There are a lot of famous Sakura viewing spots in Japan. Their beauty is often exposed through media, inspiring us to make a visit to appreciate it. They are elegant and gorgeous indeed. In the mean time, however, there are thousands of nameless Sakura in our neighbourhood all over the country. They are equally beautiful. If you are in Japan during the season, look at the hotel ground or street co...
Shirakawa-go is located in the village of Gifu Prefecture. The houses are well known for their special construction in the architectural style known as gasshō-zukuri. The roofs are made of thatch(dried silver grass) and resembling prayer hands. It still has a population about 2,000 people, still living in the houses. Declared UNESCO world heritage site in 1995, there is no such “living” World Her...
Radiation levels remain safe in Hakuba, Nagano!
When it comes to Christmas in Hakuba, it reminds me of Norman Rockwell's snowy Christmas scene without any over-hyped commercialism yearning for a simpler time! This year in Hakuba is turning into a real White Christmas as you can see from the photo. MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!
In Hakuba, we are lucky to be living in the world where nature has one last fling before settling down into winter’s sleep. The 3 layered autumn colors (Sandan Ko-you) and the landscape scenery are just truly breathtaking. As days grow shorter, nights grow longer, temperature becoming cooler and crisp, biochemical processes in the leaf begin to paint the landscape of Northern Alps in Hakuba transf...
Cohabiting with nature and wildlife, a "Hello" from the neighbors!!!! To me, they look like a cross between a cow and a donkey. For some, a pig and and a goat. But most commonly they're desrcibed as Japanese Serow or a goat antelope! Known in Japanese as the Nihon kamoshika, kamoshika are often solitary, silent and secretive wanderers, browsing through their forest territories. They are often seen...
Golden Week, or the traditional Japanese spring holiday, is upon us. The hotels are busy, the hardcore skiiers are taking advantage of their last chance to get out for the season, and the parking lot at Hakuba 47 resembled a party as people relaxed in their camp chairs out the back of the van with BBQ on the go as they took turns getting a few, well, turns in on the slopes. This week also sees t...
Big thanks to Randall, Midori and all for putting on the fantastic mountain bike rally in Ikeda, just down the road from Hakuba and the Hakuba Springs Hotel. An early start saw the windy and cool conditions overnight give way to some rays of sun through the afternoon. The valley spreads out as you head down towards Ikeda and as you can see it affords some very nice views of the town do...
Here in Hakuba we are doing our best to help in whatever way we can following the devastation of March 11. There are a lot of things up in the air still at the moment, but one thing all lodge owners, including us at the Hakuba Springs Hotel, in the village of Hakuba have done is to offer up beds for some of the displaced in the northern regions of Japan. While we are waiting to see how everyt...
A simply fantastic sunny day where the mountains surrounding Hakuba come into perfect focus. Managed to tear myself away from the hotel for a bit of a ride at Tsugaike...
Even better today however, as we had a good treatment of snow this morning before the sky cleared for another clear sunny day. Jealous of all those out there!
