Written by Guest Blogger Lin de Leeuwerk.
Lin de Leeuwerk moved from Tokyo to Kyoto with her young family almost two years ago.
Lin is originally from the Netherlands.
Lin is a freelance photographer and is transitioning her family to a plant-based and zero waste lifestyle.
I recommend following Lin on instagram @healthyexpatmama but to find her photography work and her Healthy Expat Mama blog about a plant based lifestyle and zero waste for families on her website ByLin Photography.
Lin has been so generous in this post, sharing her family’s favourite holiday spots, kid-friendly cafes and restaurants. I also love real tips from locals who can also save you the bother of having to visit the places that aren’t really worth it.
This is the third time (part) of our family is enjoying the snow in Hakuba – although unfortunately this year February is uncanny warm.
Nevertheless, we always have a good time in Hakuba!
We love the fact that many people speak English (actually, most seasonal workers seem to be Australian) and the atmosphere is very festive and fun.
There are 10 different ‘snow resorts’ all on the same ski pass; we’re always in HappoOne which has 4 different lifts from the bottom including the gondola that you can take as a non-skier and a snow play area called Sakka.
The gondola is fun to take and there is the Corona terrace at the top where they sell marshmallows to roast and, surprisingly, Corona beers!
See here for a website with some information on the Hakuba valley and its ski areas.
Getting there
We always travel to Hakuba by car, about a 5-6 hour trip from both Tokyo or Kyoto. There is parking everywhere and we find it easier with the kids to shuttle them around town with all their gear by car.
Here is a photo of my happy kids at a road stop.
However, it is totally doable with public transport. You can take the shinkansen to Nagano plus a shuttle or taxi from Nagano station, or take a shuttle bus directly to Hakuba from the Tokyo airports. This is what the Japan Guide website recommends;
“Take the JR Hokuriku Shinkansen from Tokyo to Nagano (100 minutes, 8000 yen) and then an express bus from Nagano to Hakuba (60-90 minutes, 2000-2200 yen), where the bus stops at Hakuba Station and directly at the base of several ski resorts. The Japan Rail Pass covers the shinkansen trip but not the bus journey.” On this website is more transportation information too.
Within Hakuba, there are lots of shuttle buses ferrying people from hotel to the pistes / lifts and to and from the rental places.
Side note; I spoke to some overseas travellers who took the train from Narita to Tokyo station and then the shinkansen with their suitcases and snowboards and they were complaining that it was too confusing and overwhelming. Therefore I’d recommend either hiring a car at the airport or taking the direct shuttle bus if you’re flying in. Another option is to send your luggage ahead so you only have to worry about yourself on the train!
Here are some of our favorites in town.
Of course, there are lots and lots of places but these are the ones we have used and enjoyed!
These are all in the HappoOne area.
Accommodation
The first year we stayed at a chalet at the Canadian Lodge.
It was very close to the ski rental place, ski school and the slopes, even the kids could walk it (they were 3 and 5 at the time).
It is basic, but self sufficient and has everything to comfortably stay as a family.
This year, we stayed at the Panorama Hotel and Taproom, which has family rooms with great mountain views.
Our room had a large double bed and a bunkbed as well as a fold out couch and a desk with fridge.
The staff are really lovely and the hotel features a hot spring and amazing views.
The Taproom seems to be a bit of a hotspot in town and gets quite fun & busy in the evening. We came early to secure a table and enjoyed craft beers, cider and food on our first evening. Even 1 vegan dish on the menu although I should have shared it as it was a large portion (and the other dishes were large portions too.) There are a few boxes with toys in a corner of the bar which entertained our kids.
It was our plan this year to go skiing with another family and stay at the Shizuku Villas that were just opened this year and look absolutely amazing, but unfortunately, we couldn’t manage to make it work. I would love to go there one day though, the villas are big enough for 2 families to stay and the communication I had with them was very prompt and friendly.
Friends from Tokyo were staying at the Mominoki Hotel at the same time we were there, and we had dinner with them in the buffet restaurant at their hotel – which was great. They very much recommend this hotel as it is within walking distance from the Rhythm Rental, the lifts and Evergreen outdoor center. There are also several fireplaces in the hotel that give it a very cozy feel.
Ski school
We always check our kids into the Evergreen Outdoor Center for ski and snowboard lessons. In summer they offer other outdoor activities too like hiking. Bookings can be made easily online, all the instructors speak English and everyone working there gives off a really friendly vibe. The kids always seem to progress quickly, upgrading from the baby hill and magic carpet to the lifts on the first or second day.
They also have a vegetarian / vegan restaurant called Roots above the reception area, with quick meals and a great view over the slopes.
Ski rental
If you’re going with Evergreen, it will be easiest to get your equipment from Rhythm as it is very close to Evergreen (5 min walk). Again, everyone in the shop here is so friendly and helpful, they checked my son’s snowboard and adjusted it free of charge and had a spare part for my husband’s board when he lost part of the binding. In previous years we have rented there too and the staff is super efficient and competent fitting everything.
When driving around Hakuba you come across many rental places though, so don’t fret if you’re not close to Rhythm, but this one does seem to be one of the largest. They also have an in-house coffee corner called Rhythm & Beans Coffee which also stocks soy and almond milk and offers ¥50 off when you bring your own mug – my number 1 reason to choose them of course 😉
Dinner
Garlic – an eclectic pizza and pasta place in a cute wooden chalet.
Taproom – simple comfort food dishes in a buzzing environment. Would be good to book a table if you’re going to be a bit later in the evening. Toys for the kids!
Unjaune – a burger restaurant close to the gondola ground station. Fantastic burgers, also vegetarian ones available and parking on site.
Shara Roast & Grill in the Mominoki Hotel – very good with kids as it is buffet style and there are a lot of vegetable and pasta options. We really enjoyed ‘eating the rainbow’ as many of the other food options in Hakuba are comfort food / junkfood. There is also a nice playroom for the kids, albeit on the other side of the lobby.
There are quite a few areas in Hakuba with foodtrucks; I’ve seen a vegan one, a taco truck, smoothie bowls and a lot of Japanese festival food trucks. When the weather is good, it will be a fun place to hang out!
Day trip
When we came here first, we stopped on the way to visit the snow monkeys. You can visit these Japanese macaques in Jigokudani yaen-koen. It was a bit of a hike to get there and slippery snowy at times, if I remember correctly it was at least half an hour walk and a bit more because of the kids, but fun to see the monkeys in the snow and the hot bath. I’m not a big monkey fan, so I was happy to discover that they don’t come to people, although according to the website, their behavior can be different in autumn time. There is no food or drinks available once your in the park / path to the monkeys, but once back at the start there is a simple udon restaurant. Please note that you can’t bring a stroller.
See this website for more information on Jigokudani Yaen Koen.
Hakubounce
We spend a morning in HakuBounce when there was not enough snow. This is a trampoline park with a small kids play area and a ‘survival game’ (my kids didn’t play it as it is a shooting game). It was a great way for the kids to blow off steam and get moving.
Being eco-conscious
I’m not sure how many have read my previous contributions to The Tokyo Chapter, but as you may know I’m a bit of an eco-nerd. Therefore, I prepared a bit before traveling.
As we had quite a long car trip, I made sure to start the trip (at 5am) with lots of snacks, fruit, coffee, oat pancakes and water bottles filled. I did bring snacks that were packed in plastic, but opted for some bulk packages rather than individual portions. We refilled coffee with our own mugs at a roadstop, and got some pastries at the roadster bakery which we ate straight away, refusing the little plastic bags to hold them in. We made sure to wash our hands at every opportunity, refusing the plastic wrapped wet towels, and slapped our hands dry against our legs instead of using the blows-germs-in-your-face hand dryers.
The hotel offered shampoo etc in large bottles and didn’t offer any other plastic wrapped amenities which I thought was great! Of course we brought our own too, in the small bottles that we keep refilling at home & our bars of soap, bamboo toothbrushes, etc.
As the only way to buy food-things in Hakuba (that I have discovered) is at a convenience store, so we were glad to have brought lots of snacks and chose to ate in restaurants rather than convenience foods. If your budget is not up for proper restaurants every day, there are also ramen and udon places that offer cheap bowls of steaming deliciousness or you can visit the food trucks preferably with your own bento box or tupperware!
**Update from Jo from The Tokyo Chapter, a friend of mine just spent 4 months in Hakuba this Spring (2020) and let me know that if you drive for 5 minutes towards Hakuba Station you will come across 3 large supermarkets ( often stocked with more produce than you will find in the heart of Tokyo.)
This is not Lin’s first time writing for The Tokyo Chapter, and if you’ve loved this read I just know you’ll love to also read her posts on Zero Waste Travel and Central & Northern Kyoto: A Day Outdoors.
