REPORT

With the rapid recovery of inbound tourism to Japan, winter accommodation bookings in Hakuba have been filling up earlier each year since the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, reservations for the 2024–25 winter season began ramping up as early as March 2024.Hotels are especially busy in December and January, with some properties already fully booked by summer. At establishments like the Hakuba Tokyu Hotel (pictured), a portion of rooms is reserved until autumn to accommodate anticipated bookings from Japanese guests.
[Hakuba Tokyu Hotel]

The surge in inbound tourism has also driven a remarkable improvement in the quality of ingredients used at hotels and elevated the skill level of chefs and staff. For example, Traumerei Restaurant & Hotel has brought in a French chef with experience at a two-star restaurant in the UK to further refine and serve authentic French cuisine.
[Restaurant & Hotel Traumerei]

In terms of accommodation types, cottages (whole-house rentals), condominiums, and residences have seen a rapid increase in popularity over the past few years. Looking ahead to meet this demand, several luxury resort hotels are set to open in Hakuba in the coming years, including Hotel La Vigne Hakuba (Happo, opening December 2024), Banyan Tree (Happo Sakka area, slated to open in summer 2028), and a yet-to-be-named slopeside hotel at Hakuba Iwatake.
[Hotel La Vigne Hakuba]

Hakuba, lying at the foot of the nearly 3,000m ridgeline of the Northern Alps, has become increasingly popular worldwide, due to its stunning views, excellent ski slopes, and abundant powder snow. Along with lift ticket prices, accommodation costs have also risen due to the increase in popularity and demand. To help offset the rising expenses, more people have been opting for accommodation vouchers as part of their Furusato nozei (hometown tax) contributions in recent years.
[Bergtour Marukita]

*If you would like to receive accommodation vouchers as a gift in return for your furusato nozei tax payment, please apply via “Furusato Choice.”
*Furusato nozei (hometown tax) is a system that allows you to make donations to your hometown or other local municipalities you wish to support. By making a donation, you can receive about 30% of the donation amount back in gifts, as well as benefit from reductions (i.e. deduction) or refunds of your residential or income taxes.
*Furustao nozei report series（※listed from newest to oldest） → Hotel Reservations, Lift Ticket Purchases, Hakuba Valley Pass, Hakuba-Grown Rice 3, Hakuba-Grown Rice 2, Hakuba-Grown Rice 1

*Request for the original data of our photographs

reported by Snownavi