Autumn in Nagano 🇯🇵 | Hakuba Iwatake Travel Guide 2025 – Best Views, Food & Hidden Gems

Autumn in Nagano 🇯🇵 | Hakuba Iwatake Travel Guide 2025 – Best Views, Food & Hidden Gems

Hey guys, welcome
back to the channel. So, you know how everyone talks about
the big famous autumn spots in Japan? Well, we think we just found a hidden gem that
no one’s talking about right now. Seriously. We’re up in the mountains and what
we’ve seen so far makes this one of the most beautiful autumn spots in the entire country. 
And we’re going to tell you why it’s different. You get to ride this totally epic gondola 
lift straight up to the mountain and you get this insane layered view of the Japan’s 
northern alps. All those massive peaks just covered in the most amazing vivid fall 
colors. It’s truly something else. Come on, let’s go
explore together. Okay, first things first.
Where even is this place? We’re in Hakuba which is up 
in the Nagano Prefecture. You might know it from the Winter Olympics, but 
trust me, the autumn here is just next level gorgeous. It’s definitely worth the trip out here.
Now, if you’re wondering how to get here, it’s actually easier than you think because you 
can grab a direct bus. For example, Jam Jam Liner runs services straight from Tokyo
Station to the Iwatake area. And if you’re coming from Shinjuku, 
look for the express night buses run by the companies like
Whiller Express or others. You just sleep on the way and wake up right here in
the mountains. Super smart and easy way to travel. So to get to Iwatakeyama, you don’t hike,
you ride. We’re hopping on the Noah gondola. The roundtrip ticket is 2,900 yen.
You pay at the ticket booth and they make it easy. They take cash,
credit cards, and IC card payments. Once you’ve paid, head straight to the gondola. They start
running as early as 8:00 a.m. and go until 5:00 p.m. We got here around 8:30. And check this out. 
There’s already a pretty long line of people, especially on the weekend, it gets
busy, so get here as early as you can. Even though the line looks long, it moves
super fast. So, don’t worry about waiting forever. All right, we are high up. This 
ride is super easy, really smooth, and only takes about 8 minutes to get 
right to the summit park. But the views, you see so many colorful trees, 
it’s so amazing in person. And look over there. You get these jaw-dropping 
views of the northern Japan Alps. Seriously, it’s absolutely breathtaking. This is one 
of the best gondola lifts we’ve ever tried. Okay, we made it. First impression of the Iwatake 
Green Park at the summit. It’s a huge open space with tons of tables and chairs. And you can 
immediately see all these beautiful colorful trees everywhere. There are definitely a lot of 
people already here. But listen, this whole area, it’s nice, sure, but it’s actually not the main 
attraction. We’re going to take you to the spot that truly made this area famous. So to get to 
the viewpoint, you take this really nice walk through the forest. It’s lovely and quiet, and the 
colorful trees are just stunning. Even though it doesn’t look crowded right now, just wait until 
we get to the actual spot. On the way, you can already see the mountain range peaking. You just 
get more and more excited the closer you get. But before hitting the main deck, 
we walked down here because there were way less people. Super amazing 
views from this lower area, too. We are here. This is the spot, guys. This
is the whole reason everyone comes up here. This is the city bakery, which is this
bakery with an amazing viewpoint deck. They have this wooden deck 
facing those incredible mountains. You can see the entire Hakuba mountain 
range just laid out in front of you. That view looks absolutely surreal. 
The colors are just insane. We actually stayed here for hours just soaking it 
all up and taking a million videos. People stay here for long hours just 
enjoying the views. It does look crowded, but don’t worry, you can
always find a spot to sit. Plus, some people just want to take a photo 
and leave, so spots open up fast. Here’s a quick tip so you don’t get overwhelmed. There 
are three different lines here. The right line is where everyone goes to take their photos with 
the mountain in the background and that’s the longest and the slowest moving line. The left 
line is for the bakery itself if you want to buy food. In the middle is just for getting in and 
out. You can actually take the middle to go in, take photos, and enjoy the views. That’s what 
we did. It helps a lot if you know the system. Okay, so let’s talk about the bakery 
itself. They sell things like sandwiches, scones, cookies, and many more. Prices starts 
around 500 yen and go up to about 1,000 yen. They also have hot and cold
drinks starting at 200 yen. We grabbed a scone and a coffee. It tasted
okay. You know, it was just enough to keep us warm and energized for the
day, which is all we really needed. ‘The most expensive 
coffee ever.’ You can also eat inside if you’re not
into the cold mountain air outside. And seriously, the views from the inside are
just as beautiful, you don’t miss a thing. But we decided to eat outside
because we wanted to soak up every second of this incredible
mountain air and view. The fun doesn’t stop here. After enjoying
the views up here at the city bakery, there’s another spot you totally
shouldn’t miss. They have a chairlift that takes you down to a lower area called 
Hitotoki-No Mori. And the best part, you don’t need to pay anything extra. It’s already included in 
the gondola ticket. This ride is just as amazing as a gondola. It’s a little scary, but it’s way 
more fun. You can feel the cold air, and the views are just unbelievable. You’re right over the 
colorful trees and the mountain range is stunning. Even on a cloudy
day, it’s still incredible. All right, we’re here at Hitotoki-No
Mori. It’s this wide open field and they have some fun stuff
to do here. A little playground, chairs to sit and relax. There’s 
a cafe with a giant city view, too. and they’ve got a giant swing. If you’re 
feeling adventurous, that’s a total must try. It’s definitely more peaceful here than the 
main area up top. You can walk in the forest, and there’s another platform where you can see 
the mountains, which is also really pretty. The ride back up is actually beautiful, 
too. It’s just a fun, different experience. After all the walking and photo taking, it’s 
time to refuel. If you’re feeling hungry, they have a restaurant called the Skyark 
Deck Cafe and Restaurant right up here. ‘Um, so after going to the deck, uh, make 
sure to check out this this restaurant. It’s called Skyark Cafe
and Restaurant.’ It’s huge inside. It’s warm and
the view is really nice. They sell things like soup, curry, ramen, and many
more with prices ranging from 700 to 2,000 yen. ‘Yeah. And I think the prices are quite fair
here. Yeah, it’s good. It’s not that expensive.’ Good news, they accept cash and cards for
payment. They even sell souvenirs here. It’s a nice place to relax and recharge before 
doing the final activities. But here’s a secret spot. Don’t miss this place. If you go down to 
the lower area where the toilet is, there’s an art exhibit called the GOMA art room. It’s a room 
completely covered in doodle art. The walls, the ceiling, the floor, even the furniture. 
It’s a cool unexpected little find. If you’re feeling really adventurous, 
here are some activities for you to try. You can rent a bike and take the mountain bike 
trail course. It looks so fun and interesting. And they have courses for both adults and 
kids. You can rent bikes at the base of the gondola or right here at the top. If you’re 
interested in the prices, here they are. They also offer horse riding for 
2,000 yen or even horse trekking through the forest. Plus, they have a mountain cart, a buggy
ride, and a super famous Yoo-hoo swing. For just 500 yen, you can take that swing
with amazing mountain view. That’s a must do
for a quick thrill. And finally, you can take a walk on the
forest trails. It’s completely free. It’s super peaceful and less crowded.
Totally worth checking out. Before you leave, don’t forget the souvenir shop 
at the base of the gondola. It’s a small shop, but they sell hiking stuff like caps, Hakuba 
t-shirt, food, funny keychains, and a lot more. It’s a good spot to grab a little 
memory of your trip. Now, if you’re looking for a cheaper place to stay in 
Hakoba, but still wanted to feel stylish and cozy, you’ve got to check out UNPLAN Village Hakuba. 
It’s a modern guest house down in the valley, about a 10-minute drive from Iwatake.
They’ve got private rooms and dorm style bunk beds, so it works whether
you’re traveling solo or with friends. These bunks are way
nicer than we expected. It’s super clean, and each one has 
its own light, outlet, and curtain for privacy, and only for 3,500 yen a night. That’s 
such a good deal. The bathrooms are shared, but everything was spotless and really 
wellmaintained. So, we didn’t mind at all. The common area is also awesome. The whole 
place just has this cozy, social vibe. They also have a handy washing machine and a 
dryer, and they offer parking if you are driving. Honestly, if you’re traveling on a budget 
but still want something comfortable, clean, and modern, we totally recommend UNPLAN. 
It feels more like a mountain lodge than a hostel. Plus, the views outside 
early in the morning are amazing. So, final thoughts. Is Hakuba 
Iwatake worth visiting in autumn? Yes. Absolutely. If you’re looking for one of the most
photogenic, relaxing, and unforgettable mountain views in Japan, definitely add Hakuba
Iwatake to your list. Trust me, you will love it. Okay guys, and that’s it for today’s video. If you like 
this one, please hit like and subscribe to our channel. Thank you so much for watching 
and see you in the next one. Bye bye.

🍁 AUTUMN IN NAGANO – HAKUBA IWATAKE TRAVEL GUIDE 2025 🇯🇵

Join us as we explore Hakuba Iwatake Mountain Resort, one of the most stunning and underrated autumn spots in Nagano, Japan! From riding the Noah Gondola to the top of the mountain, taking in the Hakuba Mountain Harbor viewpoint, and relaxing at the cozy Skyark Café & Restaurant, this video is your complete autumn travel guide to the Japanese Alps.

We’ll show you:
🚠 How to get to Hakuba Iwatake
☕️ The best café with mountain views (Skyark Café)
🍁 Breathtaking autumn colors and photo spots
🪶 Hidden gems like Hitotoki-no Mori and the Goma Art Room
🏠 Where to stay – UNPLAN Village Hakuba (budget-friendly & cozy!)
🎡 Fun things to do: gondola rides, swings, trails, and more
If you love slow travel, nature views, cozy cafés, and local Japan experiences, this video’s for you.

📍 Featured Places
• Hakuba Iwatake Mountain Resort (Nagano Prefecture, Japan)
• Hakuba Mountain Harbor / The City Bakery
• Skyark Deck Café & Restaurant
• Hitotoki-no Mori
• UNPLAN Village Hakuba

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📩 Comment below – What’s your favorite autumn spot in Japan?
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