REPORT

September and October, with their cool weather and excellent trail conditions, just may be the very best season for mountain biking. This morning at the Hakuba Iwatake MTB PARK, many riders were looping runs by entering the Hitotoki Downhill from around the Chuo Kosoku (Central High-Speed) lift area of the Alps Downhill course (pictured, near the people visible in the background) and finishing on the 5sen South Line. The dry ground made for smooth and easy riding.
[Hakuba Iwatake MTB PARK・Alps Downhill]

Elsewhere, Iwatake’s guided Buggy Cruise (pictured) is an attraction you can enjoy in any weather or surface conditions. While the overall crowds at Iwatake have eased with the end of summer vacation, this activity has remained popular. The ride lasts about 15 minutes and costs JPY2,000 for adults and JPY1,000 for children ages 4 through elementary school, and is free for pets.
[Hakuba Iwatake・IWATAKE GREEN PARK]

I spoke with a group of students visiting from Hiroshima and Kagawa (pictured) who told me, “This is our first time in Hakuba. The scenery is incredible—it doesn’t even feel like Japan!” At the uncrowded HAKUBA MOUNTAIN HARBOR, they took their time posing and changing angles as they snapped photos, enjoying a relaxed and enjoyable moment that left an impression on me as I watched.
[Hakuba Iwatake・HAKUBA MOUNTAIN HARBOR]

After a day of activities at Iwatake, why not try Soup Stock Tokyo’s “Strawberry and Azuki Milk Chè” (pictured, JPY700), made with strawberries from Nagano Prefecture? Chè is a type of Vietnamese fruit cocktail, and here the tartness of the strawberries pairs beautifully with the sweetness of the red beans. With chewy shiratama rice dumplings added in, it’s much more satisfying than it even looks.
[Skyark]

　　
[Hakuba Iwatake Mountain Resort Information]
*Season … Apr. 24 (Thu)－Nov.16 (Sun), 2025
*Hours … 8:30 a.m.－5:00 p.m.
*Price … Entrance Fee (Gondola and 5-sen south line fee included) / Adult: JPY2,900, Child: JPY1,600, Pet: JPY800

*Hakuba Iwatake will be reported 1－2times a week
*To Visitors Requesting Original Data of Our Photographs

reported by Snownavi