Taking a rest day? Here are our favourite things to do in and around Hakuba when you are not on the slopes.

In Hakuba

• Hakuba Ski Jump Stadium The 1998 Olympic ski jump. Ride the lift to the start tower and visit the Olympic museum.
• Day-trip onsen Soak in a local hot spring after a day outside.
• Snowshoeing Walk through the snowy forest on a guided snowshoe tour.
• Echoland for dinner Hakuba's busiest area for restaurants and bars, a 10-minute walk from our hotel.

Day trips

• Snow monkeys (Jigokudani Monkey Park) See wild monkeys bathing in a hot spring. From Hakuba it takes about 3.5 hours each way by bus and train via Nagano, so many people join a tour.
• Zenkoji Temple, Nagano One of Japan's most important temples, in Nagano city (the express bus from Hakuba to Nagano takes about 1 hr 10 min – 2 hrs).
• Matsumoto Castle One of Japan's original castles, south of Hakuba.

In summer

• Happo Pond (Happo-ike) Take the Happo-One gondola and lifts up to about 1,830 m, then hike to a pond that reflects the Northern Alps (late June to mid-October).
• Hakuba Iwatake Mountain Resort Gondola up to the HAKUBA MOUNTAIN HARBOR viewpoint.
• Tsugaike Nature Park Alpine flowers in July–August, autumn colours in early October.