Hi there!

 

So if you’re looking to cut costs on your ski trip to Nagano just a little bit, staying in a hostel can be a good option to consider.

 

K's house hakuba hostel in Nagano, Japan alps for winter ski or snowboarding trip. Backpacking Japan travel blog

 

If you’re staying in Hakuba in the winter, as one of the top snow destinations in Japan, even the cost of hostels in Hakuba are generally higher than hostels in other parts of Japan.

Still, compared to other accommodation options in Hakuba, it can still be a way to save money.

And if you’re in search of pretty winter landscape, Hakuba is a destination worth considering even if you don’t ski!

 

K's house hakuba hostel. best ski resorts in japan, nagano. Backpacking Japan Alps winter travel



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At ski areas that have gondolas, you can get a gondola ski lift ticket to get some mountain views from higher up.

 

K's house hakuba hostel. best ski resorts in japan, nagano. Backpacking Japan Alps winter travel

 

If you’re looking for somewhere to go in the area after your trip to Hakuba, have a look at Matsumoto and Takayama. I went from Hakuba to Takayama, stopping by Matsumoto along the way for a visit to the castle there. Once in Takayama, have a look at heading to the Shinhotaka ropeway for more winter mountain views!

 

 

How much does budget accommodation in Hakuba cost?

See current prices, photos, and reviews from partner website below!

These are some of the best places to stay in Hakuba on a budget:

 

Most hostels have dorm beds and private rooms.

 

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Now…

Here’s a bit more about the K’s House Hakuba Alps hostel

…since this is where I stayed!

 

I was in Hakuba in March 2019. Early 2019 was said to have warmer than usual temperatures across Japan. You can keep this in mind as you see the snow pictures below!

 

How’s the location of this Hakuba backpacker’s hostel?!

So if you’re headed to Hakuba for skiing, snowboarding, or the snow resorts, possibly one of the most important parts of planning your trip to Hakuba is where to stay!

 

1. Train station

K's house hakuba hostel near jr train station kamishiro. Backpacking Japan Alps winter ski or snowboarding trip

 

There is a JR train station that’s located right near K’s House. That would be Kamishiro Station.

Depending on the time you arrive, you may be able to get a free pick-up and drop-off.

Otherwise, it’s a 10-15 minute walk to the hostel.

 

 

2. Hakuba Goryu snow resort

K's house hakuba hostel near goryu ski resort. Backpacking Japan Alps winter ski or snowboarding trip



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The Goryu snow resort is one of the main ski resorts of Hakuba, and it’s about a 10 minute walk from K’s House.

 

 

3. Hakuba Valley shuttle bus stop

K's house hakuba hostel - shuttle bus from goryu escal plaza. Backpacking Japan Alps winter ski or snowboarding trip

 

There’s a Hakuba Valley shuttle bus that can take you to different ski resorts in Hakuba.

So, you won’t just be limited to Goryu if you want to check out some other slopes too.

If you have the Hakuba Valley ski pass, this bus is free.

 

K's house hakuba hostel - hakuba valley ski pass. best ski resorts in japan, nagano. Backpacking Japan Alps winter ski or snowboarding trip

 

Otherwise, without the pass, it’s 500 yen (US$5) per ride.

K’s House is located a 10 minute walk from the shuttle bus stop which is at Goryu Escal Plaza.

It might be a bit of time on the bus to get to the other ski resorts nearby, but with the bus stop being nearby, it’ll be pretty easy to get to otherwise!

 

 

How long the shuttle bus takes to get to some top ski resorts from Goryu escal plaza

 

To Happo-one snow resort (35 minutes)

K's house hakuba hostel - shuttle bus to happo-one ski resort. things to do for non-skiers. Backpacking Japan Alps winter ski or snowboarding trip



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K's house hakuba hostel - shuttle bus to happo-one ski resort. best ski resorts in nagano. Backpacking Japan Alps winter ski or snowboarding trip

 

To Iwatake snow field (55 minutes)

K's house hakuba hostel - shuttle bus to iwatake ski resort. things to do for non-skiers. Backpacking Japan Alps winter ski or snowboarding trip

K's house hakuba hostel - shuttle bus to iwatake ski resort. best ski resorts in nagano. Backpacking Japan Alps winter ski or snowboarding trip

 

To Tsugaike Kogen snow resort (1 hour 10 minutes)

K's house hakuba hostel - shuttle bus to tsugaike kogen ski resort. things to do for non-skiers. Backpacking Japan Alps winter ski or snowboarding trip



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Read more reviews for uniquely-Japan experiences! (Partner website reviews!)

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K's house hakuba hostel - shuttle bus to tsugaike kogen ski resort. best ski resorts in nagano. Backpacking Japan Alps winter ski or snowboarding trip

 

 

Now…

Pictures of the hostel!

 

 

Arriving at the hostel

K's house hakuba hostel. check-in time. Backpacking Japan Alps winter travel

 

 

SLEEP!

K's house hakuba hostel. dorm beds. Backpacking Japan Alps winter travel

K's house hakuba hostel. dorm beds. Backpacking Japan Alps winter travel

K's house hakuba hostel. dorm beds. Backpacking Japan Alps winter travel

 

 

Kitchen

There might be a “supermarket run” during your stay where there will be a shuttle (ride) provided to a supermarket so you can pick up some food to make in the kitchen.

There is a 7-eleven convenience store kind of nearby. That’s about a 15 minute walk away. You can find prepared meals at convenience stores in Japan.

This kitchen is pretty well-stocked with the things you need to make breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

There’s a fridge, toaster, microwave… and rice cooker!

And a good amount of cookware, utensils, and dishes.

 

K's house hakuba hostel. kitchen. Backpacking Japan Alps winter travel

K's house hakuba hostel. kitchen. Backpacking Japan Alps winter travel

K's house hakuba hostel. kitchen. Backpacking Japan Alps winter travel

K's house hakuba hostel. kitchen. Backpacking Japan Alps winter travel

 

 

Common area

K's house hakuba hostel. common area. Backpacking Japan Alps winter travel

K's house hakuba hostel. common area. Backpacking Japan Alps winter travel

K's house hakuba hostel. common area. Backpacking Japan Alps winter travel

 

There’s also a hot pot and tea bags available 24/7. (This is free.)

 

K's house hakuba hostel. common area with free tea and coffee. Backpacking Japan Alps winter travel

 

And then there’s another area where you can buy quick and easy snacks for 100-200 yen (US$1-2) 24/7 as well.

 

K's house hakuba hostel. common area with snacks. Backpacking Japan Alps winter travel

 

 

Dry area

After a day of playing in the snow, you’ll have a common area to be able to hang up your clothes and shoes that need to be dried too.

 

K's house hakuba hostel. ski dry room for clothes and boots. Backpacking Japan Alps winter travel

 

HAPPY K’S HOUSE HAKUBA HOSTEL STAY!

 

 



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How to spend winter in Japan


If you're looking for a route for winter in Japan, here are some ideas!
Hokkaido winter itinerary (train to get around - there are JR Hokkaido passes available, and you can use a regular JR pass too)


Traveling around Japan and can't read Japanese? No problem! Just use the camera on the google translate app!


Is a JR pass worth it?!

  • Google maps can make it easy to figure out whether or not you should get a JR pass!
  • In google maps, type in your departure and arrival city, and choose the transit icon. The route will come up, and so will the estimated cost at the bottom!
  • Here is an example of a train route with cost on google maps.
  • So do that for all of your long distance routes to figure out how much it might cost.
  • Next, go here to see how much a JR pass costs.
  • And compare!
  • Not all forms of public transportation are JR, but long distance shinkansen bullet trains are, and that's where the most cost savings will come.


Best of Kyoto (and Japan!)



πŸ‘‡ Explore the best places to visit in Japan!
best places to visit in japan for first trip to japan. famous things to do in japan



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