Hakuba Cortina

Cortina doesn't use any snowmaking. Everything you ride on is natural snow, which means on a powder day the quality is outstanding — light, dry, and deep. The resort sits at the northern edge of Hakuba Valley where storms hit hardest, so it consistently gets the heaviest snowfall in the area. If chasing powder is your priority, Cortina should be at the top of your list.

Hotel Green Plaza is the face of Cortina — a striking European-style building with a grand, open-air lobby that makes you feel like you've arrived at an alpine resort. It's ski-in/ski-out, which is a huge plus. But the building is aging, and the rooms show it. More importantly, Cortina is about 40 minutes by car from Hakuba's main village area. If the weather turns bad and skiing isn't great, you don't have many alternatives — no nearby restaurants, shops, or activities like you'd find at Iwatake or central Hakuba. Commit to Cortina for the snow, and bring a book for the off days.