Dec–FebTen ski resorts on one pass, under the 3,000-metre wall of the Northern Alps. Most visitors come from Tokyo via Nagano; from the Hokuriku side it is a local train ride from Itoigawa, and that route is quieter, cheaper and covered by the Arch Pass.
Hakuba (白馬) sits at about 700 m in a valley directly below the Hakuba Sanzan, three peaks over 2,800 m. Its 10 ski resorts share one lift pass and a shuttle network, and Happo-One held the alpine speed events of the 1998 Nagano Olympics. It is not on the Shinkansen, but the JR Ōito Line runs down from Itoigawa, so Hakuba is an easy add-on to a Hokuriku trip.
Change at Minami-Otari, where JR West's single-car diesel meets JR East's electric line. The Arch Pass and JR Pass cover the whole route.
| From | Route | Time | Fare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Itoigawa | JR Ōito Line, change at Minami-Otari | 1h 30m – 2h 10m | ¥880 |
| Itoigawa (Oct, Dec–Mar) | JR West direct bus, no booking | 1h 25m | ¥880 |
| Toyama | Hakutaka to Itoigawa, then Ōito Line | 2h 51m | ¥4,200 |
| Kanazawa | Hakutaka to Itoigawa, then Ōito Line | about 4h | ¥6,070 |
| Toyama (15 Apr – 30 Nov) | Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route to Shinano-Ōmachi, then JR | a full day | ¥14,360 + ¥530 |
| Nagano | Alpico express bus | about 1h 10m | ¥3,500 winter |
| Tokyo (Shinjuku) | Limited Express Azusa 5, direct | 3h 40m | ¥8,270 |
In heavy snow JR West can cancel Itoigawa–Minami-Otari trains with no replacement; the winter JR bus is the backup. Full timetables and every route →
One pass, a shuttle bus between them, and very different mountains.
1,071 m of vertical, an 8 km longest run and the 1998 Olympic downhill. 2026–27 is the last winter for the old gondola "Adam"; a new 10-person gondola is due in December 2027.
The valley's heaviest snowfall records, tree runs and backcountry gates, and the nearest big skiing to Itoigawa. They share a ticket and connect on the mountain. Open 12 December 2026.
Linked at the top on one ticket. Goryu has Hakuba's largest night-skiing area; Hakuba47 is known for its terrain park and trees.
Very wide beginner slopes, half the terrain rated easy, and a 4 km gondola to the top. The family pick.
The hotel we would book for a ski trip from the Hokuriku side. It sits at the foot of Hakuba Cortina, ski-in and ski-out, with its own hot spring (11 kinds of bath). Its free shuttle meets trains at Minami-Otari, 1 hour from Itoigawa, so you can leave Kanazawa or Toyama in the morning and be skiing powder by lunch without going near Nagano.
Take the JR Ōito Line and change at Minami-Otari: 1h 30m to 2h 10m, ¥880. In October and from 1 December to 31 March (not 28–31 December) a JR West bus runs direct in 1h 25m for the same fare, no booking needed.
Shinkansen to Itoigawa, then the Ōito Line. Toyama 07:43 reaches Hakuba 10:34 (2h 51m, ¥4,200 unreserved); from Kanazawa allow about 4 hours (¥6,070 reserved). From 15 April to 30 November you can also cross the Alps on the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route to Shinano-Ōmachi, 39 minutes from Hakuba.
Yes. The Arch Pass (¥35,000, 7 days) covers the Hokuriku Shinkansen and the whole JR Ōito Line, so Itoigawa to Hakuba is included. The JR Pass covers it too. Neither covers the Alpico buses from Nagano.
The Hakuba Valley all-mountain pass is ¥11,100 for one day (child ¥6,400) and ¥53,400 for five days, valid at all 10 resorts and on the Line V shuttle bus. It goes on sale online around November 2026.
The high resorts (Happo-One, Goryu, Hakuba47, Tsugaike) usually open in early December and ski into early May. Announced so far for 2026–27: Cortina and Norikura 12 December, Iwatake 18 December. Powder is best from January to mid-February.
Mid-October to early November, when fresh snow on the peaks, red slopes and a green valley line up as sandan kōyō. Tsugaike Nature Park colours first (lifts to 25 October), Happo Pond next (Happo Alpenline to 3 November) and Iwatake last (to 15 November).
Cortina for the easiest trip from Itoigawa, Happo for restaurants and the biggest mountain, Goryu for value.
Ski-in hotel at the foot of Cortina with its own 11-bath onsen and a free shuttle from Minami-Otari, the Ōito Line change 1 hour from Itoigawa.
Opened December 2024 beside the Happo Bus Terminal, where the JR bus from Itoigawa sets down. Onsen, under 10 minutes' walk to Happo-One.
A family-run onsen ryokan between the Happo bus terminal and the gondola, with Happo Onsen water and wooden, modern-Japanese rooms.
The lift is in front of the door, 12 minutes' walk from Iimori station on the Ōito Line. Buffet meals; onsen discount tickets for Jūrō no Yu next door.