One of our guests had some friends staying at Nozawa Onsen so we decided to make a day out of it and go and visit them. I enjoy traveling around to the different ski resort areas in and around Nagano. We had a great day on the mountain where we were shown around to some secret spots by one of the locals. Nozawa is famous for its onsens but they are notoriously hot. We were lucky enough to be invited into one of the top Ryokans in the town to enjoy their magnificent onsen which was set at a more comfortable temperature. Dinner at an Izakaya and we hit the road to be back in Hakuba at 9:30. A great day was had by all.

Hakuba 47 is one of the jewels in the Hakuba crown which makes this place a world class ski valley. It has some great terrain and I buy a season pass there each year to take advantage of it. First tracks down the main ridge line can be an absolute treat. Hakuba 47 links up at the top with Goryu and also the smaller resort of Iimori. If you want some real adrenalin then wait for the Adventure Course to open up for some steep double black diamond action. The tree areas are amazing however you do have to be cautious with any off piste areas here as there can be problems with avalanche risk on the powder days right throughout the resort. After a day on the mountain there is a great spot at the base area to take in some apres drinks. I have been known to partake in the odd corona whilst watching the die hards getting in their last runs on the lower section of the mountain. When arranging a pick up time for 47 give yourself an extra 1/2 hour so you can enjoy a few cheeky drinks before we come and drag you away.

There are many onsens throughout the Hakuba Valley and there is nothing better than sitting in a hot spring bath at the end of a day skiing or snowboarding the Japanese powder. There are many different factors when assessing which onsen to go to. The main thing for the Japanese is the water. For me I like the views. Many westerners feel a bit uneasy about going nude in the onsen but I always see that as soon as they have been once  they feel much more comfortable about it and end up going often. For those that are a little shy please feel free to use a towel to cover yourself whilst moving around the onsen but please don’t use it in the water. Some men just hold their washing towel in front of them when walking around in the bath area. Onsens are one of the great things to experience while here in Hakuba. The staff at the White Horse Hotels will direct you to the best ones.

When I first started coming to Hakuba it was very difficult to get a good espresso coffee. Coffee in a can is available hot and cold in vending machines throughout Japan and it can be fun trying them out but maybe not satisfying for those who need their caffeine hit each day. Extensive testing enabled us to find a very good bean and along with some training from a barista I think we make a half decent coffee here at the White Horse. Unfortunately our big coffee machine had some problems but we got through the season with the help of our domestic one.  There are now a number of places in Hakuba where you can get a great coffee. A good shot of coffee is also essential for your espresso martini at apres drinks.

When the clouds clear after a snowstorm we get some amazing views throughout the valley. A morning of deep powder skiing and snowboarding followed by a stroll around the town to one of the beautiful onsen baths will reward you with some spectacular photo opportunities.  If you get a little lost, the staff at the White Horse Hotels are only a phone call away and we will be chauffeuring you back to the hotel in no time.

As the season progresses we find ourselves with yet more powder days in February. Our Guests Jacqui and Andy were keen to get first tracks so we made sure breakfast was all ready to go and we got over to the Happo lifts for an early session on the mountain. I took them on my usual circuit which includes some powder bowls natural halfpipes and bottomless tree runs. At first I thought it may have been a little too cloudy until we punched through the thick cloud about half way up the mountain.  A truely epic morning with light powder and once again the early bird gets the worm or in this case makes the tracks. Sorry Jacqui for the powder spray sometimes it just has to be done.