Hakuba - 5 nights

We are a couple in our early 30's looking to spend 5 nights in Hakuba as part of a longer holiday to Japan. Tossing up between 5 nights over new year, or 5 nights over christmas - these are our only two options. Are there any pros/cons for either period. We're a little worried about how much snow will be around at the time?

Thanks in advance.

I'm not sure about Hakuba exactly, but around New Year's in Japan, most stores and museums and things you would want to see as a tourist are closed.

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2276.html

Christmas isn't a national holiday in Japan, so things are still open, but they will probably close a day or 2 before New Year's.

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2299.html
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2303.html
http://gojapan.about.com/cs/traveltools/a/holidaytravel.htm

I would definitely recommend Christmas over New Year's. New Year's is Peak season and accommodation rates tend to skyrocket. Depending on the accommodation, Christmas is often more reasonable.

It's true that it is a lot quieter over Christmas than New Year, so if you don't want crowds, the Christmas is better. Accommodation is easier to find, but the prices are not that dramatically different in the hotels frequented by foreigners.

At Hakuba, there is more chance of being a lot of snow on the ground around New Year. It's only one week difference, but it's just around the time of year when a lot of snow starts to fall.
For example, I've skied the last 6 years around late Dec/early January at Hakuba, and only one of those years has had a lot of snow top to bottom before 15th December. One year didn't have good snow until 24th December. The year before last, the big snow arrived on about 20th Dec.

At Hakuba, the location of the hotel is important. Unlike some ski towns, hotel are spread out all up and down the Hakuba valley. There area around 8 main ski hills, and you need to decide where to stay. Generally, it's better to stay near Happo One, because the transport hub is there. If you can find a place near the lifts and right next to shuttle buses, then it's best. Or you can stay at places with "drop off / pick up", where they deliver you to your choice of mountain. My rule of thumbe:

- If you stay at a hotel that does "drop off / pick up", stay in the Echoland area.
- If you don't, then the Sakka end of Wadano. Close to Happo lifts, FIRST stop on the shuttle so you can sit down.

Thanks for your tips.

Would you stay in Echoland before choosing accommodation at Happo One? I'm a little uncertain of dining/drinking opportunities in Echoland and exactly how long it would take to get to the slopes?

As we've left it late to book most of the Happo One accommodation is gone over new years, however there are still some good deals in Echoland. Otherwise, Happo One has plenty of accommodation leftfor just before and over Christmas.

Many thanks.

Echoland is about 5 min from Happo by car or bus.

What is your budget per person per night? I'm staying at Echoland over NY, and it's drop off/pick up.