It's not how big it is. It's what you do with it that counts.

Happo One is the most famous ski resort amongst the Japanese and was voted the best resort in Japan recently in one of the ski magazines here. Everybody who comes to Hakuba wants to ski the downhill course that the Herminator crashed on in the 1998 Olympics. It is a world class resort and I have had many guests have their “best day ever” on it. Sitting in Happo’s shadow is a little resort called Iwatake. Commonly overlooked by the foreign visitors for no other reason than it is just not really known about. For me Iwatake is a great resort that offers a lower altidude which means that on a windy day where many lift are on wind hold throughout the valley you will find that Iwatake is running as normal. I have had some of the best powder days here as it gets blown off all the other mountains and settles nicely on the runs.  It is a good, fun intermediate mountain on a regular day with powder stashes available well after the last snow. Definitely give it a go while you are here. If you are staying at the White Horse in Echoland then even better as they offer free shuttles at your convenience there and back.

Mountain stats

Elevation   750m-1289m

Longest Run    3800m

Area   120ha

Beginners   30%

Intermediate   50%

Advanced    20%

Lifts & Gondola