A Summer Day in Hakuba
Ride the gondola to the Tsugaike marsh boardwalk, climb the Olympic ski jump tower, paddle Lake Aoki in the afternoon and soak at Happo before dinner.
Last updated 2026-09-03 · 1-day self-guided plan
Hakuba in Summer
Alpine marsh, ski jumps, a lake and an onsen
For summer visitors to the Japanese Alps who want mountain views without a serious climb, plus an afternoon on the water.
1Tsugaike Nature Park
A bus from Hakuba Station reaches the Tsugaike gondola in about 25 minutes; ride the first gondola around 8:00, then the ropeway above it, to arrive at nearly 1,900 metres. The park is a high marsh of ponds and wooden boardwalks below the Hakuba peaks, ringed with cotton grass in June and turning red by late September; the full loop takes around 90 minutes on the flat. Weather turns fast up here, so carry a shell.
2 HoursCost: ¥3,000–4,000
2Hakuba Ski Jumping Stadium
Bus back to the valley and get off near the Olympic jumps, about 20 minutes, for around 12:00. In summer the runs are covered in plastic matting and athletes train on them; a chairlift and a lift inside the tower take you to the start gate at the top of the large hill, where the drop looks impossible. Lunch is at the cafes across the road in Happo village.
45 MinutesCost: ¥500–1,000
3Lake Aoki, kayak or paddleboard
Take the JR Oito Line one or two stops south from Hakuba to Yanaba or Shinano-Kizaki, or a 15-minute taxi, to the shore of Lake Aoki around 13:30. The water is so clear that the boats seem to hover over the bottom, and the lake is spring-fed and cold even in August. Rental shops on the north shore hire kayaks and paddleboards by the hour; the far shore has a quiet beach for swimming.
2 HoursCost: ¥2,000–4,000- 4
Happo-no-yu onsen
Back in Happo village by 16:30, the public bathhouse near the bus terminal has an outdoor bath that looks up at the Happo-one ridge, and water that is unusually alkaline and soft on the skin. Towels are for sale at the counter. If you still have energy, the Happo gondola runs into early evening in summer and the terrace at the top is the place to watch the light leave the peaks.
1 HourCost: ¥500–1,000 - 5
Dinner in Echoland
The strip of restaurants along the road between Happo and Hakuba Station, known as Echoland, is where the ski-season crowd eats and is quieter in summer; a taxi or the evening bus gets you there in ten minutes. Shinshu is known for soba, apples and wagyu, and the small izakaya here do all three, with local craft beer on tap. Most kitchens stop around 21:00, so do not arrive late.
1.5 HoursCost: ¥2,000–4,000
Day 1 Estimated Cost
- Food¥3,500–6,000
- Transport¥1,500–3,000
- Lifts, boats & bath¥6,000–9,000
Tips
Hakuba's valley buses run on a summer timetable, so screenshot it at the station; the Tsugaike and Happo buses are frequent, while the Oito Line to Lake Aoki is roughly hourly.
Trainers are enough for the Tsugaike boardwalks, but the ground beyond them is bog, so stay on the planks; bring sandals for the lake and a swimsuit under your clothes to save changing.
Eat lunch in Happo village, not at Tsugaike, where the restaurant at the top of the ropeway is small and busy; Shinshu apple juice from the station shops is the trail drink.
The peaks are clearest early, before the summer cloud builds by 11:00, so shoot the Tsugaike ponds with the mountains behind on the first loop; at Lake Aoki, kneel on the board and shoot straight down into the clear water.