Happo-One is very well suited to the advanced skier or rider. There are steep runs all over the mountain all leading down to the 4 main base areas of Nakiyama, Gondola, Kokusai and Sakka. If bumps are your thing then head from the top of the Alpen Quad to Kurobishi and some of the largest bumps you can imagine. On powder days this area is awesome with powder settling on the bumps and small trees and bushes you can ski/ride across. Under the Alpen Quad is Usagidaira – this is steep and again great on powder mornings but can get a bumpy after a few days without snow fall. Another favourite is The Mens’ downhill course at Kokusai. It has one of the steepest gradients on Happo at 35 degrees and the lower part in never groomed. Great on powder mornings – this course never seems to get tracked out until much later in the day. Another exhilarating run is skiing/riding the ridge line to the top of Kurobishi and the onto top of the bowl at Skyline. There are lots of little trees and bushes to navigate and great views of the Hakuba 3 peaks. Be careful here when it is windy as the drop on the other side is about a 1000m!

Happo-One offers intermediates some exhilarating skiing and strong intermediates are able to ski the entire mountain. Many of the connecting runs are easy greens, even early intermediates are able to explore most of the mountain. Hakuba’s favourite slope is the Riesen Slalom Course. This is a well groomed run named after the German wording for giant slalom. Every year this is where beginners to experts compete for the Riesen Slalom bragging rights The run is a long steep vertical run starting from below the gondola station at the 109 complex. The run finishes at the base area of Nakiyama a full 3.5km downhill with some parts of the slope at 30degrees. The lady’s downhill course sweeps down the steep gradient to the right of the Alpen Quad and Virgin Café. It then swings onto the gentler Panorama Course before dropping steeply again behind Sun Terrace restaurant. This course is steep and challenging for intermediates and is better suited for more stronger ones. Skyline is another special intermediate run. Set in a natural bowl it has both on and off piste skiing/riding. Follow the run under the skyline lift then choose whether to return or continue down to Sakka area. Under the gondola line is Central course this is another steep groomed run be careful for on the days it is not groomed it becomes an advanced run .

Beginners are more suited to lower parts of Happo-One. Sakka areas is great for the those just starting out as well as families with young kids. Located next to the Wadano accommodation area, it has a large restaurant and crèche facilities as well as a magic carpet escalator for kids skiing and absolute beginners. Most of the ski schools meet here. To the left of Sakka and past Kokusai is the Shirakaba or Gondola area. This is steeper than Sakka and is wide with plenty of lifts. The longest run is about 730m. Nakiyama is home to the large ski school building and beginners magic carpet ski area. Nakiyama slope is good for beginners and have numerous restaurants that line the slope. Further up the mountain coming down from the gondola is Panorama Course. This is a wide course with plenty of lift options. To the left of the course is a cat track that winds the way back down to Sakka and Kokusai areas.

Sakka area is ideal for kids with ski schools meeting here (and dropping off) as well as magic carpet rides for skiing or tobogganing. On Happo-One pre-school children under the age of six ski free! All kids under the age of 12 ski free on the third Sunday of the month.

There is a crèche facility located at Sakka Snow Plaza. It is best to make a reservation as spaces are limited. Ask at your accommodation to book. Tel- 0261 72 7940 Please click here for rates.

Happo-One has the High Cascade Terrain Park that opened in 2007. The park has had some good reviews. Designed more for intermediates and beginners it features a few boxes and rails. The snowpark is located at Kita-One above Sakka. The park is open from Jan 31 to Mar 31.

For common tickets Happo-One is on the All Mountain Pass or the Alpen Resort Pass. Season passes are also available for 65,000yen. There are no children season passes. Happo-One passes are electronic and fit into the left of ski/board jackets. Some jackets and gloves have a special pocket for these. To receive a pass you need to pay a deposit of 500yen. This deposit will be refunded when returning the passes to the machine at the base areas