
Site of the Winter Olympics shows off multiple seasons’ splendor in one shot.
Nestled in the mountains of Nagano Prefecture, Hakuba is one of Japan’s best ski resorts, which you’d expect from the venue of several events during the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics. However, it’s worth a visit even if you’ve got no plans to strap on skis or a snowboard, because it’s also one of the most picturesque spots in the Japan Alps.
As proof, take a look at this photo from Japanese Twitter user @inagakiyasuto, and notice all the little points of beauty. The local train rolling past the fields of autumn rice. The steep-roofed farmhouses at the base of the mountain, and the leaves changing to their fall colors as you get up near the top of the ski jump courses.
秋に白馬村をタップするとこうなる。 pic.twitter.com/UfdgW9rQt8
— イナガキヤスト (@inagakiyasuto) November 1, 2020
But all that’s just a small portion of the dazzling scenery Hakuba has to offer…even if you’re standing in that exact spot. That’s because the cropping of the photo in @inagakiyasuto’s tweet doesn’t show the whole view without a tap-through, which reveals this:
There are actually four distinct mountain layers in the photo, and as the elevation rises, the temperature drops and the colors change. Down in town, there’s still plenty of greenery, with some color starting to appear in the foothills. Further back, the foliage is progressing towards brown, and at the deepest section of the mountains, there’s already snow packed in even far below the peak.
The gorgeous full version of the photo has online commenters saying:
“Breathtaking!”
“Hakuba has this much snow even before the start of winter?!?”
“It doesn’t get any more beautiful than being able to see snow and autumn leaves at the same time.”
“The Oito Line [the train line seen in the photo] runs through some flat sections of the Azumino Plain farther to the east, but at this part it’s one of the best alpine train routes in the world.”
Of course, Hakuba’s mountains don’t just look amazing from far away, but from up close too, as @inagakiyasuto’s photos from the Hakuba Mountain Harbor recreation area show.
白馬マウンテンハーバーの紅葉が見頃です。 pic.twitter.com/H3R8OCShcz
— イナガキヤスト (@inagakiyasuto) October 29, 2020
So again, while winter is the peak travel season for Hakuba, there’s definitely an incentive to go before the end of fall.
Source, images: Twitter/@inagakiyasuto
● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!


Japan’s new giant swing is a beautiful/terrifying way to see the scenery of the Japan Alps
Flower park in northern Japan looks too beautiful to be real, but this happens every year【Photos】
We went to a beautiful “beach resort” on top of a mountain and sweated it out in a gondola sauna
Japan’s kid-friendly ski program is now selling Pikachu snowboards for a limited time only
The leaves aren’t the only things changing in this beautiful series of photos from Nagano
Studio Ghibli unveils new interactive stationery dioramas that bring anime movies to life on your desk
Why do foreign tourists queue up to eat at Tokyo Little House?
Studio Ghibli composer Jo Hisaishi just set three Guinness Records
7-Eleven Japan brings back best-selling flat croissant that became a hit on social media
Japanese man arrested after pretending to be foreigner while trying to rob convenience store
Universal Studios Japan partners with manga horror master Junji Ito’s Tomie
Anime fans can now wear a Seiko watch inspired by Japan’s One Piece Shinkansen
You can send your suitcase from Tokyo to Kyoto on the Shinkansen for same-day delivery… but it’ll cost you
Pokémon and Polaroid reveal collaboration with adorable Pikachu and Eeveelution camera and film
Starbucks Japan releases two new seasonal drinks that blur the line between summer and autumn
12-year-old British girl who went missing in Tokyo found safe after visiting anime sites around Yokohama
Study finds hundreds of people in Indonesia legally named after Naruto, Inuyasha, other anime stars
12-year-old foreign tourist missing in Japan, police asking for help finding her [Video]
Japan’s Rabbit Island in danger of becoming Boar Island, tourists asked to follow feeding rules
Japanese gacha machine in Shibuya now sells tiny capsule terrariums
Stay at a hotel with a bed for your plushie in Japan
Japanese workers reveal their top five mysterious rules they wish would disappear【Survey】
Japanese airlines set to cut fuel surcharges for international flights in September and October
Tokyo subway installing new ticket gates that don’t accept payment through Suica or other IC cards
New Shinkansen luggage drop-off system begins in Japan, making train travel even easier
Air-conditioned dress shirts arrive in Japan to save working professionals from sweltering heat
Japanese Shinkansen becomes an overnight hotel for three nights this summer
Pokémon Center Online designates first Pokémon items that will require Japanese ID card to buy
Japanese toilet aims to attract foreign tourists but not everybody is happy about it
99-year-old woman rescued while attempting to climb Mt. Fuji
Tokyo’s newest viral dessert is like a Japanese parfait inside a bread bun [Taste test]
New Japanese vending machine at Shinkansen station sells cups of ice on platform
Japan announces sudden 400-percent increase in visa fees for foreigners entering the country
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Studio Ghibli has a new anime out, and there’s only one place in the world where you can see it
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Japanese ninja certification exam attracts 131 candidates from Japan and abroad
Salomon releases Japan-exclusive Mt. Fuji hiking gear that doubles as an amazing souvenir
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
Internet users can’t decide on Japan’s most beautiful village, and we can totally see why
Pokémon Oasis break room coming to Japanese ski resort this winter【Photos】
“Floating” Mt Fuji and shrine gates capture the hidden beauty of Japan【Photos】
A trip to see the breathtaking mountain beauty of Nagano’s Kamikochi【Part 2】
Japanese ski resort hosts awesome cosplayer-only photo shoot days in the off-season【Photos】
Mt. Fuji gets its first snow of the season, almost a month earlier than it did last year【Photos】
Pre-dawn photo of Mt. Fuji looks almost too beautiful to be real
Amazing winter photos of university on Japan’s northern island make us want to go back to school
Amazing photos show Mt. Fuji looking just like an ukiyo-e woodblock painting
This hot springs town in Japan sets fire across a mountain every winter in a beautiful tradition
A trip to see the breathtaking mountain beauty of Nagano’s Kamikochi【Part 1】
Come camp with us on Mt. Jinbagata, the best view you can get without breaking a sweat【SoraCamp】
Online image collection’s views of Japan are beautiful to look at, free to use