Snowsure: 4.2
- Occasionally gets enough snow for skiing
- Is often closed due to a lack of snow
- Occasionally suffers from a lack of snow
- Rarely suffers from a lack of snow
- Happo One is snowsure even in the poorest seasons
Visitor reviews for Happo One Ski Resort
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(NOTE: Reviews may be edited by our content team for the purposes of ensuring accurate and relevant information)
(NOTE: Reviews may be edited by our content team for the purposes of ensuring accurate and relevant information)
Latest
February 16, 2011
Jack
Jack
I'm staying in Happo for 8 days or so. So far, I've been to Happo-one, Iwatake and Cortina. Happo-one is great for wide, smooth runs and is really expansive and good food.
I found Iwatake and Cortina better though. Iwatake had amazing powder when I went, so thick and dry if you fall you get completely submerged in it.
Also, they day I went to Cortina, the day before it was closed due to too much snow and the lifts couldn't operate, so it was really thick with pow-pow. Best tree runs in the world, so soft through the powder its like your floating, Highly recommend it.
January 08, 2011
John Tiller
John Tiller
I had a clear day heli-boarding the back country of the Remarkables New Zealand in August this year. I also spent 2 weeks boarding Happo One in March this year 2010. I would swap the heli boarding in New Zealand for boarding Hakuba hands down. The snow is top quality and plenty of it! I found the Hakuba resort shuttles very easy to use and every 15 minute to all 5 resort from 8.00 am to 10.30 am then every 30 minutes. Delivery onto the snow is first class. All resorts have gondolas starting at 8.00am. I never had to queue. I had 9 clear days with over 1.5 meters of snow fall within 13 days. The snow flakes are the biggest I have ever seen. On one morning the snowflakes were 50mm or 2 inches in diamiter. The people are friendly and very helpful if they understand what your try to get across. I have booked and paid for another 2 week this March and I will be every year until I can't board any more. If you do go, have a coffee at Echolands, the cafe own by Kas a young snowboarder plus the info is the best in town.
December 15, 2010
Emm
Emm
Looking forward to Happo (Happo One) & Hakuba this year. I have skied Japan 4 times in the last 5 years and it's always great. One patchy year in 2009 but still good. Last year the first snow only came in a week before arriving but it came down like no tomorrow and we still had clear days and good visibility and temperatures that are bearable unlike Niseko. Last experience & season was so great I am coming back with the family 3 & 5 yr boys and friends. The hospitality and food is fantastic. We have ski school organised for kids easily. Transport between resorts is a bit dodgy cab is best. It's a shame the exchange rate has dropped as a few years ago it was equal and a bargain but still money well spent for a great experience as it's much more than the snow for families.
Lets hope the big front coming through just dumps on the region. Enjoy.
November 17, 2010
Geoffrey
Geoffrey
October 09, 2010
matt
matt
My family visits Hakuba every year; we stay in Goryu. No matter where you are in the world skiing, the weather can change. I bet everywhere gets some unseasonal rain or warm periods. If it happens don't bag somewhere due to a bad week. I do 4 weeks every year. I'm a tree skier and if you think Hakuba is too strick and has no challenging runs you must be the best skier in the world or you have not looked hard enough. Happo One is more for high speed skiing on piste and great, fast open runs. The bowls above top lift at Happo One are great. The reason the Japanese are strict is because the snow quality is one of the best and driest in the world unless you get a 1 in 50 bad day. If the snow out of bounds does crack it will most definitley turn into an avalanche. Most of the patrol are full on because when an avalanche does happen it will cause a slide that has the chance to take out the whole village below. Tsugaike and Cortina, both have opened up more out of bounds skiing for us crazy Aussies; 38 degree 800 m long spaced out birch trees with no branches to collect you. Warren millers last movie shows you this spot. They say Cortina has some of the best tree skiing in the world. Every year Hakuba ski patrol are opening more out of bounds for us to smash. But please be considerate as they are really just trying to save your life and everybody else below you. The best time to follow heaps of powder snow in Hakuba is from late December to end of Feb but I would say last week of December and the first 2 weeks of Jan. There are a few Japanese public holidays: 3rd 4th 5th and 6th when it's packed at Happo One, Coryu etc. But remember, hardly any Japanese ski through trees so you will still have epic powder. My best tip is get away from the major resorts and hit Tsugaike and Cortina and then you will be amazed.
January 29, 2010
Chwee
Chwee
Snow-wise Happo One is definitely comparable to the Utah and Colorado powder that was previously my gold standard. I've heard that the snow in Hokkaido is even better, but I don't enjoy having to bundle up additional layers to handle the -10 to -20 celcius temps.. had enough of that skiing on the US East Coast ice resorts.
Size-wise it's not as impressive as the major US resorts, but neither is the crowd-factor as oppressive as say Heavenly in S. Lake Tahoe, for example. There's decent steeps, but as another reviewer has said, a lot of good-looking terrain is currently out of bounds.
Convenience-wise, the public transport links at Happo One are excellent especially for those skiers who are flying in from overseas.
It's good enough that I can see myself bringing the family to Happo One for quite a number of years. Just enough variety of skiing, food and Japanese hospitality to keep everyone happy.
September 26, 2009
pol from
Japan - Nagano
pol from
Japan - Nagano
March 05, 2009
Leon Frisch
Leon Frisch
Very poor snow falls this year at Happo One but still managed to have a great time. I have been the last few years and this one definitely had the least snow, even a little dirt showing by lunchtime each day on the runs. However, Happo One is a great place to snowboard. Previous years have been absolutely awesome. With the low Aussie dollar Happo One was very expensive compared to other years, even a little too expensive I think. Stayed at a great place called Hakuba house; very friendly and lots of fun.
February 09, 2009
matthew
matthew
February 02, 2009
Kyle Blockley
Kyle Blockley
I hit Japan due to the reports stating it has the best snow in the world. Unfortunately, I was very disappointed. It was unseasonably warm apparently but hey, the snow was good enough for some spring skiing in January although the rocks were starting to show by the end of the week.
Having skied the east and west coast of the US and had 2 seasons in The States and one in NZ - Happo One has a long way to go until it gets close to being a rival to the rest of the worlds ski resorts.
Agreed, had there been powder it would have been pleasant enough but the runs are not challenging enough ans the lifts do not reach some of the awesome looking bowls above Happo One. They need to become less cautious and open up the off-piste and develop the resort some more. Give people the opportunity to ski and be free.
Too many restrictions in place and not enough resort to make a full week enjoyable. There are trees at Happo One to ski through as they hold great powder pockets but again literally all tree skiing was off limits.
I am glad I experienced Happo One as the Japanese staff all over the resort were cheerful and fun (shame the Aussie lifties were dull and boring). What with the cost of skiing in Japan also going against it I am looking forward to heading west again next year for a cheaper, more enjoyable and exhilarating experience.
Nearest