Snowboarding in Hakuba: Riding the Dam Run at Hakuba Cortina
Four nights near Hakuba: where we stayed in Otari, riding the famous dam run at Hakuba Cortina, and how to get there from Tokyo.
The short answer
We stayed at The Owl Nest in Otari, just north of Hakuba, and rode Hakuba Cortina, home of the famous dam run, a tree run down a gully past huge concrete dams. Getting there from Tokyo is a bullet train to Nagano, then a bus.
Hakuba was our first snow stop with the big group of friends from my college ski and snowboard club, right after two nights in Tokyo. We spent four nights there, and the highlight was riding through the dam at Hakuba Cortina.
Where we stayed near Hakuba
Our first snow stop with the group was Hakuba, in the Japanese Alps in Nagano. Hakuba Valley is a bunch of resorts spread along the valley, connected by buses, with Happo One being one of the best known. We stayed at The Owl Nest, a lodge in Otari just north of the main Hakuba area, for four nights.
Where I stayed
The Owl Nest
A cozy, affordable lodge in Otari, just north of the main Hakuba area. It isn’t on Booking.com, so you book directly through their website.
I only rode two days in Hakuba: Hakuba Cortina and Hakuba Norikura, which are connected, so you can ride both. By this point in the trip I was sick and the conditions were bad, so I took it easy while my friends rode some of the other resorts in the valley. If you’re there for longer (and healthier, lol), Hakuba Valley has a bunch of resorts to choose from.
Riding the dam run at Hakuba Cortina
We also rode Hakuba Cortina, the resort where you ride through the dam. Cortina is at the north end of the Hakuba Valley (super close to where we stayed in Otari), and it’s one of the few Hakuba resorts that lets you ride off-piste through the trees. Its famous “dam run” drops through the trees and down a gully past huge concrete dams, between Cortina and the neighboring Norikura resort.
It’s off-piste, so go with someone who knows the way, bring your avalanche gear, and make sure you know how you’re getting back to the lifts before you drop in.
Getting to Hakuba
From Tokyo, we took the Shinkansen (bullet train) from Tokyo Station to Nagano, then a bus to Hakuba and a shuttle to our lodge. Your options:
- Bullet train + bus (what we did): about 4.5–5.5 hours door to door and about ¥9,500–12,500 ($65–85).
- Direct Azusa train from Shinjuku: about 3.5–4 hours and about ¥8,000–10,000, but there’s only one a day.
- Airport snow shuttle bus: straight from Narita or Haneda, about 6.5 hours and roughly ¥12,000–20,000.
- Rental car: about 4–5 hours, plus tolls.
When we left for Kyoto, we took the shuttle and bus back to Nagano, then the Kagayaki bullet train to Tsuruga and the Thunderbird train into Kyoto. Leave in the morning and you’re in Kyoto by early afternoon. Budget roughly $120–150 for that whole leg.
Costs are rough, one-way, per person, and they change, so double-check before you book. Dollar amounts assume about ¥150 to $1.
If you’re traveling with a board, read my tips for traveling Japan with a snowboard before you go.
Hakuba FAQ
Where is the dam run in Hakuba?
It’s off-piste between Hakuba Cortina and the neighboring Norikura resort, dropping through the trees and down a gully past big concrete dams. Go with someone who knows the way.
Which Hakuba resort is best for powder?
Cortina is known for deep snow and tree riding, and it’s one of the few Hakuba resorts that lets you ride off-piste. Happo One is the biggest and most famous. We stuck to Cortina and Norikura, which connect, so you can ride both in one day.
Can I use my Epic Pass in Hakuba?
Yes, Hakuba Valley is on the Epic Pass. Check your pass for day limits before you go.
How do you get from Tokyo to Hakuba?
Take the Shinkansen from Tokyo Station to Nagano, then a bus to Hakuba (about 4.5–5.5 hours total and about ¥9,500–12,500). There’s also one direct Azusa train a day from Shinjuku, and snow shuttle buses straight from the airports.
Where should you stay to ride Hakuba Cortina?
We stayed at The Owl Nest in Otari, which is super close to Cortina at the north end of the valley. If you want more restaurants and nightlife, stay in Happo or Echoland in central Hakuba and take the shuttle buses.
Niseko or Hakuba?
For consistent powder, Niseko. For big alpine terrain, more variety and an easier trip from Tokyo, Hakuba. I was sick and the conditions were bad in Hakuba, so it’s not a fair fight, but here’s my Niseko guide if you want to compare.
More from my Japan trip
This post is part of my three weeks snowboarding in Japan series. Start there for the full route, costs and what I’d do differently.
- Niseko guide: where to eat, drink and stay
- Backcountry snowboarding in Hokkaido
- Traveling Japan with a snowboard
- Kyoto in 2 days
- Tokyo in 2 days
- Japan culture differences and common Japanese phrases
- How much my Japan snowboard trip cost
- How to get to Niseko from Sapporo
- Ikon vs Epic Pass for Japan
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Hi, I’m Lindsey. I learned to dirt bike in Virginia, have been snowboarding since the East Coast and surf whenever I can, and I write the trip guides I wish I’d had.
