Hakuba 47
Hakuba 47: 794m vertical, 8 runs, 11m annual snowfall. Epic Pass access. Northern Japanese Alps, Nagano.
Season 2026 - 2027
Opens
21 Nov 2026
Closes
5 May 2027
Days open
165
Annual snow
11m
The Overview
Michael Fulton
Melbourne-based skier and snowboarder with 50+ resorts across 5 continents. Specialises in Australian resorts and international resort comparisons.
Hakuba 47 Winter Sports Park operates across 794 metres of vertical drop between 820 and 1,614 metres elevation. The resort spans 32 hectares with 8 official runs and receives 11 metres of snowfall annually. The longest run stretches 6.4 kilometres from summit to base.
Terrain distribution favours intermediates with 40 per cent, followed by 30 per cent beginner, 25 per cent advanced and 5 per cent expert. The resort connects to Goryu at the summit via the gondola, creating a combined ski area with shared lift tickets. Hakuba 47's north-facing aspect extends the season into early May with substantial snow cover.
The terrain park ranks among Hakuba Valley's best, featuring 10 kickers up to 20 metres, a half-pipe, rails, boxes and beams. Tree skiing requires registration with the Double Black Diamond Club and wearing provided bibs to access three gated zones. Route 3, a double black mogul run, drops directly above the gondola building.
Epic Pass holders receive five consecutive days across all 10 Hakuba Valley resorts with no blackout dates. The compact layout and mid-mountain cafeteria suit park riders and intermediates more than beginners. Hakuba 47 sits 1.9 kilometres from Kamishiro village and 5 kilometres from Hakuba village centre with regular shuttle bus connections.
794m
Vertical
8
Runs
79 acres
Skiable
11m
Annual snow
Epic Pass
Pass
The Terrain
8 runs across 79 acres skiable
Hakuba 47 Winter Sports Park, in Nagano's Hakuba Valley, is a steep-sided, north-facing 32-hectare mountain with a 794-metre vertical between 820 and 1,614 metres. Eight runs are graded 30% beginner, 40% intermediate, 25% advanced and 5% expert, a sharper skew than most of its neighbours. About 11 metres of snow falls annually, and the shaded aspect helps preserve it into spring. The summit connects across to Hakuba Goryu, so the two operate as a shared ski area for anyone holding a combined pass, with plenty of intermediate laps in between.
The park scene is what draws many riders, with a long line of kickers, rails and boxes alongside a halfpipe. Designated tree zones sit off the main trails for those who want soft snow among the conifers, and steeper groomed pitches reward anyone who wants to test their legs. Skiers who prefer steeper groomers will also find enough to keep them busy. Hakuba 47 suits freestylers, confident intermediates and families wanting a compact, easy-to-navigate mountain, but those chasing huge terrain should look to Happo-one or the Goryu side of the link instead.
Terrain split
8
runs
8 runs across 4 grades
Beginner2 runs · 30%
Intermediate3 runs · 40%
Advanced2 runs · 25%
Expert0 runs · 5%
Time it right
When to visit Hakuba 47
The 2025-26 season runs from 5 December 2025 to 29 March 2026, though dates fluctuate based on snowfall. Hakuba 47 typically opens late November to early May alongside Goryu, amongst the earliest in the valley. The completely north-facing aspect preserves snow quality deep into spring with substantial coverage even in late April.
Annual snowfall averages 11 metres across the valley, with cold Siberian air masses crossing the Sea of Japan to dump dry powder. January and February deliver peak powder frequency with 20 to 30 centimetre dumps every few days. Base depth reliability stems from the north-facing terrain and mid-elevation base at 820 metres.
Early December sees limited terrain as the snowpack builds, with full mountain access typically achieved after New Year. Mid-January through February offers the most consistent powder skiing with cold temperatures preserving snow quality. March and April transition to spring corn snow conditions with softer surfaces by mid-morning.
Night skiing operates on Goryu's beginner slopes but not at Hakuba 47. The terrain park maintains features throughout the season with meticulous grooming. Golden Week in late April draws domestic crowds for late-season turns on upper mountain terrain.
Season 2026 - 2027
21 Nov 2026
Opens
5 May 2027
Closes
165
Days open
11 m
Annual snow
The record
Historical snowfall at Hakuba 47
Daily snow reports at Hakuba 47 go back to 2025, 2 winters on the books. Open the record to compare winters, lifts and piste.
40 cm
Snowiest day
12 Dec 2025
0 cm
This winter · 2026-27
so far
231 cm
Typical winter
average of complete seasons
Winter totals
cm
Past wintersThis winter
Getting there
Getting to Hakuba 47, and where to stay
Hakuba 47 occupies the southern end of Hakuba Valley in Nagano Prefecture at the base of the Northern Japanese Alps. The resort lies within Hakuba village, 1.9 kilometres from Kamishiro and 5 kilometres from Hakuba village centre at 820 metres elevation. The Northern Alps rise to 3,000 metres, dominating the skyline with year-round snow on the highest peaks.
Hakuba village sits in the Kitaazumi district of northwestern Nagano Prefecture, part of the Chubu region on Honshu Island. The valley encompasses the municipalities of Omachi, Hakuba and Otari, forming Japan's largest international mountain resort. The 1998 Winter Olympics brought global recognition, with Happo One hosting alpine skiing events.
Nagano Station serves as the primary gateway, 70 minutes away by Alpico bus for 2,900 yen. The Nagano Snow Shuttle operates direct services taking approximately one hour. Route 148 provides road access through the valley with free parking at two large base lots.
Tokyo Narita and Haneda airports sit 200 kilometres southeast, requiring 5 to 5.5 hours via airport shuttle or 3 to 4 hours by shinkansen to Nagano then bus. The Hokuriku Shinkansen covers Tokyo to Nagano in 90 minutes. One daily Azusa express train runs direct from Shinjuku to Hakuba Station in 3 hours 41 minutes, eliminating transfers for early arrivals.
Where to stay
Search all stays →Hotels and lodges near Hakuba 47, powered by Stay22.
Latest News
From the SnowStash desk
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31 Oct 2026
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30 Oct 2026
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30 Oct 2026
Wolf Creek Opens on Halloween Weekend as Colorado’s Early Season Gathers Pace
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30 Oct 2026
Keystone Resort Opens for 2026/27 With More Than Two Miles of Skiing
Keystone is next. After Arapahoe Basin claimed the first chairlift skiing of the season on Wednesday, Keystone opens on Friday 30 October at 9:00 am with more than two miles of snowmaking-built terrain on Schoolmarm and Silver Spoon, plus free donuts, coffee and a live DJ. Last year the order was reversed, when Keystone squeezed in a three-hour afternoon session to beat A-Basin by a day. Snowmaking has been running since 15 October.
29 Oct 2026
Beaver Creek Installs 16 Automated Snow Guns on Birds of Prey Ahead of Record World Cup
Beaver Creek is getting ready for the biggest Birds of Prey ever, and this time it is not leaving the snow to chance. Crews started making snow on 27 October with 16 newly installed automated guns on the lower third of the course, after last December’s warm spell forced a downhill off the schedule. Seven races across two weekends run from 3 to 13 December, the most the course has hosted since its 1997 debut, and the guns start themselves whenever the weather allows.
29 Oct 2026
Arapahoe Basin Opens First for North America’s 2026/27 Ski Season
Winter has officially started in North America, and it is one blue run long. On Wednesday 28 October, Arapahoe Basin fired up the Black Mountain Express at around 10:30 am after a surprise announcement just hours earlier, becoming the first major North American resort open for 2026/27. Cold nights, a dusting of natural snow and a lot of snowmaking made it happen in the resort’s 80th winter. More terrain is promised as the snow guns keep running.
28 Oct 2026
Hakuba 47 Snow Report
Snow Report
Updated 31 Oct 2026
1614m
summit
+0cm
new snow · last 24 hours
Drizzle3°C / 8°C · W 12km/h
Snowfall
24 hours
0cm
48 hours
0cm
7 days
0cm
Base depth
0cm
Season total
0cm
Typical winter 231cm
21 Nov 2026 - 5 May 2027
Hour by Hour
Next 37 hours· Updated Oct 31, 2026 at 5:02 PM
Scroll for the full outlook · Open-Meteo
7-Day Outlook
1,455 mUpdated Oct 31, 2026 at 5:02 PMOpen-Meteo
Days 1–7
2.1cm
Days 8–14
9.7cm
Sat, Oct 31
Slight Rain
Temp8° / 3°°C
Snow0.0cm(100%)
Wind12 km/h W
Live snow from the resort feed; forecast from Open-Meteo, via Supabase.
Understanding the Hakuba 47 snow report
Hakuba 47 snow conditions, updated regularly: current snowfall, snow depth, temperatures, and the outlook for this Chubu resort on the Epic Pass.
Snow measurements
Snow depth at Hakuba 47 is tracked at both the base and summit, since the two elevations often see different totals — roughly a 794m difference here. We report fresh snowfall over the last 24 hours and 7 days alongside the running season total, in both metric and imperial units.
Weather conditions
Snow quality tracks closely with temperature and wind. We surface both alongside the snowfall data so you can judge whether conditions at Hakuba 47 are holding up or starting to soften.
Data sources
Hakuba 47 snow data is collected through a combination of on-mountain reports and weather forecasting services, giving you both official resort updates and independent forecast data in one place.
When to check
The biggest swings usually happen right after a storm. Check Hakuba 47's report in the morning for the freshest numbers, and again in the afternoon as conditions evolve.