Hakuba Valley — 1998 Olympic Ski Resort

Hakuba Valley (白馬) is a collection of 10 interconnected ski resorts in the Northern Japanese Alps, host of alpine skiing events during the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics. The valley receives over 10 meters of annual snowfall from Siberian weather systems, creating world-class powder conditions. The resorts cater to all levels: Happo-one for advanced terrain and Olympic downhill courses, Goryu for families, Cortina for backcountry access.

In summer, Hakuba transitions to alpine hiking, mountain biking, and paragliding. The Hakuba Range includes several 2,900m+ peaks (Shirouma-dake, Kashimayari-dake) accessible via multi-day hut-to-hut trekking routes. The valley's international appeal has grown — English is widely spoken, Australian and European ski instructors are common, and nightlife rivals Niseko. Hakuba combines Japanese onsen culture with Western ski resort amenities.