Hakuba is not only about skiing.

In the green season, it becomes a place to spend time with the mountains, lakes, wind, and nature.

In winter, Hakuba often reminds people of skiing.
But when the snow season ends, the shape of the mountains slowly appears again.
The lakes become clear, the wind passes through the forests and fields, and Hakuba turns into a different place from the one you may have seen in winter.

Summer in Hakuba is not just “Hakuba without snow.”
It is a place where you can take in mountain views, play by the water, hike, drink coffee, ride a bike, or simply do nothing and spend time with nature.

If winter in Hakuba belongs to skiing, then summer in Hakuba is more about being with the mountains, the lakes, and nature.

In this article, we will introduce some of the summer activities we think are worth trying in Hakuba.
From SUP at Lake Aoki and watersports at Lake Kizaki to hiking to Happo ike, visiting Hakuba Goryu Alpine Botanical Garden, enjoying mountain-view cafés at Hakuba Iwatake, and paragliding above the village, there are many ways to see another beautiful side of Hakuba in the green season.

1｜Lake Aoki: Lakeside Walks, Coffee, and SUP

Lake Aoki is a great half-day trip to enjoy around Hakuba in summer.

Although it is not located in the center of Hakuba Village, it is easy to reach by car from Hakuba. In summer, you can take a walk by the lake, rent a SUP board, paddle a canoe, or simply sit by the lake and watch the mountain shapes reflected on the water.

Lake Aoki has a different atmosphere from Lake Kizaki.
Because motorboats are not allowed here, the water is relatively quiet. It is a great place for slow-paced activities such as SUP, kayaking, and canoeing.

On a sunny day, we recommend renting a SUP board or canoe and slowly paddling toward the center of the lake.
There is no engine sound — only the sound of the paddle touching the water, the wind, and the quiet lines of the mountains in the distance. It is a kind of calm that feels very much like summer in Hakuba.

In recent years, lakeside sauna experiences have also become available around Lake Aoki. After warming up in the sauna, you can jump into the cold lake water and feel the coolness that only a mountain summer can offer.

Please note that sauna, SUP, and café opening hours may change depending on the season and weather, so it is best to check the latest information before visiting.

One place we really recommend is ao LAKESIDE CAFE by Lake Aoki.
Located right by the lake, it is a place where you can enjoy coffee, light food, and a quiet view of the water. It is a lovely way to begin a summer day in Hakuba.

Lake Aoki is known for its high transparency. On clear days, you may even see the Northern Alps reflected on the surface of the lake.

ao LAKESIDE CAFE
Sauna Reservation

2｜Lake Kizaki: Summer Watersports and Lake Activities

If Lake Aoki is for quietly looking at the water, Lake Kizaki is for people who want to play on it.

Lake Kizaki is located around Omachi City and is about 30 minutes by car from Hakuba, making it a great addition to a summer itinerary.

Here, you can try wakeboarding, wakesurfing, banana boating, SUP, canoeing, and other water activities. Compared with Lake Aoki, Lake Kizaki has a more active watersports atmosphere.

Here, we would like to personally recommend Hakuba Alps Surf, run by a Taiwanese team based in the Hakuba area.
If you want to experience wakeboarding or wakesurfing surrounded by the mountains of Hakuba, this is a summer activity worth planning.

Afu and Hana, the team behind Hakuba Alps Surf, have been based in Hakuba for many years. They do not just operate the boat — they also provide friendly guidance and support.

They can communicate in Mandarin, English, and Japanese, which makes the experience especially reassuring for international travelers. Even if it is your first time trying wakesurfing or wakeboarding, they will provide safety instructions and basic guidance on land before you get on the boat.

Hakuba Alps Surf’s 2026 summer season is from June 15 to September 15.
When planning your trip, we recommend checking and booking in advance through their official Instagram.

The charm of Lake Kizaki is being able to play on the water while surrounded by mountains.
The moment the water splashes, the boat turns, and your body rises onto the surface is completely different from gliding over snow in winter — but it is just as much a part of summer in Hakuba.

Hakuba Alps Surf Instagram

3｜Happo ike Hike: Hakuba’s Classic Summer Mountain View

Happo ike is one of Hakuba’s most iconic summer destinations.

If you want to see the kind of mountain view that makes you feel, “This is Hakuba,” Happo-ike is well worth visiting.
After taking the gondola and lifts to the Happo-ike Sanso trailhead, you can walk along the Happo-one Nature Trail while enjoying views of the Japanese Northern Alps.

On clear days, Hakuba Sanzan is reflected on the surface of Happo ike, creating one of Hakuba’s most classic summer views. The village of Hakuba also introduces the Happo-one Nature Trail and Happo ike trekking as one of the representative activities of the green season.

However, Happo ike is not a place you can reach just by taking a lift.
According to official information from Hakuba Happo-one, it takes about 90 minutes to walk up from the Happo-ike Sanso trailhead to Happo ke, and about 60 minutes to walk back down. The round trip takes around 2.5 hours.

The trail includes rocky and uneven sections, so we recommend wearing shoes suitable for walking and clothes that are easy to move in.

The weather in the mountains can change quickly.
Even if it is sunny at the base, it may become foggy, rainy, or cold higher up. We strongly recommend bringing a light jacket, rain gear, water, and giving yourself more time than you think you will need.

Happo official website

4｜Hakuba Goryu Alpine Botanical Garden: Flowers and the Northern Alps

Hakuba Goryu is not only a ski area in winter.

In summer, Hakuba Goryu Alpine Botanical Garden becomes a place where you can enjoy alpine plants and views of the Northern Alps. Located at an elevation of 1,515 meters in Hakuba Goryu Alps-daira, it is one of Japan’s notable alpine botanical gardens.

According to Hakuba Village, from June to October, visitors can enjoy more than 300 varieties and around two million flowers, including alpine plants, Himalayan blue poppies, and other seasonal flowers.

After taking the Hakuba Goryu gondola up the mountain, you can enter the botanical garden area.
Compared with Happo Pond, the pace at Goryu Alpine Botanical Garden is slower and softer. It is suitable for people who like nature, flowers, and mountain views, but do not want to plan a long hike.

There is a quiet charm to Goryu in summer.
In winter, it is a ski area. In summer, it becomes a place of flowers, wind, mountain views, and gentle walks. The same mountain can feel completely different depending on the season.

Paw Pow Zone is located in the Hakuba Goryu area, making it a comfortable base for a summer stay in Hakuba.
From here, you can visit Hakuba Goryu Alpine Botanical Garden, and it is also easy to reach summer spots such as Lake Aoki, Lake Kizaki, Iwatake, and Happo.

Spend the morning enjoying the mountains, return to the cabin for a quiet afternoon, and cook a dinner for the night. Let your day move at your own pace.

Goryu official website

5｜Hakuba Iwatake: Mountain-View Cafés, Viewpoints, and Mountain Biking

Iwatake is one of the easiest places in Hakuba to feel the atmosphere of a mountain resort in summer.

Hakuba Iwatake Mountain Resort is also popular during the green season. It has several viewpoints where you can enjoy views of Hakuba Sanzan, as well as Hakuba Mountain Harbor, mountain-view cafés, outdoor activities, and Iwatake MTB Park.

If you want to enjoy mountain views without too much effort, Iwatake is a great choice.
After taking the gondola up the mountain, you can enjoy wide-open views of the Northern Alps without needing to hike as much as you would at Happo Pond. Sitting at a café, taking photos, and walking around are all easy and enjoyable ways to spend a summer day in Hakuba.

In addition to cafés, there are many activities to enjoy at Iwatake.
If you want something more active, you can also try mountain biking. Hakuba Iwatake MTB Park has downhill courses, cross-country courses, and other routes, and is known as one of Japan’s well-known MTB parks.

Compared with the hiking feel of Happo Pond, Iwatake brings together mountain views, cafés, photo spots, and outdoor activities in one summer resort area.
If some people in your group want to be active while others just want to drink coffee and enjoy the view, Iwatake is an easy place to enjoy together.

Iwatake official website

6｜Paragliding: See Hakuba’s Mountains and Village from the Sky

If you want to see Hakuba from a different angle, paragliding can become one of the most memorable parts of your summer trip.

In winter, we usually look at the mountains from the ski slopes.
But in summer, paragliding lets you see Hakuba’s mountains, fields, village, rivers, and ski area terrain from above. It is a completely different perspective of Hakuba.

In the Hakuba area, there are tandem flight experiences offered by operators such as Hakuba Paratopia Goryu Paragliding School and Sky Blue Happo-one Paragliding School.

If you have the chance, we highly recommend seeing the whole village of Hakuba from the sky with your own eyes.

Please note that paragliding is easily affected by weather, wind direction, and wind speed.
Even if you have made a reservation, your flight may be postponed or canceled if the conditions are not suitable on the day. It is best not to schedule paragliding at the very end of your trip, and to leave some flexibility in your itinerary.

Hakuba Paratopia Goryu Paragliding School
Sky Blue Happo-one Paragliding School

Hakuba Without Snow Has Its Own Beauty

Summer in Hakuba has no snow, but that does not mean anything is missing.

The mountains are still here.
The lakes are still here.
The wind is still here.

Only the rhythm of the journey changes. Instead of chasing powder, skiing, and moving from slope to slope, summer becomes a season for hiking, playing by the water, drinking coffee, or simply spending a slow day in the mountains.

If winter in Hakuba is full of speed,
then summer in Hakuba is a season that gently brings you back into rhythm with nature.

Staying at Paw Pow Zone, you can use the Hakuba Goryu area as your base and head out to the lakes, the mountains, or a quiet café. Or you can make no plans at all and simply enjoy slow time in a cabin in the mountains.

Hakuba is not only about skiing.
The green season is also worth visiting.

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