Hakuba Ski Resorts: Hakuba Valley's 10 Resorts Compared (2026-27)

Hakuba Valley has 10 ski resorts. As a rule of thumb: first-timers do well at Jigatake, Tsugaike or Goryu’s Toomi and Iimori slopes; Happo-One has the largest vertical of the ten (1,071 m); Cortina and Norikura Onsen in the north have the terrain powder skiers look for; for terrain parks, consider Hakuba47’s 47PARKS. If you are staying several days, the All-Mountain Pass (2026-27 adult day pass: 11,100 yen) lets you switch resorts with the weather and snow.

Unless stated otherwise, figures come from the official Hakuba Valley resort pages, checked on 24 October 2026. Resort and tourism-association sites sometimes publish different figures, so the comparison table uses Hakuba Valley’s figures; other official sources are linked where used. Resort-by-resort articles will be added to our Ski Resorts guides.

The 10 resorts of Hakuba Valley

Hakuba Valley is the collective name for Omachi City, Hakuba Village and Otari Village. The official site describes it as 10 ski resorts across these three municipalities.

Municipality	Resorts
Omachi	Jigatake Snow Resort, Kashimayari Ski Resort Family Park
Hakuba Village	White Resort HAKUBA SANOSAKA, ABLE Hakuba GORYU, Hakuba47 Mountain Resort, Hakuba Happo-One Snow Resort, Hakuba Iwatake Snow Field
Otari	Tsugaike Mountain Resort, Hakuba Norikura Onsen Snow Resort, Hakuba Cortina Snow Resort

Hakuba Valley reports more than 700,000 international visitors in the winter season.

Hakuba ski resorts compared

Listed in Hakuba Valley’s own order, from Jigatake at the southern end to Cortina at the northern end.

Resort	Longest run	Vertical (top)	Runs	Beginner / intermediate / advanced
Jigatake	1,500 m	260 m (1,200 m)	7	70 / 30 / 0%
Kashimayari Family Park	4,100 m	490 m (1,320 m)	12	33 / 50 / 17%
Sanosaka	2,600 m	460 m (1,200 m)	10	40 / 40 / 20%
ABLE Hakuba GORYU	5,000 m	926 m (1,676 m)	15	35 / 40 / 25%
Hakuba47	6,400 m	794 m (1,614 m)	8	30 / 40 / 30%
Happo-One	8,000 m	1,071 m (1,831 m)	16	30 / 50 / 20%
Iwatake	3,300 m	539 m (1,289 m)	13	30 / 50 / 20%
Tsugaike	5,000 m	904 m (1,704 m)	11	50 / 30 / 20%
Norikura Onsen	2,500 m	798 m (1,598 m)	14	30 / 40 / 30%
Cortina	3,500 m	530 m (1,402 m)	16	40 / 30 / 30%

Source: Hakuba Valley snow resort info

Which Hakuba ski resort suits you?

First day on snow, or skiing with kids

Jigatake’s published beginner share is 70%, and it has “Toroika”, a ride for children too small for chairlifts. Tsugaike’s main beginner slope is up to 1,200 m wide. Goryu’s Toomi and Iimori areas are wide and gentle, and Kashimayari has a kids’ area with a snow escalator.

Long cruising runs

Happo-One’s longest run is 8,000 m, Hakuba47’s is 6,400 m (its top-to-bottom “R1” is about 2,500 m), and Tsugaike and Goryu each have 5,000 m.

Steeps and powder

Happo-One’s Kurobishi area averages 27° and is known for moguls. Cortina’s “Hiedayama Course 2” is an ungroomed, north-facing run with a 42° maximum and 26° average pitch. Norikura Onsen runs on 100% natural snow with pitches up to 38°. Tsugaike’s DBD tree-run area requires a briefing first; check on the day whether it is open and what the rules are.

Terrain park

Hakuba47’s 47PARKS has kickers, jibs and a halfpipe. Hakuba47 links with Goryu at the top, and one lift ticket covers both.

Views, and family members who don’t ski

Iwatake has a 360° summit view and gentle slopes at the top of the gondola; there is also HAKUBA MOUNTAIN HARBOR, a café and terrace looking across the Northern Alps. At Sanosaka you ski facing Lake Aoki.

Night skiing

Hakuba Valley describes Goryu’s night skiing as one of the largest set-ups in Hakuba. Jigatake runs night skiing on Fridays, Saturdays and the nights before holidays. Night skiing is not included in the All-Mountain Pass (Jigatake, Hakuba Valley lift tickets).

Each resort in one line

• Jigatake (Omachi): the southern end of the valley; wide slopes averaging 13°.
• Kashimayari Family Park (Omachi): plenty for kids, plus a roughly 2,000 m downhill through beech forest.
• Sanosaka (Hakuba Village): the 1,500 m “Lake Down / Lake View” run toward Lake Aoki and the 27°-average “New Paradise”.
• Goryu (Hakuba Village): three areas (Alps-daira, Toomi, Iimori). Hakuba Valley says Alps-daira opens early and can be skied until Golden Week (early May).
• Hakuba47 (Hakuba Village): mostly north-facing slopes, which Hakuba Valley says keep the snow in good condition; it also has a tree-run zone that needs advance registration.
• Happo-One (Hakuba Village): a 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics venue with 1,071 m of vertical.
• Iwatake (Hakuba Village): a standalone peak facing the Hakuba Sanzan; the “Sunny Valley Course” is about 3,000 m top to bottom.
• Tsugaike (Otari): a 4,120 m gondola rises to 1,704 m; the “Han-no-ki Course” runs about 4,000 m.
• Norikura Onsen (Otari): terrain spread over three ridges and a mogul course; Hakuba Valley also mentions backcountry access (check the resort’s rules and conditions).
• Cortina (Otari): the northern end of the valley. Hakuba Valley says it gets some of the heaviest snowfall in the area; tree runs and ungroomed slopes are the draw. Hotel Green Plaza Hakuba at the base has 253 rooms and an onsen.

Hakuba ski pass: the All-Mountain Pass and shuttle buses

For 2026-27 the Hakuba Valley All-Mountain Pass costs 11,100 yen (adult) and 6,400 yen (child) for one day, tax included, with options up to 10 days. You can ski more than one resort in a day, and the shuttle buses between resorts are free on the day you use the pass. Night skiing and night shuttles are excluded. Online sales of day passes are planned to start around November (Hakuba Valley lift tickets).

Nine of the ten resorts have shared automated gates, so the pass works directly; at Jigatake you exchange it at the ticket office. Early-bird pricing for the All-Mountain Season Pass is listed until 29 October 2026 (Hakuba Valley).

Once you know which resorts and how many days you plan to ski, compare the single-resort tickets with the All-Mountain Pass price.

When does the Hakuba ski season start? (2026-27)

Hakuba Valley expects the 2026-27 season to run from opening around December 2026 to closing between March and early May 2027, depending on the resort. ABLE Hakuba GORYU plans to open on 21 November 2026 (Toomi first lift area) (Goryu tourism association). Opening and closing dates depend on snow conditions, so check each resort before you travel.

Choosing where to stay, or where to own, by resort

The resort you ski most shapes where you stay and, if you are buying, which area you look at. Even within Hakuba Village, a base for Happo-One and Iwatake is not the same as a base for Goryu, Hakuba47 and Sanosaka. Whether you ski the same mountain every day or move around by shuttle changes how much distance to the lifts, winter roads and parking matter.

When you look at land, check road access and what can be built, not just the price. See Buying land in Hakuba and Hakuba land prices 2026, and, if you live outside Japan, Can foreigners buy property in Hakuba?

Hakuba Land is a brand of Gemini株式会社, a licensed real estate broker. We assist with land search and purchase, and if you build, we coordinate the project with long-term partner builders, who carry out the construction. Management for other owners, including AI-assisted operation, is still being prepared. Your preferred ski area is a good way to narrow the property search. See properties and management.

Gemini株式会社 also owns the chalet Maykiss in Hakuba and is preparing to open 500 MILES HAKUBA; 500 MILES HAKUBA is a lodging facility licensed under the Inns and Hotels Act (simple lodging category, 簡易宿所営業). See 500 MILES HAKUBA pre-opening registration.

Figures, prices and dates checked on the official sites on 24 October 2026. Check each resort’s official announcements for the latest information.

Cover photo: Hakuba Iwatake Snow Field by Ski Mania, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.