Ryokan in Hakuba

白馬

A valley of ski resorts under the Northern Alps, which hosted the downhill, ski jumping and cross-country events at the 1998 Nagano Olympics. From Tokyo it is 100 minutes by Hokuriku Shinkansen to Nagano, then 60 to 90 minutes by express bus. There are hot-spring baths around the village.

Hakuba through the year

Spring春
March to May
Cherry trees usually flower from late April into early May, with the Northern Alps still white behind them.
Summer夏
June to August
In summer the village is a base for climbing in the Northern Alps, and a cool escape from the heat.
Autumn秋
September to November
The colours start at about 2,000 metres in mid-September and come down the mountains to the village in October; with an early snowfall the peaks, slopes and valley show white, red and green at once.
Winter冬
December to February
About 655 cm of snow falls in an average year, and the daily mean stays below freezing from December to February.