Happo-One Ski Resort.
I'm back in Hakuba.
It's hot. The sunlight is strong.
This is the view in the evening.
The Olympic course, commonly known as the "Tatekko".
You can see the forest course on the right.
The one at the top is the Panorama Slope.
This is the middle section of Happo-One Ski Resort.
It's part of a massive ski resort.
Ski equipment.
Snow boots, goggles, snow spikes.
Purchased online from a popular internet store.
They were incredibly cheap.
Winter activities will be much more enjoyable.
Rainy Ski Resort.
It has been raining for two days in Hakuba.
It's boring, isn't it?
So, I'm trying various things.
I tried the FamilyMart Oyakodon, Satapura second ranking.
But the two in this photo that I bought at the same time were actually tastier.
Worst snow.
After two days of rain, last night brought snowfall.
The cold morning freezes both the lifts and the snow surface.
Due to danger, the upper lifts are suspended all day.
The Riesen Slalom Tournament is also canceled.
Quickly descending the mountain and heading for lunch.
A hearty menu awaits at the Gusto.
The first day of the long weekend is extremely cold.
After two consecutive days of rain, now we have two consecutive days of snowfall.
The scenery is completely covered in pure white snow.
The snow surface is hard, like an ice rink, with a little bit of fresh snow on top.
The uneven slopes are so terrifyingly icy.
A snowboarder from Australia who fell near me
was saying he was exhausted.
They really were coming down with a clatter and a clunk.
Feeling like Hawaii.
As usual, we evacuated to Nagano City for the long weekend.
For lunch, we went to the Hawaiian restaurant Laid-Back in Suzaka City.
We had Huli-huli Chicken and Garlic Shrimp.
The portions were huge, and the Hawaiian spices were delicious.
Totally satisfied.
Breakfast.
Tonkatsu (breaded and deep-fried pork cutlet) and Katsudon (a bowl of rice topped with tonkatsu and eggs).
Having breakfast out can be quite bothersome.
The Katsuya restaurant opens at 10:30 AM.
There are quite a few customers.
The Miso-pork soup is delicious and gives it a breakfast feel.
Today is what we call "Kamiyuki".
【What is "Kamiyuki"?】It refers to snowfall primarily occurring in regions like Chu-Shin and Man-Shin due to a south coast low-pressure system. It's a unique term used by people in Shinshu and is commonly used in daily conversations. There are various theories about its origin, such as it being named so because snow falls from the upper direction (closer to Kyoto). So if you hear someone saying, "It seems like there will be Kamiyuki this week," even in areas where it doesn't usually snow, it's worth paying attention!
Kamiyuki snow is scary.
Wet snow adds heavy ice to the branches of trees.
All the trees bow deeply.
Many trees break from their base.
47 ski lift accidents were caused by Kamiyuki snow.
Just as the cold northern wind becomes stronger.
There were two incidents of snow mountain accidents in Togakushi.
Snow mountains are truly frightening.
Blizzard.
A blizzard in Hakuba Village this morning on the 27th.
Actually, it wasn't much of a blizzard in the mountains.
So, I guess it's what they call village snow.
It snows heavily every day.
freezing rain.
Snow accumulates on trees and forms large ice formations.
With no wind, the ice doesn't fall.
It sparkles in the sunlight.
The beauty is hard to capture in a photo.
I witnessed such a scenery for the first time in my life.
Bryan.
He is a Canadian acquaintance I've known for a while. He used to be on the Canadian national freestyle skiing team. Needless to say, he's incredibly skilled at skiing. He's currently doing gear reviews for K2, which sponsors him with new skis and boots. He absolutely loves Japan.
Unpressured snow slope.
After two days of continuous snowfall,
yesterday we had extremely heavy snow. Today, it's a bit lighter with 25cm.
So, I'm up for the challenge.
From this weekend afternoon onwards, I'll be heading to Nagano City.
Hakuba Norikura Onsen Ski Resort.
This week, I'm staying at the Hakuba Alps Hotel.
One notable feature is its direct access to this ski slope, which is incredibly convenient. Thanks to the heavy snowfall since last night, this morning's conditions are perfect for powder skiing. It's so much fun...
Hakunori.
It's called Hakunori because it's at the base of Hakuba Norikura. The Hakuba Alps Hotel is right by the lift area. It's really awesome, isn't it?
Hakuba Cortina Ski Resort.
Today, I visited the Hakuba Cortina Ski Resort, which is connected to the Hakuba Norikura Onsen Ski Resort. Its distinctive feature is the ability to do tree runs in all forested areas, with many steep slopes resembling cliffs. It offers a sense of adventure beloved by foreigners. The hotel with the red roofs is the Hotel Green Plaza Hakuba.
Lunch at the main dining of Hotel Green Plaza Hakuba.
It's a restaurant in a luxury hotel.
But it's offered at prices from the past.
It's surprising. It's delicious and affordable.
Extremely satisfying!
Hakuba Cortina Ski Resort.
After the Kamiyuki, ice stick to the trees. Amongst those forests, They embark on a tree run.
Entering March, the number of foreigners has decreased. The slopes are empty, making for extremely smooth skiing.
The powder is soft and enjoyable.
Mountain Lift.
The 11th lift at the Hakuba Norikura Onsen Ski Resort is exclusively for mountain use. There are no designated ski courses, but backcountry skiing is possible.
We ascended to enjoy the scenery. The lift staff took photos for us. The snowy mountain directly above us is Mt. Myoko.
Heavy Snow Warning.
Even in mid-March, we're facing a heavy snow warning. Despite the Meteorological Agency's insistence on calling it a mild winter, perhaps the heavens are angry. Nature always balances things out. I'm heading to Nagano City this weekend, despite the weather. I'll take it easy and enjoy the snowy scenery along the way.
This morning's snow shoveling.
In the village of Otari, there's this much snowfall overnight.
My boots sink in with a squelch. Up to my knees.
Can't even see my own car.
Some ended up shoveling other people's cars by mistake.
There's a knack to it, so it's not that difficult.
It's quite an enjoyable task.
Eating at Saizeriya.
We evacuated to Nagano City for the weekend.
From that world of heavy snow, there's no snow at all in the city of Nagano.
It was truly a long time since I had Italian food at Saizeriya.
It was delicious.
You can casually enjoy authentic Jamón Serrano.
3月10日:八方尾根スキー場積雪情報:
まだ3mもある。
今年はすごい。楽しいね。
Snow depth report for Happo-One Ski Resort:
There's still a whopping 3 meters of snow. This year is amazing. It's so much fun, isn't it?
Returning from the snowy village of Otari to Hakuba Village.
This is also the heaviest snowfall of the season.
Reports of powder snow are coming in from other ski resorts too.
The previous icy conditions seem like a lie.
It's so much fun.
Today, let's relax with hot springs and boxed lunches.
We can expect top-quality snow until tomorrow.
Happily Clear at Happo-One Ski Resort.
It's been a long time since we've had such clear skies over the Northern Alps. The snow quality is superb. Carving down the slopes feels fantastic. As I climb up towards Happo Ike Sanso, the wind definitely picks up. It's great, though?skiing under clear skies is so refreshing.
So-called "kamiyuki" (Nagano dialect).
A strong south coast low-pressure system is wreaking havoc. The heavy, wet snow and thick fog are making the ski slopes in Hakuba challenging. Despite that, I leisurely ski down the mogul slopes.
I quickly descend to town for lunch. At Gusto, known for its excellent performance on "Job Tune," I order their Cheese-In Cheese-On Hamburger. Delicious!
The snow quality remains excellent even on the day after fresh snowfall.
The Skyline Ridge course offers soft powder, making for a delightful skiing experience.
We took a commemorative photo with my skiing companions on the Reisen course. The trees along the Reisen course are covered in pristine white snow from the recent snowfall.
It's still midwinter in Hakuba, providing an enchanting skiing atmosphere.
The weather forecast for Hakuba was sunny.
However, the mountains were experiencing extremely strong winds.
Everyone came dressed lightly and ended up feeling cold.
Visibility was poor due to ground blizzards.
Most of the lifts at Happo-One Ski Resort were stopped.
The mountains were intimidating.
We descended to the town and had lunch at Gusto.
Ordered the Job Tune-approved menu and a soft serve with a birthday coupon.
It was delicious.
Today, it's super strong wind again.
What's going on? I've never seen wind this strong before.
In photos, it doesn't look that bad, but here, a blizzard is coming straight at us.
With a roaring sound, hard snow and ice collide.
The lift has been almost out of service for three consecutive days.
The weather forecast said it would be a calm spring day.
The Northern Alps are terrifying.
Donmaru in Hakuba.
Donmaru is a nationwide chain, but for some reason, the one in Hakuba is exceptionally delicious.
The reviews are quite good too.
There are also plenty of customers.
It was delicious.
Coming down from the ski resort with tornado-like strong winds, it was a relief to take a breath.
3月16日:エイブル白馬五竜スキー場:
やたら長い名前だね。
さらに複雑なのは、エイブル白馬五竜IIMORI。
つまり飯森スキー場とつながっている。
Hakuba47 Winter Sports Park ともつながっている。
八方尾根スキー場が昨夜の超強風で上部リフトが運休なので、こちらで滑りました。
Able Hakuba Goryu Ski Resort.
That's quite a long name, isn't it? What's even more complex is Able Hakuba Goryu IIMORI. This means it's connected to the Iimori Ski Resort. It's also connected to the Hakuba47 Winter Sports Park. Since the upper lifts at Happo-One Ski Resort were out of service due to last night's extremely strong winds, I skied here instead.
Ramen Daigaku.
It's a ramen shop located on the slopes of Iimori in Hakuba. It's a chain store within Nagano Prefecture. The ramen here is delicious. Plus, the regular price of 900 yen is good. I'm not a fan of shops with inbound prices.
Mogul practice.
There is a beginner mogul course at Iimori Slope.
Training difficult techniques is fun.
It requires much more technique than just skiing mogul slopes.
3月19日:飯森ゲレンデ食堂:
昔ながらのゲレ食。
安く食べられます。
自家製野沢菜は最高。
Iimori Slope Cafeteria.
Traditional slope-side dining.
Affordable eats.
Their homemade Nozawana pickles are the best.
Iimori Slopes
Today, the upper lifts are suspended due to strong winds on Happo-One Ridge.
The morning in Iimori is calm and sunny.
Even though it's nearby, it feels completely different.
I practiced mogul skiing.
But you see, it's just pretend mogul skiing, so the danger is minimal.
By 1 p.m., it will start snowing like this.
Let's give up and head down to town to relax.
Lunch was seafood donmaru.
There might be heavy snow from tonight.
We need to make sure we have enough food supplies.
Lunch was also seafood donmaru.
It was delicious, wasn't it?
Happo-one Ski Resort.
It's been a while since we've had such a calm day in the Northern Alps, with no wind. The snow quality is superb after the snowfall the day before yesterday. These are the perfect conditions for Happo-one. Even Usagidaira still has few moguls. It's the last powder day of the season. Feels amazing.
Snowfall.
It's really snowing a lot now that March has arrived.
This morning, the visibility was so poor due to the snowfall.
During such weather, Iimori Slopes are great.
Enjoy the powder snow in Iimori in the morning, and head to Nagano city in the afternoon.
It's a weekend tradition.
Lunch at Saizeriya.
It's super cheap, but the food is reliable.
Delicious.
Eri-chan.
A woman who took care of us at the Happo-One Ski Resort restaurant. She used to look after us every day in the season tickets lounge those days. She was exceptionally cheerful and fun. I hope the lounge will be revived.
Happo-One Ski Resort has warmed up.
The snow quality is definitely spring skiing.
It's crunchy and extremely heavy.
I'm on the Riesen Slalom course.
Despite all this snow, there are no customers.
Gusto.
The only family restaurant in Hakuba Village.
Long stays would be very difficult without this place.
It offers comforting deliciousness and atmosphere.
Thank you for the meal.
Long-term stay for skiing.
This week, half of the ski resort is closed. Even though there is still snow, customers aren't coming. Therefore, we are ending our long-term stay. This is a photo of the exit of the tunnel leading to Hakuba on the Olympic road. Beyond the tunnel lies a snowy region.
Hitomebore
On the return journey from Hakuba, at the Rarann Fujioka Service Area.
Local vegetables were fresh and reasonably priced.
I purchased brown rice.
HItomebore of Gunma.
Sushi from Uobei.
I returned home.
Immediately purchased sushi.
Uobei's sushi is truly delicious.
My favorite is the large, tender anago (conger eel), absolutely exquisite.
It's been a while, thank you for the feast.
Returning from the countryside, you start craving these kinds of things. Today is "niwa" day, so it's a good deal. However, everything is expensive in the city. There is only one exception. Nagano has the highest gasoline prices in Japan. It's a whopping 20 yen difference. Surprising.
Sukiyaki
Today, I'm having sukiyaki at home.
I purchased delicious-looking Hitachi beef and Gunma-grown green onions from Lalane Fujioka.
It seems like a tasty combination, doesn't it?
Nice.
Seafood bowl.
On weekends, the newly opened Super TOP gets very crowded. They haven't raised their prices much here. Plus, it's within walking distance, right in the neighborhood. Fresh and reasonably priced. It's really great.