Ski Happo-one in the morning and ride Azumino after lunch
Rail and ride29.3 km · 68 m up
This spring day suits skiers who want a few firm morning runs at Happo-one and a flat afternoon ride among Azumino's wasabi fields, and its catch is the Oito Line, whose sparse trains set the pace of the whole day.
KonbiniDrinking waterToiletsBike shopsTop of chart 600 m
Hour by hour
The day一日
- 08:00SkiRide the first spring laps on Happo-oneThe hotel car runs to the Happo bus terminal in about three minutes from 8:00. Happo-one's spring ticket period runs to 5 May 2027, snow permitting.
- 11:15TrainLeave the skis at the hotel and catch the Oito Line southThe hotel car reaches JR Hakuba Station in about eight minutes. Check JR East's Oito Line timetable before you come off the hill, since the trains down the valley run far apart.
- 12:45RideRent an e-bike at Shinano-an opposite Hotaka StationAn e-bike costs ¥2,000 for the day in 2026, and the shop stores bags free. It opens from mid-March and closes on rainy days, so book ahead.
- 13:00RideFollow the city's water course past Hotaka ShrineOpen the city's map of the course on your phone, since it marks every turn and a short gravel stretch.
- 13:30LunchEat pot-cooked rice at Daio Wasabi FarmDaio-an cooks its rice in iron pots with the farm's spring water, and the food court sells wasabi oyaki. Entry to the farm costs nothing.
- 14:15SightWalk the spring-fed wasabi beds and the water wheelsThe farm opens 8:00 to 17:00 from March to November and 9:00 to 16:00 from December to February. It closes on 31 December 2026 and 27 January 2027.
- 15:00RideRide south along the Jukkaseki channel and back to HotakaThe city warns of narrow lanes and busy roads in places, so keep the speed down. In spring the paddies flood just before planting and hold the Northern Alps in the water.
- 16:45TrainReturn the bike and take the Oito Line back to HakubaThe bike stays in Azumino, so there is nothing to bag.
- 18:15BathSoak at Mimizuku no Yu on the walk from Hakuba StationIt sits ten minutes on foot from the platform and opens until 21:00. Entry costs ¥800 in 2026.
- 19:30DinnerEat at the hotel in the Wadano woodsThe hotel car runs until 20:00, so call it from the bath.
Starts and ends at Hakuba Tokyu Hotel.
Easy
The routeルート
On a spring day the morning gives you the firmest snow, and late morning is the moment to leave. Hakuba Tokyu Hotel runs its own car to the Happo bus terminal and to Hakuba Station, so the skis go back to the room and you go down the valley by train. Shinano-an waits across the road from Hotaka Station with e-bikes from mid-March.
Azumino city drew this course with Kanako Kobayashi, who rode mountain bikes for Japan at the Olympics, and it allows about four hours with stops. Daio Wasabi Farm comes early on the loop's east side, which puts lunch in the right place. The run south along the Jukkaseki channel follows an irrigation structure on the World Heritage list. Ride it in April or the first days of May, while Happo-one still sells spring tickets and the high roads on Norikura stay shut.
Worth knowing
- Hitsujiya, also opposite the station, rents e-bikes and keeps bags too, if Shinano-an is full.
- Azuminoru Bakery sits on the loop south of the farm and opens Thursday to Sunday until 16:00.
Quick answers about Ski Happo-one in the morning and ride Azumino after lunchよくある質問
How much riding is the Ski Happo-one in the morning and ride Azumino after lunch day?
The day rides the Azumino Water Course, 29.3 km with 68 m of climbing by our route data, and stops 7 times between 08:00 and the end of the day.
Where do you eat lunch on the Ski Happo-one in the morning and ride Azumino after lunch day?
Lunch at 13:30 is this: eat pot-cooked rice at Daio Wasabi Farm. Daio-an cooks its rice in iron pots with the farm's spring water, and the food court sells wasabi oyaki. Entry to the farm costs nothing.