comScore pixel
Happo One resort snow
Lat Long: 36.70° N 137.84° E
Ski Japan - Nagano

Happo One Resort Reviews

Weather Forecast for Happo One at 1296 m altitude

Issued: 8 pm 20 Apr 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Visitor reviews for Happo One Ski Resort

Happo One Ratings

Overall: 3.8. Based on 41 votes and 27 reviews.

Rate this resort

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

Variety of pistes: 3.9

  • The ski runs are featureless and unvaried
  • The ski runs are varied but not extensive enough for a week
  • Happo One has diverse and interesting pistes including forests and high alpine terrain

Off-piste: 3.5

  • No off-piste worth mentioning
  • Off piste is out-of-bounds
  • Some varied offpiste that stays fresh for one or two days
  • A vast array of off-piste routes that can stay untracked for several days

Scenery: 4.6

  • An ugly resort in a bland setting
  • Average mountain views and resort
  • A spectacular setting and a beautiful / historic resort town

Access: 3.6

  • At least one overnight stop
  • Requires a whole day
  • Requires more than half a day – you may have time for a few turns
  • Arrive by lunchtime and ski all afternoon
  • There is a main airport within an hour of Happo One

Public Transport: 4.2

  • There are no buses or taxis to Happo One
  • There are slow or infrequent buses / trains available
  • Getting to the resort is easy with frequent bus / train connections

Accommodation: 4.5

  • No places to stay in/near Happo One
  • A few places to stay in the resort
  • A wide variety of accommodation suitable to suit all budgets

Cheap Rooms: 4.4

  • No budget accommodation available
  • Just one or two hostels so book ahead
  • Several cheap hostels and pensions available

Luxury Hotels: 4.5

  • No luxury accommodation available
  • Just one or two luxury hotels so book ahead
  • Several up-market hotels in Happo One

Ski in/Ski out: 4.0

  • The ski area is located far from any accommodation
  • A free ski bus takes you to the ski area in a short trip
  • Ski-in ski-out accommodation is available

Childcare: 3.6

  • There are no child care facilities at Happo One
  • The resort has limited child-care facilities
  • the resort has excellent child-care facilities including at least one reasonably priced creche

Snowmaking: 3.6

  • Happo One relies entirely on natural snow
  • There are just a few snow cannons
  • There are snowmaking facilities on all pistes

Snow Grooming: 4.1

  • There are no snow groomers at Happo One
  • Occasionally some pistes are left ungroomed and in a poor state
  • All the runs at Happo One are groomed daily

Shelter: 3.6

  • There is nowhere to ski when it is windy or visibility is bad and lifts often shut
  • There are some trees for poor visibility but main lifts sometimes close
  • Happo One is mostly in forest where you can ski in flat-light and windy days, lifts rarely close

Nearby options: 3.9

  • If snow conditions are poor at Happo One, it will be poor everywhere nearby
  • There are good alternatives within an hours drive
  • Other locations on the same lift pass provide a rich variety of snowsure ski conditions

Regional rating: 4.1

  • Happo One usually has poor snow conditions compared to other resorts in region
  • Has average conditions for the region
  • Usually has the best snow conditions in the region

Lift Staff: 4.2

  • The staff at Happo One are rude or unhelpful
  • Lift staff at Happo One are pleasant, cheerful and eager to help

Crowds/Queues: 3.9

  • The resort is always busy and there are usually long lift queues
  • It is quiet apart from occasional weekends and school holidays
  • It is uncrowded and lift queues are very rare

Ski Schools: 4.2

  • No ski schools available
  • One or two ski schools but local language only
  • A few ski schools but book early for multi-lingual instructors
  • Plenty of ski schools and multi-lingual instructors available
  • Excellent ski schools with friendly multi-lingual ski instructors

Hire and Repairs: 4.3

  • Nothing can be sourced, not even ski-wax or ptex
  • There are some ski shops but rentals need to be booked in advance
  • Good quality ski equipment can be purchased or hired and overnight repairs are possible

Beginners: 3.8

  • Beginners can only watch others ski and snowboard
  • A few gentle slopes but beginners will get bored in less than a week
  • Vast areas of gentle terrain

Intermediates: 4.4

  • No intermediate terrain at Happo One
  • Intermediate skiers will get bored after a few days
  • Vast areas of cruising runs

Advanced: 3.9

  • Nothing for advanced skiers and snowboarders
  • Enough steep terrain for a few days with some good offpiste
  • Enough steep terrain and offpiste areas to entertain advanced skiers for at least a week

Snow Park: 3.1

  • Not even a kicker at Happo One
  • Average sized park quite well looked after
  • Huge park area and expertly crafted pipes, jumps and boardercross trails

Cross-country: 3.3

  • There is nowhere to go for cross-country skiing around Happo One
  • There are some cross country trails available
  • The area features many spectacular and well maintained cross-country trails

Luge/Toboggan: 1.6

  • No designated luge or toboggan runs
  • There are toboggan runs that open quite often
  • Happo One has long and well maintained luge / toboggan facilities suitable for all ages

Mountain Dining: 3.8

  • Nowhere to buy food by the pistes
  • Some places to eat up on the mountain but they are often busy and expensive
  • There is a variety of excellent mountain eateries right next to the slopes to suit all budgets

Eating: 3.8

  • Bring your own food, there isn't even a shop
  • There are a few places to eat in the resort but nothing special
  • A wide variety of places to eat and drink in the resort, from fast food to fancy restaurants

Apres-Ski: 3.3

  • Nothing to do, not even a bar
  • There are a few bars in the resort but nothing special
  • Clubs and bars stay open until very late and have a friendly atmosphere

Other Sports: 2.8

  • No sports facilities at all apart from ski lifts
  • Resort has just a small public swimming pool
  • Resort has all kinds of sports facilities, including a full-size swimming pool

Entertainment: 3.4

  • Besides the snow and walking there is nothing to do here
  • The non-skier will find things to do for few days but may become bored after a week
  • The resort area is a fascinating place to visit, regardless of winter sports

Winter Walks: 3.3

  • Very limited walking and no snowshoe trails
  • A couple of designated scenic walking/snowshoe trails
  • Extensive and diverse winter walking trails for all abilities

Ski Pass Value: 4.5

  • A 1 week ski pass is overpriced compared to the number of lifts available
  • The ski pass is averagely priced and covers a reasonable number of lifts
  • Ski passes are excellent value for money and cover a lot of lifts spanning a big area

Value (National): 4.3

  • Overall, Happo One is one of the most expensive ski resorts in the country and not worth the money
  • Overall represents average value for money
  • Overall offers the best value resort in the country

Value (Global): 4.5

  • Overall, Happo One is one of the most expensive ski resorts in the world
  • Overall it offers pretty average value for money compared to resorts from other countries
  • Internationally the resort offers excellent value for money

Show all 35 ratings

Latest
Oldest
Most useful
Top rated
Lowest rated
January 02, 2024
Martin (Perth, WA) from Ski Japan - Nagano Japan - Nagano
In Hakuba for a week from New Year 2024. Unfortunately little snow. Rain in village. Temperatures very mild in the village. Lower slopes on most resorts closed. Skiing on upper slopes marginal on thin, rocky base. Colder conditions and snow forecast for second week in January but we will miss that. Notwithstanding the conditions, the resorts and village are packed. Difficult to get a table at many restaurants in village without an hour long wait! Apres ski tip: Echoland is to Hakuba is what Kuta is to Bali :)
January 24, 2020
Mick
Unfortunately, 2019/20 is shaping up as the worst season in decades. Happo is a great mountain, but unfortunately, snow conditions are just like back home, icy at the top and wet muck from the middle to bottom, with that famous Japan powder, just something others talk about.
April 07, 2017
Yoshi from Ski Japan - Nagano Japan - Nagano
It is not raining at all. [note from the editor: thank you for submitting your weather observations. You may like to become an Eyeball Reporter, via Twitter. This review will remain in place for a short time.}
December 09, 2015
Jim
Why are there no reviews of Hakuba for this year. Must be terrible conditions just now?
December 27, 2014
Dr Gordon Caldwell from Ski United Kingdom United Kingdom
We came to Hakuba for 5 days, wish we had booked 10! Very lucky with loads of snow for December. Here for Xmas, fresh powder, no queues, fabulous cheap food at lift bases. Runs for all levels of skiers. Easy shuttles to adjacent areas like Hakuba 47, Goryu, Cortina (best to plan a day in each rather than switch midday). Only criticism is buses from Echoland to lifts should be more frequent. Transfer by bus from Tokyo Shinjuki express bus terminal is a doddle. Happo information centre staff very helpful. Japanese people so genuinely welcoming. Scenery stunning. Why didn't we come to Japan years ago?
March 09, 2014
Greg
We returned from Hakuba late Feb 2014. We did not leave Happo-One but did plan to. Loved it. We are returning and will try some others also next time. We lucked in with the snow but I see more coming. Lots of lifts and varying runs. Liked the groomed slopes after a spatter of powder overnight. Good and valued food on the mountain too. Cheap tickets from our lodgings.
December 25, 2012
Paul from Ski United Kingdom United Kingdom
Great snow conditions in Hakuba atm. Loving the powder. Happo is a great mountain as is 47. Full cover at all the resorts and all the lifts are running. Cortina tomorrow. Doing a BC tour with Evergreen next week. Can recommend the White Horse for accom and Echoland for the restaurants and bars. Japan is awesome.
April 03, 2011
Warren
Had a great snowshoe hike along the Toomi ridge with magnificent views of the Shiroumadake, Yarikashimadake etc... led by the very knowledgeable mountaineer Rodden McGowan (International Federation of Mountain Guide Associations)! Looking forward to revisiting the area soon.
March 08, 2011
Berns from Ski Japan - Nagano Japan - Nagano
What a great year we have had, every time the snow has looked a little thin, down it has come - I have been here for the season and we are still getting lots of snow in mid March. Should keep the season pumping to the end of March for sure now. Hakuba (Happo One) is really coming on, more self contained places being built and bigger / cooler restaurants planned for the coming season. Given its spread out nature I am hoping this will allow it to keep its Japanese uniqueness (Unlike Niseko) but they could definitely do with some more modern, cool bars and restaurants catering to the over 30's age groups. All in all, have had an amazing experience in Hakuba; would recommend to those looking for something exotic and unusual.
February 17, 2011
Sean
Great snow again this year in Hakuba as it always seems to be. The terrain options you have on and off-piste are insane. I've ridden a lot more back-country this year after having completed my AST level 1 course at the The Avalanche School which was excellent and have thoroughly enjoyed applying my newly gained knowledge in the BC with my mates. I'll be back next year for sure!