Alpine Adventures
Ahead of a two-day Women’s Group tour to Nagano this month, iNTOUCH takes a look at what the region has to offer outdoor enthusiasts in the winter.
The colder months in Japan definitely have an upside. Think sugar-coated mountain vistas, crisp air and a soothing hot-spring bath at the end of a day in the great outdoors. The Japanese Alps offer one of the best winter playgrounds in the country—almost right next door to the capital.
The mountains consist of three ranges (Northern, Central and Southern) and are also known as the Hida, Kiso and Akaishi mountains respectively. They’re chock-full of snowy escapes and activities, but the Northern Alps, which stretch through Toyama, Nagano and Gifu prefectures, have some of Japan’s most rewarding winter experiences. Here’s a selection of some of the best options that Nagano has to offer.
DOWNHILL SKIING AND SNOWBOARDING
Located along the border between Nagano and Gifu, Mount Norikura is a 3,025-meter volcano that’s listed as one of Japan’s 100 famous mountains in a well-known mountaineering book by Kyuya Fukada. Mount Norikura Snow Resort on its lower slopes has 20 runs, including one that’s 3.5 kilometers long. The courses range from beginner to expert level, though most are for novice and intermediate skiers and snowboarders. The Norikulando kids’ park has a wide run for sledding and skiing, as well as an easy conveyor belt-style lift.
Anyone contemplating skiing or snowboarding in Nagano, though, should consider Happo-One, the main venue for the 1998 Winter Olympics. One of seven ski resorts in the valley of Hakuba, about 70 kilometers north of the Norikura area, Happo One has a top elevation of 1,831 meters, with 23 lifts, 13 runs, including an 8-kilometer set of linked runs, and more than 2 meters of snowfall each month from January to March. The village of Hakuba has a good selection of guesthouses, larger hotels, restaurants, bars and hot-spring baths. Other local resorts include Hakuba Goryu and Hakuba 47 Winter Sports Park, which have connecting trails.
SNOWSHOEING
Spreading out from the foot of Mount Norikura, the Norikura Highland is a stunning area of birch, larch and plum trees, waterfalls, ponds and rivers that was formed by volcanic activity. Strap on some snowshoes and step through the deep powdery trails here, which can be navigated with the help of a guide or by following a map from the tourist information center in the village of Norikura Kogen.
ICE CLIMBING
If you fancy something more adventurous, you don’t have to be an expert to try your hand at scaling frozen waterfalls or artificial ice walls. Mount Yatsugatake in southern Nagano is a center for this emerging sport, which has been attracting increasing numbers of novices in recent years. Akadake Kosen, a local lodge at 2,210 meters has a 15-meter ice wall that is open to climbers on Sundays in winter. Guided tours to waterfall climbs for those with some experience are also available.
CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING
Nagano has several excellent areas for cross-country skiing, which offers exhilarating whole-body aerobic exercise. Hakuba has three trail areas, including the Hakuba Snow Harp, used in the 1998 Olympics, with beginner to advanced courses up to 6 kilometers long. There are also groomed trails running through birch forests at the Ichinose Ski Field in the Norikura Highland.
KAMIKOCHI
This highland plateau is a gem. At an elevation of 1,400 to 1,600 meters, Kamikochi is ringed by such majestic peaks as Mount Yari (3,180 meters), Mount Hotaka (3,190 meters) and Mount Yake (2,455 meters), which makes for a stunning panorama on clear days. One of the best spots to view the splendor is at Kappa Bridge over the crystal-clear Azusa River. Thronged with tourists in summer, Kamikochi is closed to vehicles in winter, but you can still walk in through the long Kama Tunnel. Once there, you can enjoy snowshoeing or cross-country skiing along ungroomed trails through miles of virgin birch and larch forests. Since there is no parking area, getting dropped off at the tunnel entrance is best.
SHIRAHONE ONSEN
While there are several excellent onsen hot springs in the immediate Norikura area, Shirahone is special. A short drive north of the Mount Norikura area along the scenic Kamikochi Norikura Super Rindo mountain road, Shirahone Onsen has a peculiar name that means “white bone hot spring.” It’s a small grouping of traditional ryokan inns with hot-spring baths. The milky white waters from the calcium and magnesium sediment in the groundwater are perfect for soothing snow-sore muscles. The village is located in a steep valley with a ravine running through its center. A public bath, with simple rotenburo outdoor tubs, lies in the middle of the village, but most inns allow visitors to bathe in their facilities.
Skiing in Nagano Tour
Jan 22–24
Words: Tim Hornyak
