Ok, it ain`t exactly winter yet, but its getting very close. & besides, if it wasn`t for skiing & snowboarding, Autumn would be my favorite season in Hakuba. Crisp air, technicolor mountains, great food & lots of beautiful hikes like this one we did a couple days ago. Oh & heavily discounted accommodation @ the Morino Chalets.    

There`s no doubt that Myoko Kogen is being discovered by powder enthusiasts & by those wanting a heavy dose of small town Japan. This drone footage captured by Morino Lodge Myoko manager & stalwart Mathieu, captures some of the beauty that makes it such an appealing getaway. Myoko….Land of the Rising Snow.   2016/17 – The Japanese Alps from Matt Malerba on Vimeo.

Winter 2017 in Hakuba & Myoko was a very good one indeed…..& we have proof! As, the Morino staff pumped out several excellent edits.  In this one, the Terios Kids aka the Morino Pizza boys show us what working hard for a living looks like. Enjoy.   The Terios Kids from THE SAUCE POSSE on Vimeo.

The long wait for snow is over and with a hefty dump last night, Happo and Tsugaike opened for the 2016/17 winter season! Free Manju cookies were handed out by the Hakuba mascot as the first lifts started rolling at 11am. About 10cm in the valley translated into 35cm of medium dry fresh on the upper slopes. Surprisingly few people turned up so there were still boot deep turns well into lunchtime. The Forecast is looking great with some snow tomorrow, a lot more on Sunday and then a two day big dump on the 15th and 16th of December. And so it begins!  

Hakuba Backcountry – Hakuba Mountainlife Magazine issue #5 will be on the shelves at all our lodges & chalets. It’s an excellent resource for knowledge and inspiration about backcountry skiing & snowboarding around Hakuba, put together by a group of dedicated mountain travelers. And if you can`t wait to pick up your print copy at Morino, the digital 2016/17 version is below;   And because great Hakuba backcountry info never gets old, the back catalog links are below;   Hakuba Mountainlife Magazine issue #4 (2015/16)   Hakuba Mountainlife Magazine issue #3 (2014/15)   Hakuba Mountainlife Magazine issue #2 (2013/14)   Hakuba Mountainlife Magazine issue #1 (2012/13)   Oh…..& if you wanna explore the Hakuba Backcountry safely there are a number of serious & qualified guiding outfits in Hakuba including Hakuba MountainLife, Evergreen & new for 2016/17 our own Morino-Whitecap Specialized Guiding Service   

“Trumpageddon” is not the only thing making headlines in the Washington Post.  Check out this spread on skiing in Myoko & staying at Morino Lodge. Thanks @jbriley66, johnbriley.com The slopes, the powder and the prices make Japan a worthy ski trip By John Briley November 10 A lone skier glides through deep powder at Cortina Resort in Hakuba, Japan. (Robin O’Neill ) You don’t have to go to Japan to ski, eat sushi and soak in geothermal hot springs. But if you want deep powder without lift lines for $40 a day, the best sushi and ramen in the world in intimate, family-run restaurants and a naked soak in a 105-degree spring with a view of the volcano that is heating your water, in the comfort of your hotel, then follow the drifting snowflake to the Land of the Rising Sun. I am thinking this as I sit in the bustling lodge at a two-lift ski area called Seki Onsen, picking tunes on a public guitar that I pulled from the wall, with the melting vestiges of a 15-inch powder day still dripping from my boots. I am surrounded by friends and strangers eating noodle soup and drinking beer. Seki Onsen is the smallest of six ski areas that hug the lower flanks of Mount Myoko, an active volcano 175 miles northwest of Tokyo that juts, like a clenched fist, 8,051 feet into the sky. In one week here we will ski five of those areas, plus two of the other 16 ski resorts that sit within an hour’s drive. (The word onsen, which means hot springs, is used liberally as a noun and verb in the many parts of Japan where such waters burble forth.) Ten buddies and I have come from all over the United States to Akakura Onsen, a […]

HAKUBA & MYOKO BACKCOUNTRY GUIDING Hakuba & Myoko Backcountry Tours – Morino Lodge partners with one of Canada’s finest backcountry skiing operators, Whitecap Alpine, offering the best backcountry guiding service in both Hakuba and Myoko. With our local knowledge & Whitecap’s fully certified & professional guides, we deliver a backcountry experience in Japan that is nothing short of exceptional. This partnership gives you the opportunity to enjoy your own customized experience in the best of Japan’s vast backcountry with a top class ACMG Certified Mountain Guide or Ski Guide. Hakuba and Myoko are known for some of the best backcountry skiing on the planet. With an abundance of terrain ranging from deep snow in mellow trees to steep flutes & open bowls, these areas have got it all! WHY CHOOSE US? Whether you’re new to the backcountry and looking for an intro course, or a seasoned pro with your sights on long days and aggressive skiing, we will strive to create a program that will suit you. Our guides are all ACMG certified, know the terrain and snow conditions inside and out and will custom tailor our plan to get the most out of the skiing and out of you. We want you to enjoy the mountains as much as we do.  On all of our backcountry tours safety is our top priority. We will cater to your ability & experience to give you a safe & unforgettable experience. You get: A custom, unique backcountry day. Maximum vertical. The highest level of professional guiding & safety. WHAT WE PROVIDE On the morning of the tour our in-house guide will join you at the lodge to discuss the day ahead and deliver an avalanche safety briefing before heading out. We are able to provide you with a pack, shovel, beacon and probe upon request. Gear rentals are not included […]

Hakuba and the three P’s – Peaks, Pillows and Pow. Travis Rice has summed up in three words, why we couldn’t leave this wonderful valley we call home! Outfootage from Travis rice’s new movie, The fourth phase, show’s him having a blast in Hakuba. Flying through powder in the Cortina trees, slaying roadside pillow lines on route 148 and hitting some epic Hakuba backcountry. Not long to go now!