Happo One

Happo One ski resort is known as a place for serious skiers. Located in the northwest Nagano prefecture in the beautiful Hakuba Valley, it is not far northwest of Tokyo. This lovely ski resort in Japan was host to the 1988 Winter Olympics. Mostly suitable for skiers, there is not much here for snowboarders, and no child care facilities for families with young children. Happo One is loaded with chutes, bowls and treacherous cliffs and is the expert skier’s delight.

Happo One boasts some great powder and mogul runs and almost half the runs are mainly aimed at intermediate skiers. The resort has thirteen slopes spread over more than 400 acres of gorgeous landscape, the longest run being a very respectable five miles. The slopes are accessed by thirty-three impressive ski lifts. There is some incredible off-piste skiing here for experts, accessible via a hike from the top ski lifts. You can try cross-country skiing at Iwatake nearby.

Happo One ski resort offers a number of other activities, including hiking, snowmobiling and cross-country skiing nearby. Relax in the several hot springs in and around the town. The village of Happo One is quite a place to explore, with its Disney-like, mock Tudor buildings dotted along a narrow winding road. At night you get the buzz and and feel of a real mountain ski resort comparable with anywhere in the world. Happo One is packed with all the ingredients for some serious apres-ski fun, not to mention some fantastic traditional Japanese cuisine. There are dozens of bars and restaurants in the town and many on-slope cafes.

Lodgings at Happo One ski resort are situated at the nearby town of Hakuba, where you will find traditional Japanese-style accommodation with accompanying hot springs as well as western-style hotels. There are forty restaurants and bars at Hakuba, offering plenty of options for eating and drinking. Other topnotch ski resorts nearby include Hakuba 47 and Goryu Toomi ski resorts. Happo One’s ski season runs for about six months from December and the resort has its best snow in February.