Posted in Hakuba, Information, ski and snowboard, snow | Tagged chairlifts, Hakuba, Lift passes, lift tickets, ski lift tickets in japan | 3 Comments

Bucket list

Posted on February 15, 2016 by Hakuba Blog

Trip of a life time

April 2016. Where will you be? How about combining one of Japan’s most incredible festivals with a trip to the giant snow walls whilst checking out the Cherry Blossom season and throw in a back country Heli Ski adventure in the Japanese Alps. This is a trip of a life time.

Onabashira is commonly know as the log sliding festival. Giant trees are sent sliding down a hill with the local people riding atop. This event is truly an amazing spectacle and something that should not be missed. More info here

The giant snow walls of Tateyama are world renowned. We’ll be taking the adventurous route through long tunnels, over a huge dam and traversing on Japans longest single span ropeway to reach the destination. More info here

The Cherry Blossoms in Japan will even make the toughest of men ohh and arhh over their beauty. Come and celebrate as the Japanese do with a Hanami party under the Cherry trees. More info here

Heli Ski in the Japanese Alps in style with a classic Japanese bento picnic lunch and a bottle of champagne on top of one of the most spectacular mountain regions in the world. This is available for intermediate and above skiers and boarders. Mellow lines and a good introduction to the Hakuba backcountry. More info here

Tony Anderson from the White Horse Hotel has been living in the region for 10 years and will be you personal escort for this adventure of a lifetime. Contact him directly HERE for more information and package deals. There are limited numbers so get in early.

Onabashira official website Here

Giant Snow walls site Here