Hakuba Ski Resort is Hard for Beginners – Start at Tsugaike

Why Hakuba is a Harder Spot for Beginners

Upon first glance, Hakuba looks like a stellar ski region. It is home to ten resorts, numerous trails, slopes graded for all skill levels, and a number of excellent amenities (like a shuttle system, numerous accommodations, etc.). Throw in the fact that it receives a ton of fresh powder, and you can easily see why so many flock to the slopes.

In these respects, it is indeed quite the place to ski or snowboard.

But for beginners (like Angie, who has only been on skis a couple of times ever), and even intermediate skiers (like myself, who is normally comfortable on blues at resorts I’ve been to in the USA), Hakuba can be somewhat challenging for a few simple reasons.

First, although Hakuba is home to ten unique ski resorts within about an hour of each other by shuttle, the size of each individual resort varies considerably. Some, like Tsugaike, are quite large, with numerous trails to ride. Others, like Hakuba 47 or Iwatake, feel quite smaller by comparison and only have a handful of slopes.

Second, the number of beginner-friendly trails at any given resort can also be fairly small, and the jump in difficulty going from a green to red (intermediate in Japan) is quite significant. At the resorts I visited, I didn’t quite feel like there was an easy progression of trails to casually ramp up the difficulty. It was decent greens, and then red trails felt like a massive jump in intensity- they get steep in a hurry!

Put these two together, and when we visited a couple of resorts with limited green trails (some that I felt comfortable on, but I did not think Angie would want to do with the weather conditions we had), we descended the mountain, waited for the next hourly shuttle, and moved on to another property.

If Hakuba was connected in one mega resort, like the ski slopes at Vail for example, this would be less of an issue as you could easily access a great deal of beginner slopes with ease. But because they are so spread out, it can really eat into your day moving from resort to resort. So finding a property for your skill level is quite an important choice. This is what led us to spend most of our time at Tsugaike over all others!

Tsugaike May Be the Best for Those Still Learning

Although I did not personally visit all of the resorts during my visit to Hakuba (see: not skilled enough to tackle them all), we found that Tsugaike was perhaps the best for beginners. We have no hesitations recommending starting here and working your way up later if you are so inclined.

For the earliest beginners, the lowest-elevation slopes at the resort (between the mid-mountain lodges and below) feature some incredibly wide, fairly flat greens. These are so gradual that those who have never put skis on can get some good practice in, and they are not that difficult in the slightest. Tsugaike was the only resort we visited in Hakuba that had slopes that were this beginner-friendly- the rest were quite a bit steeper, even as a green.

For those who are improving a little, Tsugaike has another perk in that they have a decent green slope at the top of the mountain that has a nice grade progression (and its own ski lift for those who want to practice for a while at the top of the mountain), plus a criss-crossing forest trail ride at a more gradual grade to get back down the mountain. This one is also quite easy and really helps open the mountain up even for newer skiers.

The forest trail coming down the mountain does have a spot where it crosses as more intense red, and you have to do a few hairpin turns at a few other trail cross-over points that have some nominal grade, but all told, it is a fairly easy ride. Just be sure to look out for signs at any point where you cross over on another trail to avoid accidentally jumping into an advanced green or a red, and you’re good to go to make it back down to mid-mountain.

Finally, Tsugaike has some additional green trails on the left side of the property when looking up-mountain from the mid-slope lodges that are excellent trails to progress to as you improve. These green trails to the left of the main gondola line are a fair bit steeper, but still have a nice progression worth working up towards. The dotted green slopes are also unique in Tsugaike as they are more like a green-plus, which I would equate to easier blues I’ve tried at resorts in the States. So if you’re feeling a bit bolder, I would consider trying these next!

So if you are newer to skiing, or improving into intermediate territory, the entire mountain at Tsugaike should open up to you nicely. Unfortunately, I can’t say the same about other properties in the area- they get a fair bit more difficult from there. And don’t get me started on the jump in difficulty when moving to the reds!

Overall, while I had a good time skiing at Hakuba, I can say that this is not the best area for true beginners and will have some challenges even for those approaching an intermediate level elsewhere. But, if you are newer to skiing and want to have the best chance at success, do yourself a favor and begin your trip hitting the slopes at Tsugaike- you won’t regret it!

What did you think of the slopes in Hakuba as a beginner? Comment below to share!