Japan Tips

Japan has recently gained a lot of attention as being a premier destination for powder skiing, and rightfully so.  Hakuba boasts over 11 meters of annual snow fall and has a wide range of terrain, for all skill levels.

Booking the flight to Japan to ski is the easy part. Logistics and planning is a whole different animal. Eventually, I would like to share these tips in greater detail, but below are a few key tips:

1. 1. Book Early!  I can’t stress this enough.  I began my trip planning in the summer of 2024, and felt like I was late throughout this process. While I haven’t booked a chalet or lodge myself, if you are looking to book a trip to Japan during peak times (December through March), I would recommend beginning the booking process in the spring.
   2. Yamato Transport – Yamato transportation is a must. Their office is located right outside of customs in Terminal 1. You can ship your skis to your accommodation, directly from the Tokyo Narita Airport. They will handle the logistics, and get your skis or luggage to the final destination.  I paid around $24 USD, for 2 day delivery to the Hakuba region. You do not have to book in advance, you can get this set up when you arrive to their store. Yamato
   3. Do your Research – As Americans, we have become reliant on Google Maps.  Google Maps isn’t always accurate and may end up in a longer and more complicated journey than necessary.
   4. Suica Cards – You can purchase one of these cards in the JR East office. You will need to purchase one of these and load it with cash, in order to make purchases at the vending machines.

Getting from Tokyo Narita Airport to Hakuba

Assuming you took my advice and left your skis/snowboard with Yamato, it should be smooth sailing after that.

Stop by the JR East office in the Narita airport, Terminal 1.

You can purchase tickets to Tokyo Station via Narita Express. Once at the Tokyo Station, you will then have to transfer to the Hokuriko Shinkansen.  I was a bit confused when I initially arrived at the station; make sure you are looking for the Shinkansen train (bullet train) and not a regional route.

It can be difficult to translate some of the signs. I’ve found that verifying the train number on the platform with my ticket is a great way to ensure I’m on the right train.

Once you get to Nagano station, get off and you will need to take a bus to get to Hakuba.  The buses operate fairly frequently, check out the timetable here: https://visit-nagano.alpico.co.jp/timetable/hakuba-nagano-winter