Coffee

Booínga Coffee — Matosinhos

The best coffee stop of the trip. Booínga is a specialty roaster in Matosinhos, a short train ride from Porto, and the barista knew exactly what she was doing. We liked the place so much that we bought two bags of beans to bring home. If you are having trouble with which beans to select, just let the barista know your favorite notes profile, and she’ll help you out.

Website | Google Maps

So Coffee Roasters — Porto

Solid specialty coffee near Igreja de Carmo. Good enough for a cappuccino and a cinnamon roll. Worth knowing as a convenient option.

Website | Google Maps

Breakfast & Pastries

Manteigaria — Porto

My favorite pastéis de nata while I was in Porto. I went to the Clérigos location, which is convenient if you’re already heading to the tower. They have multiple locations all over town.

Website | Google Maps

Fábrica de Nata — Porto

Another place that sells pastéis de nata. Conveniently located right in front of Mercado do Bolhão, so easy to grab one before or after the market.

Website | Google Maps

Imperial McDonald’s — Porto

The breakfast sandwich was simple (eggs, cheese, bacon), but the bread was noticeably better than anything I’ve had at McDonald’s in America, which I was pleasantly surprised about. They also have other Portuguese lunchtime offerings like the McPrego and McBifana.

Google Maps

Mila — Porto

A croissant shop. I had no room left, so I had taken some to-go, and even as takeout they are were absolutely delicious. I would come back again.

Google Maps

Bella Roma — Porto

I tried the Bola de Berlim, which is a Portuguese doughnut that is filled with a rich egg yolk-based yellow custard that is similar to the German Berliners. They have many different baked goods to choose from.

Google Maps

Seafood

A Marisqueira de Matosinhos — Matosinhos

I’ve raved about this meal of the trip in my other post, so I won’t go into too much depth here. This was my best meal of the trip, and I would go again if I came back in Porto. We ordered sapateira (local brown crab) with no sauce, carabineiros (scarlet shrimp), grilled over rice, and camarão médio (medium prawns). Everything we ordered was amazing, but the must have would be the scarlet shrimp. You must order it with rice, and you mustn’t spare the “butter” guts.

Website | Google Maps

Uma Marisqueira (Zé Bota) — Porto

We came here to order the seafood rice, and combined it with some sardines and a bread basket that came with pâté and butter. They are located in an alley. The pâté was just an individual Pingo Doce packet of pâté made out of sardines. However, it was after this meal that I went on the hunt for more pâté made out of fish.

Google Maps

Sibuya Urban Sushi Bar — Porto

Sibuya is a Spanish sushi chain that opened its first international location here. We ended up wandering in randomly to order some rolls and sashimi because we wanted to eat something lighter. The favorites were butterfish and salmon sashimi.

Google Maps

Meat

Read more

This guide covers a week in Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia, including a two-day detour into the Douro Valley.

Disclosure: Some of the links on this page are affiliate links, meaning I may earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase—at no additional cost to you. All opinions are my own and based on my personal travel experiences.

Table of Contents

• Day 1: Vila Nova de Gaia, Bolhão Market, and São Bento Train Station

• Day 2: Festas de São João and Clérigos Tower

• Day 3: Porto Cathedral, Port Tasting, and Cruise on Douro

• Day 4: Matosinhos, More Port Tasting and Dom Luis I Bridge

• Day 5: Douro Valley

• Day 6: Douro Valley

• Day 7: Free Day / Back to Airport

• Frequently Asked Questions

Porto Week-Long Itinerary

Day 1: Vila Nova de Gaia, Bolhão Market, and São Bento Train Station

Vila Nova de Gaia

We stayed in an Airbnb in Vila Nova de Gaia for most of the trip, which is across the river from Porto. It is historically where Port wine cellars were built to age and store Port wines. The area was the perfect sanctuary for us for times when we wanted a little less chaos outside, in comparison to the main Porto area.

Mercado do Bolhão

I have an affinity for markets, so I went to Mercado do Bolhão twice during the trip. There are vendors selling tin fish, pâté, chocolate, coffee, fresh pasta, and much more! I bought some of my souvenirs here, and the pricing was at least better than the airport (low bar, I know).

We first grabbed some seafood at Casa das Ostras. While my favorite was the salmon, the barnacles were quite the adventure. Having never had them like this before, I wanted to challenge myself to partake in this culinary experience … except I had no idea how to eat it at first glance. A European lad stared at me with a look of pure confusion bordering on disgust as I tried to suck the meat out with its skin on. My partner figured out how to eat and showed me that you must grab the barnacle from the tail, twist the skin off, and then eat the flesh inside. Barnacles have a texture that reminds me of clams. Chewy and tasty.

After the seafood experience, we got in line for fresh pasta, which was rolled around in a huge cheese wheel. I ordered spaghetti pasta with truffle sauce, and I didn’t do much else. The pasta was so simple, but so delicious.

Upstairs on the second floor of Bolhao was a flea market vibe, where you could find all sorts of gizmos and gadgets among the stalls. There’s also a large-sized tin fish sculpture that I recommend for fun photos.

Website | Google Maps

Pastéis de Nata at Fábrica de Nata

I’ve long been a fan of Manteigaria since my trip to Lisbon, but I wanted a second comparison point, so I chose to stop in Fábrica de Nata, which was right in front of the market. Give them a shot if you have the stomach!

São Bento Train Station

On the way back to Vila Nova de Gaia, we stopped by the São Bento station and saw the famous and beautiful azulejo tiles. The walls were covered with blue and white scenes depicting the time of the conquistadors, everyday life, and more. Because it was cloudy, the light inside was soft and diffused, and the tiles almost glowed. And best of all, you can see the walls for free.

Google Maps

Sunset on the Gaia Riverfront

We had dinner down at Gaia Riverfront, and then walked around in the area after. There is a massive rabbit sculpture embedded into a corner of a building facade partially made with salvaged trash and recycled material. The art is called “Half Rabbit” and was made by artist Bordalo II (If you’ve read my Lisbon street art post, you’ll already know I’m a fan of his work). There is a lot of seating along the river, so grab a gelato and enjoy the sunset.

Google Maps - Bordalo II

Jardim do Morro

Jardim do Morro was on our hike back to the Airbnb and is another popular spot for picnics and sunset viewing. It is pretty crowded and usually has live music around sunset, so it is another option if you’d rather have a full panorama view of the Dom Luis I Bridge and Porto rooftops.

Google Maps — Jardim do Morro

Day 2: Festas de São João, Soccer, and Clérigos Tower

Imperial McDonald’s

The Imperial is not a regular McDonald’s. It’s much bougier, with chandeliers and tile walls. The breakfast sandwich was simple, with just eggs, cheese, and bacon. But the bread was noticeably better than anything I’ve had at McDonald’s in America, which I was pleasantly surprised about. Don’t rearrange your day for it, but it could be worth at least a glance.

Google Maps

Torre dos Clérigos

Clérigos Tower is one of the most recognizable structures in Porto. It is an 18th-century Baroque bell tower that once was the tallest building in Portugal. The views from the top are 360 degrees; however, the staircase is quite narrow, so skip it if you are claustrophobic and just look at it from the street. You can book tickets in advance online.

Website | Google Maps

Igreja do Carmo

Igreja do Carmo is famous for the side wall that is covered in blue and white azulejo tiles. When we arrived, much of the panel was covered with a semi-transparent white film. My best guess is that this is potentially a conservation or restoration measure for the tilework. Still worth walking past outside to look at though, since it isn’t far from Clerigos.

Google Maps

Street Art / Mural Hunting

After lunch we went looking for street art. The standout was a large cat mural, and a massive portrait of an elderly man in a blue jacket and cap. Turns out the latter was a portrait of a Porto journalist and historian named Germano Silva, who was known for recording the city’s stories.

Google Maps: Cat mural | Germano Silva mural

Watch a Soccer Game with the Locals

Portugal was playing Uzbekistan, so I joined the locals at the square at Avenida dos Aliados to watch the soccer game. The crowd was WILD. Since the day I went was São João, people were using their hammers to make noise and celebrate with head bops. Portugal won 5-0, and Ronaldo, who had been getting torn apart in the press after a rough earlier game, redeemed himself a little that afternoon.

If Portugal happens to be playing during your visit, find a public square and watch with locals. It’s an experience that made me feel like I was part of Team Portugal.

Festas de São João

And then the highlight of the trip… Festas de São João. Earlier in the afternoon, you could already smell and see people hanging up flags in the streets and preparing food.

Lanterns, Hammer Tradition, Street Food and Fireworks

We crossed back to the Gaia side to experience São João from across the river, figuring it might be less crowded (still pretty crowded). The walk down to the Gaia waterfront at 9:15 PM was already full of excitement as lanterns were rising into the sky everywhere, drifting up like a scene in Tangled. It was heartwarming to see friends & families work together to light up the big lanterns and set them off into the sky.

Old people, young people, children… everyone is fair game for a tap on the head with that plastic hammer for “good luck” or “happy São João”, and everyone is bopping right back. The kids take this responsibility very seriously. The older ladies loved it a bit too much. I definitely had a delightful time with my hammer.

The street food was phenomenal. Our eats included sardinhas on toast, a bifana, a roast pig sandwich, a hot dog, and a healthy amount of sangria & port wine.

At 10:45 PM we found a spot on the Gaia waterfront and waited for fireworks. At midnight, the fireworks launched in full proper display, with some fireworks even coming off of Dom Luis I on the top level. It was worth every minute of standing around for it.

Music & Dancing

All the main music stages appeared to be on the Porto side. If dancing to live music until 4 AM is your priority for the night, factor that in. The Gaia side was festive, had some music too, and was fun.

Transportation & Getting Home

After midnight, the crowd thickens fast. The traditional move after fireworks is to march to Foz, the coastal neighborhood at the mouth of the Douro. There was some impatient crowd-pushing in the immediate aftermath of the fireworks that was not pleasant for the people trying to get home. In hindsight, if I hadn’t needed a bathroom, I might have stayed longer somewhere instead of heading back right at midnight. So give yourself some time flexibility on the exit if you can! And check the metro schedule for closures, as there were some for safety due to crowds and fireworks.

Festas de Porto Program | Metro Schedule

Day 3: Porto Cathedral, Port Tasting, and Cruise on Douro

The day after São João definitely required a bit of a later start, so keep the activities lighter or flexible. Even if you don’t stay out all night, you might hear the music blasting through the streets all night.

Porto Cathedral (Sé Catedral do Porto)

We arrived at the cathedral square to find a guy playing cello outside. He was genuinely good. The views of the city from the square are everywhere, though the surrounding area has a lot of abandoned and crumbling buildings mixed in.

Entry into the cathedral is about €4 per adult (as of 2026). Inside, the azulejo tiles line the cloister walls. The cathedral is dedicated to Nossa Senhora da Vandoma (Our Lady of Vendôme), and houses a sculpture of the Virgin Mary in an image that represents Porto and is featured on Porto’s official coat of arms.

Website | Google Maps

Port Tasting in Gaia: Kopke

There are many big Port names here, from Graham to Taylor’s. The riverfront was lined up with the flags from each of the port houses. I broke up my tasting over the week (did only one per day). On Day 3, I went to Kopke wine tasting, which was honestly solid. They’ve been around since 1638. The tasting comes with chocolate, nuts, and crackers. Their tasting room is small, though, so don’t be too surprised if you have to try walking in a second time.

Website | Google Maps

Sunset Boat Cruise on the Douro River

In the late afternoon, we had a sunset boat cruise booked out of the Gaia quay, which was a nice and relaxing way to see the city from the water as you move down the river toward the ocean.

Day 4: Matosinhos & More Port Tasting

Matosinhos

We took the train out to Matosinhos, the coastal fishing town just north of Porto. About an hour from our place on the Gaia side, with one switch at Trindade, so it was quite easy to navigate to.

Booínga Coffee

The barista knew exactly what she was doing. The espresso was measured with precision, and the water temperature she used brought out the full flavor of the beans. We asked her for recommendations with chocolate notes, and she pointed us immediately to a couple of options. We liked the place so much that we bought two bags of beans to bring home.

Website | Google Maps

Exploring the Beach and Rua Heróis de França

There isn’t much sightseeing to do in Matosinhos, but we walked the waterfront boardwalk and came across the Monumento Tragédia no Mar, a sad bronze sculpture of widows and orphans staring out to sea. The statue was put up because of a 1947 storm that killed 152 fishermen from Matosinhos, leaving 72 widows and over 100 children without fathers. After that, we meandered over to the street called Rua Heróis de França, where fishmongers were selling their fresh catches of the day, mixed in with the waft of food from restaurants preparing for the lunch hour.

A Marisqueira de Matosinhos

This was the meal of the trip. Luxurious but worth the euro.

We had a noon reservation. I was struggling to figure out what to order, so the waiter walked me up to the seafood counter himself and went through everything on display: Carabineiros (aka scarlet shrimp), Lavagante (gigantic European lobster), santola (spider crab), sapateira (local brown crab), and multiple sizes and types of camarão (shrimp) and crawfish.

Top left and clockwise: Medium shrimp, scarlet shrimp with rice, seafood display, and brown crab “all natural”

We ordered two Carabineiros, grilled over rice with a sauce that had a nice kick. We added the brown crab, which typically comes with a sauce made from crab innards mixed with mayo. From my adventures in Lisbon, I have found that I personally didn’t prefer the sauce because I wanted the flavors of the crab to come through. So I told the waiter, “No sauce.” He looked at me, slightly bewildered, and clarified: “All natural?” “Yes. All natural.”

The crab was incredible. We finished the main course with two medium shrimp served cold like cocktail shrimp with mayo-based dipping sauce, and a half bottle of white wine. While we were eating, there were regulars, mostly men who have seen things, who just plopped right at the counter and quickly served some type of stew. Perhaps it was the arroz de marisco (seafood rice) that Matosinhos is known for.

The total bill came to around $207 USD, which included wine, rice, and bread. The scarlet shrimp alone would have been enough to justify the trip out to Matosinhos. We had considered the lobster too, but knew we didn’t have room. I rolled out with a full food coma and passed out in the Uber on the way home.

Website | Google Maps

Port Tasting in Gaia: Niepoort Wine Cellar

Book ahead for tastings at Niepoort. They are by appointment only, and the entrance is very easy to miss. Look for the doorbell, as there are no big signs.

Niepoort has been family-run for six generations. They showed us the back cellar where they do things differently from most Port houses. After four years in barrel, wine goes into repurposed glass bottles sourced from a former apothecary that went bankrupt, where it ages for decades. One bottle produced this way was completely clear and sold at auction for over €100,000! They’re also shifting away from Port as consumer demand has shifted, and are getting more into table wine production.

The tasting covered five wines: two whites, two reds, one Port. Our guide was knowledgeable and opinionated (with some dry humor). When someone in the group asked about rosé Port, the eye roll and heavy sigh said it all before he composed himself and gave the political answer of it being “good for cocktails”.

Website | Google Maps

Walk Dom Luis I Bridge

If you haven’t already, I recommend walking across the Dom Luis I Bridge. It’s quite breezy, but then you get a nice view of the Douro River.

Day 5-6: Douro Valley

Douro Valley is a well-known wine region in Portugal that is famous for its beautiful terraced landscape. While Douro Valley can just be a day trip, I encourage an overnight stay for the full vineyard experience. My full recommendations can be found in the post below:

Day 7

Free day! Rest, recover, and head back home.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many days do you need in Porto?

A whole week gives you time to fully explore the city, enjoy the festival, and have a side excursion to the Douro Valley!

How to Navigate Porto

Bolt vs Uber

Bolt runs about half the price of Uber in Porto: 4 euros vs 11 for a typical ride. The trade-off is that the drivers seem to have watched a lot of Fast and Furious. Smooth on the freeway, alarming on side streets. For the price difference, it’s a hard deal to pass up. Just maybe hold onto something.

Metro

The metro was very convenient for the entire trip, if we didn’t feel like walking. Highly recommend, especially if the place you are staying at isn’t too far from the station. We also used the metro lines to get to and from the airport.

Walking

Porto has a lot of hills too, so as they say… every day was a leg day.

Train

The train is good for going to other cities or regions such as Lisbon or Douro Valley. One thing worth knowing: the train to Pinhão departs from Campanhã station, not São Bento. On the train we rode to Pinhão, it seemed like the red car had big seats and windows that are suitable for families, though I’m not sure if that’s a true statement for every car/train.

Other Travel Planning Resources

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I love soups, so having chicken broth around is a peace of mind. When I get around to making chicken broth, I usually throw the chicken bones into the Instant Pot with whatever aromatics I have around. My chicken broth is more geared towards Vietnamese soup cooking, and there’s always ginger in there. I don’t add any salt because I can always just add it into the recipe itself later.

Disclosure: Some of the links on this page are affiliate links, meaning I may earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

I am no stranger to freezing chicken broth but freezing them in about 1-cup sizes was useful so I could control how many cups I actually wanted to take out. My first frozen batch I may have overfilled the molds… learning lessons for next time. My Instant Pot yielded about 12 cups of broth, 4 of which I used to make a meal during the week, and I froze the remaining 8 cups in my Souper Cube molds.

Recipe

Notes:

Leftover chicken - I like to give it to our dog as a treat on top of their kibble or save the meat in small portions in freezer-safe bags to save and make in other recipes like salads, goi, soup, emergency cup noodle topper, etc.

Freezes well: garlic, ginger, green onions, lemongrass, Thai chillies, dill
Doesn’t: culantro (and probably other leafy herbs)

Minced garlic and ginger

Run them through a food processor (or a blender in my case), put them in a Ziploc bag, flatten it, and score it with a chopstick into little sections. When I need some, I snap off a piece, and it goes straight into the hot oil in the wok. I don’t need them to be a perfect size because a little extra garlic or ginger never hurt me. You lose some of the aroma anyway in the freezer, so that is something to consider in your recipes.

Green onions: sliced two ways

When it comes to green onions or scallions, I’ll put aside what I plan to use for the week and freeze the rest. I learned this from @chefchrischo: cut green onions in two sizes. For me, longer pieces, about 2 inches, go into soups and stir-fries. A second batch of sliced is for topping soups or scallion oil at the end. I freeze in separate bags. Use them straight from frozen in hot dishes, since they go mushy if served raw.

Lemongrass: minced and stalks

I wash the stalks, cut them into 2 to 3 inch pieces, and freeze them in a quart freezer bag. Lemongrass smell is pretty strong even after being frozen, but that is quite alright. One note: I buy my minced lemongrass from the grocery store since I don’t have a food processor…yet.

Thai Chili: whole and cut with scissors

I learned about freezing whole Thai chillies from my parents. Need to add them to fish sauce? Cut with scissors straight from frozen. Need them for braised catfish in claypot? Throw them in the pot whole. I’ve found that the spice holds up very well, though the texture will be less crispy than when they are fresh.

Dill: minced

Dill has such a strong aroma that I find freezing still works just fine when I’m making cream cheese spreads or even as a final topper at the end of making turmeric fish.

Culantro: just buy it fresh

I washed, dried the culantro, and chopped them into 2-inch sections. I like them in my phở, but they always come in such big bundles. I froze them in a quart-sized Ziploc bag to test, but after putting it back in a phở bowl 3 weeks later, there was barely any scent, and it was just a sad-looking wilted culantro.

At this point, I’m not even going to try with the other leafy herbs like Thai Basil… probably better to buy them fresh.

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What should I try next? Shallots?

What are some of the herbs or aromatics that you’ve been able to successfully freeze?

Leave a comment

This is very much in the early stages. I’m figuring out how we batch, freeze, and cook manageable portions of Vietnamese and Chinese home cooking so we can eat well, save money, and avoid leftover fatigue. So far, lemongrass froze beautifully, but culantro did not.

This will be documented using quick phone snaps and my notes. Some failures, some wins. A test kitchen that isn’t going crazy over the macros. Some recipes will be inspired by other writers and creators, and I’ll always credit and link them.

Welcome to my experiment log.

This section lives as its own subscription, so existing subscribers can opt in if they want it in their inbox.

Disclosure: Some of the links on this page are affiliate links, meaning I may earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase—at no additional cost to you. All opinions are my own and based on my personal travel experiences.

Table of Contents

• Getting to Pinhão from Porto

• Staying at Quinta de la Rosa

• Boat Ride on the Douro Valley

• Frequently Asked Questions

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Getting to Pinhão from Porto

We took the train, but I’ve seen many videos recommending driving. This is so that you are not at the mercy of the train schedules and to have more flexibility. Some people also take boat cruises down the Douro River.

My Train Experience and Tips

We booked train tickets online the night before and were at Campanhã station by 6:50 AM for the 7:30 departure. We drank two pingos (espresso with milk) while we waited, and boarding opened about 15 minutes before departure. Google said the train left early, but it really didn’t.

CP Train Website | CP Douro Train Information

The train was due in Pinhão at 9:51 and arrived at 10:13. Most places in town were still closed, so we had brunch at Pão D’ouro. I recommend the ham and brie sandwich if you want something simple, and you can pay by credit card.

Pinhão Train Station

The Pinhão train station is a very small train station, but it is charming in its own simple way. There are tiles surrounding the walls outside showing scenes from the valley’s wine harvest. You can’t miss it if you are arriving by train.

Staying at Quinta de la Rosa

The whole quinta had a very cute aesthetic. There were great views of the Douro River. The rooms were wonderful too, and all furnished with care. We had windows facing the waterfront, AC, complimentary water, and an IPA bottle. The hair dryer even had the diffuser attachment. If you like to swim, they also have an outdoor pool overlooking the Douro Valley.

More information about booking a stay here.

Wine Tasting and Tour

We booked our Quinta de la Rosa wine tasting tour online. The tour started at a truck scale outside. Then we were shown the traditional stomping tanks, the barrel rooms, and then concluded at the catwalk tasting area that sits above the barrel room. It might have been interesting to see the stomping live, but that activity is usually done at night when it’s cooler. The old barrel doors were large enough to fit a child through the door. In the past, they were sent in to clean the barrels, although our guide clarified that it is no longer practiced today. All the wines we tasted were in the 15-25 euro range.

Dinner at Cozinha da Clara

Quinta de la Rosa has two dining options, but we chose to make a reservation for dinner at Cozinha da Clara. My favorite dish was the truffle mashed potatoes that came with the Iberico pork cheeks. To start, we had some bread with their olive oil and olives. They were probably the best-tasting olives I’ve ever had. They also had a small bowl with a drop of port in olive oil. Our two mains were the Iberico pork cheeks and monkfish seafood rice. And to drink, we had a port flight cause, why not?

Breakfast (Included!)

Breakfast is included as part of the stay and is a continental spread at the same restaurant where we had dinner. There were various types of breads, pastries, cheese, charcuterie, and yogurts. Eggs are made to order, and they made a fairly solid scrambled egg for me.

Wandering the Vineyard

After breakfast, while it was cooler in the morning, we walked up through the vineyards to get a nice viewpoint of the river. It was a nice, refreshing morning mini-adventure.

Boat Ride on the Douro Valley

During our stay, we booked a one-hour river boat tour for 5 pm, which was the last time slot. There’s also a two-hour boat tour to Tua, which is a more scenic part of the river. The one-hour tour was plenty for me, personally. What I liked is that while you are on the boat, you get to see more of the vineyards while learning about the nearby vineyards.

The boats are regular covered motorboats rather than the traditional rabelos. The cover was nice in the sun, and the 10 euro ticket included a small pour of port. The tour lasted about 50 minutes. We booked ours through Douro Tours.

Frequently Asked Questions

When to Visit the Douro Valley

We visited in the summer, and it was hot. The valley felt about 10 degrees warmer than Porto, and the sun felt more piercing too. Do the outdoor activities earlier in the day if it’s hot.

How many days do you need in Pinhão?

One night at Quinta de la Rosa was enough for the tasting, the boat tour, dinner at the estate, and a morning walk through the vineyards. You could add a second night if you want to take the longer boat tour to Tua, visit another quinta, another town in the Douro Valley, or if you want a pool day.

How to Navigate Pinhão

Taxis are harder to come by here, but Quinta de la Rosa provided numbers to call if we needed one. At the end of the day, walking around Pinhão is doable but not easy in the heat.

From the Pinhão waterfront, it’s a 20-minute trek uphill to Quinta de la Rosa. The hill looked tame in comparison to parts of Porto/Gaia, but the valley was roughly 10 degrees hotter here, so it felt harder. I went through two oil-blotting sheets but still arrived soaked at the hotel reception. I wish I had my portable fan but I had a packed a light day bag for this trip.

Where to Stay in Pinhão

After walking around Pinhão, I would highly recommend staying at a quinta to get the experience of staying directly on the vineyard, and the beautiful views that come with it. During my stay at Quinta de la Rosa, I stayed in the Candida room, which was far enough away from the terrace bar to have a bit more privacy.

🏨Book Quinta de la Rosa

Do I need to be able to speak Portuguese in Pinhão?

The town is small, but it appears that the residents are used to tourism and could converse in English.

Some helpful Portuguese phrases during our trip:

• Bom dia: Good morning

• Obrigado (men) / Obrigada (women): Thank you

• Com licença: Excuse me

• A conta, por favor: The check, please

• Um pingo: an espresso with milk

Other Douro Valley Travel Planning Resources

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🚆Train information: CP Train Website | CP Douro Train Information

A tourist I'll call Matt was standing under a fruit tree near the train platform, and was explaining to another traveler why the small green citrus hanging off it was probably an orange. His theory: "Well in Thailand, since the Western countries brought over the oranges, it mixed in with something over there, and then the skin stays green." When someone asked him, “how you'd actually tell an orange from a lime over in Thailand?” Matt shrugged and said, "I wouldn't be surprised if the word for orange and lime are the same."

I've run into lime and lemon words sounding similar in Southeast Asian languages before, but oranges joining that mix was a new one. So while Matt searched for a way to break into his fruit, I decided to fact-check him on my phone.

Fact check #1: Do ripe oranges stay green in Thailand?

True. But the mechanism isn't quite what Matt implied. Citrus peel color comes down to two pigments: green chlorophyll and orange/yellow carotenoids. The carotenoids are there the whole time, just masked by chlorophyll. What breaks the chlorophyll down is cold temperatures, which would signal the fruit to shed its green layer and reveal the orange underneath. In consistently warm, tropical climates (like in Southeast Asia) that temperature drop never comes. Fully ripe oranges can stay green indefinitely. 

Fact check #2: Did oranges come from Western countries?

False. Oranges originated in Asia. When the trees were later grown in colder climates like Europe, that seasonal chill is what gave us the orange-colored orange we now think of as default. 

Fact check #3: Is the Thai word for orange the same as the word for lime?

False.

• Orange = ส้ม (*sôm*)

• Lime = มะนาว (*má-naao*)

Not the same word. 

The verdict: lime or orange?

Matt eventually picked a rock off the ground, cut into the fruit, gave it a sniff, and declared, "It's definitely an orange." I didn't get a look at the flesh myself as I was more interested in what was across the street, which was an unmistakable orange tree, ripe and orange-colored, no debate necessary.

Here is my photo of the tree in question:

I thought to myself, “what if it wasn’t even a lime or an orange. What if it was a lemon?”

What do you think, lime, orange or neither? Let me know in the comments.

Disclosure: Some of the links on this page are affiliate links, meaning I may earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase — at no additional cost to you. All opinions are my own.

What Actually Happens When Your Bag Doesn’t Show Up

No one wants to deal with delayed luggage, ever. You stand at baggage claim watching the belt go around. Everyone else collects their bag and leaves. After seeing the same unclaimed luggage go around five times, you finally decide it’s time to talk to an attendant, and you know where it goes from there.

An AirTag doesn’t fix the delay, but it tells you where your bag is. The last time I travelled, my luggage was stuck on a connection back in the Seattle-Tacoma Airport. While the attendant warned us the ping might be delayed, Apple clearly shows the time of the last update. We could see that the bag was currently in SeaTac. While there was nothing we could do but wait for the luggage to be delivered, it was at least reassuring to know it hadn’t been picked up by some stranger.

How I Actually Use the AirTag

I keep an AirTag in a silicone holder clipped internally inside my checked bag. The holder protects it and keeps it from bouncing around, and clipping it internally means it’s not visible or accessible from outside.

The Find My app on iPhone shows you the last known location of your AirTag, updated whenever it pings off any Apple device nearby. In busy airports, it updates pretty often. In the cargo area, it updates less often, but you get the general picture of where your bag is. It’s easy to add an AirTag to your iPhone following the instructions that come with it. You can name it, add an icon, and share it with others in your family or traveling group.

I’ve had to change the AirTag batteries before, and it was pretty easy to do. Here’s Apple’s video on how to replace the AirTag battery.

A Few Things Worth Knowing Before You Buy

It only works seamlessly if you have an iPhone.

Android users can detect an AirTag that’s been traveling with them for a while (Apple added this to address stalking concerns), but you can’t actively track one. If you’re on Android, then Tile or Samsung SmartTags are the equivalent. I’ve personally used Tile before and thought they worked well for my keys.

Airlines know they exist and mostly don’t care.

Will the airline make you remove it? The FAA and most international equivalents allow passive Bluetooth trackers in checked luggage. I’ve never been asked to remove one.

They are not perfect.

In very remote locations or on small regional carriers with less Apple device traffic nearby, the updates are less frequent. On a flight between two major cities, you’ll have frequently updated location data. Therefore, manage your expectations accordingly.

The stalking concern is real and Apple has addressed it.

AirTags will notify nearby iPhones if an unknown tag has been traveling with them. It means if someone slips one into your bag without your knowledge, you’ll be alerted. Worth knowing, not worth being alarmed about.

Bottom Line

A single AirTag costs around $29. A 4-pack is around $99, which works out to about $25 each.

I’ve used them on every trip for the past two years. They’ve given me peace of mind on normal trips when I see the bags moving to the plane with me, and it was useful information on the last time my bag was delayed. If you check bags at all, just get one. Or four.

A quick note on the rating system I’m using:

• S tier: life-changing, go out of your way

• A tier: great, would return

• B tier: solid, no regrets

• C tier: fine, skip if you have other options

Oden at Aguraya | A Tier

Google Maps | hakubameshi.net

Aguraya started as a tiny yatai oden stall that could seat maybe three people at a time before expanding into a proper restaurant on Echoland's main street in 2023. It still feels nostalgic and low-key inside, with a warmth you don't quite expect from a ski town.

We came for dinner and ordered a spread of oden. My favorite was the burdock root wrapped in fish cake, as the texture contrast and the depth from the homemade broth made it incredibly satisfying. My boyfriend went straight for the Wagyu tendon, which was fall-apart tender. The total came to about ¥4,000 for drinks and oden between the two of us.

Chicken Skewers at Yakitori Street Cart | B Tier

A little further down the street from Aguraya, we stopped at a yakitori food cart specializing in chicken. No tables, no fuss, just skewers, smoke, and a pleasant buzz from the people walking by. My favorites were the tsukune (meatball) and the gizzards, both grilled to that perfect, slightly charred point. Exactly the kind of snack you want between dinner spots.

Unagi at Koiya | S Tier

Google Maps · hakubameshi.net

This was the meal of the trip. I don’t say that lightly.

There are live eel tanks near the entrance… yes, you are looking at your meal before it becomes your meal. It takes about 20–30 minutes for your order to come out because the eel is killed, cleaned, and grilled to order. I recommend ordering some small dishes to start while waiting.

We ordered:

• Take unaju (grilled eel over rice): this was the best eel rice bowl I have ever eaten in my life

• Unatotodon (medium broiled eel with teriyaki sauce and grated yam over rice): the grated yam adds this silky, subtle richness that I wasn’t expecting, but I would not recommend to anyone who dislikes okra

• Sansai tofu (cold tofu with soy sauce and flavored mountain vegetables): a great palate cleanser

• Kinoko-oroshi ( Japanese mushrooms with grated daikon): earthy and simple

Total with beers came to ¥7,800 for two in 2026. Cash only, so come prepared.

The eel at Koiya is lightly sauced, so the natural flavor of the fish comes through. The texture is impossibly soft. This is one of those rare meals where you’re sad when the bowl is empty. Do not skip.

Japanese Home Cooking at Ohyokkuri | C Tier

Google Maps

Ohyokkuri is a local institution in Hakuba, the kind of place with a queue in winter as early as 30 minutes prior to the restaurant opening. The vibe is honest home cooking, not a flashy dining experience.

We ordered spinach, Hakuba-style stir-fried pork, saba shio (salt-grilled mackerel), ohyokkuri (the restaurant’s namesake soup), rice, and pickles. The ohyokkuri dumplings were the surprise of the meal as they’re a local specialty that tastes more like soft rice cakes, and they paired really well with the savory dishes. The total was ¥6,100 for two.

My honest take: the food tasted like something I would happily cook at home. Nothing was bad, and the soup is genuinely warming and flavorful. That said, Ohyokkuri is a solid, affordable choice when you want a filling, unpretentious dinner that feels more local.

Tea Lattes & Scones at CHAVATY | A Tier

Google Maps | chavaty.jp | Instagram: @chavaty_japan

CHAVATY is a tea latte brand originally from Tokyo’s Omotesando, and their Hakuba outpost sits at 1,100 meters elevation in the Iwatake area, accessible by gondola and then the No. 5 South Chairlift. The panoramic views of the Japanese Alps from the terrace are genuinely stunning.

The green tea latte and matcha latte paired perfectly with freshly baked scones. The scones come with nut honey and cream, and they’re the real deal: crisp outside, soft inside, not the dry crumbly kind. This is a legitimately lovely stop, especially if you’re already up on the mountain.

Baked Treats at The City Bakery at Hakuba Mountain Harbor | A Tier

Google Maps

The City Bakery is a New York–born bakery that found one of its most scenic outposts up at Hakuba Mountain Harbor. The plain scones and oatmeal raisin cookies were amazing and would be perfect with a glass of milk. The real draw is the view, as there’s an iconic photo spot on the terrace overlooking the Northern Alps that draws significant queues. If you’re visiting on a clear day, come early.

Buta Don at カフェ・ド 4260 | B Tier

Google Maps

Right in front of a ski lift, this lunch spot serves a simple but excellent butadon (pork belly rice bowl) with Hakuba pork belly that has an egg on top. It’s a perfect ski lunch: warm, filling, affordable, and you can be back on the slopes quickly. Exactly what a mountain lunch should be.

It’s hard to miss, given the location right at the Happo-One lift base.

Ramen at Ramen Zunpachi | B Tier

Google Maps

This one almost didn’t happen. Google reported incorrect hours, and I wrote it off as closed, but my partner spotted it on his snowboard run down, and we made it in. The ramen and beef curry were both solid: nothing that will redefine your understanding of either dish, but exactly the kind of warming, comforting meal you want after a day on the mountain. The moral of the story: don’t always trust Google’s listed hours in Hakuba.

A Note on Eating in Hakuba:

Hakuba is a valley spread across several neighborhoods, and the dining scene is scattered accordingly. I stayed in Happo, so I only wandered in Happo and Echoland. A few things worth knowing:

• Konbini options are extremely limited, and the shelves honestly looked ransacked when I went in the winter at night.

• Cash is still king at many traditional restaurants (Koiya is cash only).

• Hours change seasonally, and Google is not always reliable. When in doubt, walk past or call ahead.

• The best meals here tend to be the unassuming-looking ones.

For more of my adventures and travel tips for Hakuba, check out the following posts:

Hamburg: Kiwamiya |📍Tokyo Station

Website | Instagram | Google Maps

No reservations. Walk-in only. Multiple locations, but my review is for inside Gransta Yaekita, Tokyo Station.

I saw the line and immediately had second thoughts about whether or not the wait would be worth. But I got in it anyway, and I’m glad I did.

Kiwamiya is a hamburg steak restaurant, not to be confused with a hamburger, which is a different thing entirely. At Kiwamiya, you can cook your own meat to your preferred doneness on a personal teppan griddle right at your table, which sounds like a gimmick until you’re actually doing it and realize it’s just a really satisfying way to eat. The beef is a blend of Kyushu black beef and Japanese beef, and the set comes with unlimited rice, salad, soup, and soft serve.

The waitress recommended taking our first bite plain, without any of the six dipping sauces, to get the full umami hit. After that, add the egg yolk and the other sauces.

Open Book |📍Golden Gai, Shinjuku

Website | Google Maps

No signboard. Gobangai (Street No. 5), third bar from the outside. Open from 8pm.

Open Book is a lemon sour bar tucked into Shinjuku’s Golden Gai, founded in 2015 with the slogan “the world’s best lemon sour.” The bar belongs to the grandson of a Naoki Award-winning author and translator, and the shelves are lined with books inherited from him, which you can browse while drinking1. It’s exceptionally charming in a way that feels genuinely accidental rather than designed.

The place fits maybe eight people seated, a couple more standing. The lemon sour is the move, the only move, really. That’s the whole point of the bar.

Janai Coffee |📍Ebisu, Shibuya

Website | Instagram | Google Maps

Reservation required. Open 6pm–midnight. Closed Tuesdays.

Getting into Janai Coffee is part of the experience, which I know sounds annoying when you read it, but makes total sense once you’ve done it. To make a reservation, you have to navigate the website to find the secret booking page and trace the logo clockwise with either your finger or a computer mouse. Once you arrive and show your reservation, a barista guides you to push a concealed door, and suddenly you’re in what feels like a private lounge.

The drinks were good and consisted of coffee cocktails, craft cocktails, and a secret cocktail somewhere on the table that you have to find. The overall concept was very memorable, from the entrance to the atmosphere of the speakeasy.

Latte Art Mania Tokyo | 📍Minami-Aoyama

Instagram | Google Maps

1 min walk from Gaienmae Station. Open 8am–7pm, Fri/Sat until 11pm.

Cute coffee shop, delicious latte.

The owner, Kenta Baba, has been crowned Japan’s number one in latte art four times. The space is small and narrow, but the coffee is legitimately good, not just pretty. The signature black latte is made with edible activated charcoal, and if you’re a matcha person, that’s an option too. If you don’t want to wait for a seat, there’s a takeaway window outside.

Mutekiya |📍Ikebukuro

Google Maps

Cash only. Open 10:30am–4am. One location, no branches.

Out of the way? Yes. Worth it? Yes.

Mutekiya is a ramen shop in Ikebukuro, which puts it outside the usual tourist circuit, and I think that’s part of why it feels special. There will be a line.

They boil high-quality pork bones for long hours and strain the soup twice through fine-mesh cloth, which is why the broth doesn’t smell heavy but has a rich, sophisticated, sweet flavor. The chashu pork is thick and generous. The noodles hold up. One practical note that I had to learn from other people’s reviews: the green tea on the table is extremely concentrated, so make sure to dilute it.

Tonkatsu at とんかつ専門店 からり

For lunch, とんかつ専門店 からり is a tonkatsu spot near Namikase Street, and this one stuck with me. The pork melted in my mouth, not in a greasy way, but in that tender, well-fried way that tonkatsu does when it’s done right. Free refills on cabbage and rice, which is always a win. It also comes with a pork and daikon miso soup. Come hungry.

Snacks on Namikase Street

Before you even reach the main gate of Zenkoji, Namikase Street will slow you down with the smell of deliciousness in the air. The renovated storehouses lining the street are packed with local Nagano treats, and this is where I did most of my snacking.

Oyaki

Oyaki are stuffed buns with fillings that range from vegetables to sweet bean paste, and they’re one of Nagano’s most iconic foods. They’re filling, they’re warm, and they’re exactly the kind of thing you want to eat while walking around in the cold. There were a few stalls selling them, so just grab one from whoever has the shortest line.

Roasted Sweet Potatoes

My guilty pleasure. A simple thing, but there’s something about a warm roasted sweet potato on a cold day that just hits right. Eat it while it’s warm and don’t save it for later.

Apple Pie at Beni-Beni

Nagano is Japan’s top apple-producing prefecture, so apple-everything is fair game here. I stopped at Beni-Beni for their apple pie, and it was worth every yen. If you’re someone who always gets the apple pie, this one will not let you down.

Dinner & Sake at Nobuta (日本酒ときどきサワー のぶた)

After the temple and the snacking and the tonkatsu, we needed a proper sit-down dinner, and Nobuta delivered. It’s tucked into a narrow alley about a five-minute walk from Nagano Station, and it’s exactly the kind of place that feels like a local discovery even if everyone already knows about it.

The concept is sake-forward as the name literally translates to “Sake, and Sometimes Sours,” and the food is built around it: seasonal small plates, charcoal-grilled dishes, and a straw-fire cooking style they do right in front of you. The room is tiny (nine counter seats, one four-top), which means the energy is intimate and you’ll inevitably end up glancing at what the person next to you ordered and wanting it too.

We weren’t sure what to order at first, so the staff helped us pick crowd favorites based on how hungry we were. Dinner starts with a free appetizer of egg, tofu, and chicken, which was a nice touch. From there, we ordered sashimi: white hamachi, Spanish mackerel in ponzu, and wild-caught bluefin tuna, all charred before being sliced. We also had fresh oysters pan-fried in butter, deep-fried yellowtail fritters, and a vegetable appetizer medley. We ended the meal with steamed Hokkaido Kinki dressed in a dark soy-based sauce that wasn’t overly salty and perfectly restrained. That might have been the dish of the night.

The sake list was quite overwhelming for us since we aren’t sake connoisseurs by any stretch, so we asked them to pair for us. They walked us through a progression from sweet to dry, matching each dish as we went. The whole experience was 10/10 between the gracious service, delicious sake, and exquisitely prepared dishes.

One thing worth knowing: Nobuta fills up fast even on weeknights, so if you want to guarantee a seat, try to go early or check if they take reservations. We lucked out when we walked in and were told to keep our time to 1.5 hours instead of the usual 3 hours.

One Last Bowl Before the Train at Shinshu Soba Nakajima

On our way out of Nagano, we made one last stop: Shinshu Soba Nakajima, a standing soba counter tucked inside JR Nagano Station itself. This is not a destination meal. It’s a budget bowl you slurp down in five minutes while your travel companion hovers nearby, checking the platform sign. Cash only, ticket machine at the entrance, bowl back when you’re done.

The speed and simplicity of it are for the kind of traveler who wants one last taste of Nagano before the train doors close.

For more of my adventures and travel tips for Matsumoto and Narai-juku, check out the following posts:

Unlike the over-touristed golden route of Tokyo –> Kyoto –> Osaka, the Nagano region is perfect for meanderers with its stunning mountain scenery and an authentic pace of life. In this 8-day Nagano winter itinerary, you can ride a gondola above the snow-capped Japanese Alps without a ski pass, climb a 16th-century black castle, and eat the best soba of your life. Nights are best spent in an onsen, warming up after a day of exploring in the cold. This itinerary strings together three very different towns into a week-long winter route.

Disclosure: Some of the links on this page are affiliate links, meaning I may earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase—at no additional cost to you. All opinions are my own and based on my personal travel experiences.

At a Glance

• Trip length: 8 days / 7 nights

• Bases: Hakuba (3 nights) → Matsumoto (2 nights) → Nagano City (1 night) → Tokyo (1 night)

• Getting around Trains and local buses only

• Who this is for: Anyone who wants a well-rounded winter Japan experience beyond Tokyo

Table of Contents

• Getting to Nagano from Tokyo

• 8-day Nagano Winter Itinerary

  • Day 1-3: Hakuba

  • Day 3-5: Matsumoto

  • Day 6-7: Nagano

  • Day 7-8: Tokyo

• Frequently Asked Questions

• Cost Breakdown

Getting to Nagano from Tokyo

You have two main options: shinkansen or snow shuttle.

Option 1: Hokuriku Shinkansen (Recommended if going to Matsumoto or Nagano City first)

The fastest and most flexible way into the region. The Kagayaki Shinkansen runs non-stop from Tokyo Station to Nagano Station in approximately 80 minutes. The Hakutaka service makes a few stops and takes around 100 minutes. One-way reserved seats cost approximately ¥8,450 per person.

Do you need to reserve a seat? Yes! I saw long lines of people at the counter trying to get on the shinkansen, and that experience just seems horrible. I used the Shinkansen for my route from Nagano to Tokyo and reserved my seats after I landed (a week in advance).

Option 2: Nagano Snow Shuttle (Best if flying into Haneda and heading straight to Hakuba)

If you are flying into Tokyo and your first stop is Hakuba’s ski resorts, the Nagano Snow Shuttle is a stress-free door-to-door alternative that I recommend. It is a direct charter bus from Haneda Airport straight to your hotel in the Hakuba Valley. No train transfers, and no lugging bags through busy stations.

• Route: Haneda Airport Terminal 3 → Hakuba hotels

• Duration: ~5.5 hours, with 2 rest stops (including a free oyaki tasting at Oyaki Farm if travelling during the day)

• Cost: ¥12,750 per person (as of January 2026)

Check out my full Snow Shuttle guide here:

8-Day Nagano Winter Itinerary

Days 1–3: Hakuba

Hakuba is a ski valley in the northern Japanese Alps, best known for its powder snow. But even as someone who is a nervous wreck trying to get off the snow lift, I found three days here to be well worth it, as the mountain views, onsen, and general atmosphere hold up without skis. Please keep in mind that food and lodging are priced like a ski resort, because it is one.

For the full day-by-day breakdown of what to do, where to eat, and how to get around, check out my detailed Hakuba guide here.

How to Get Around in Hakuba

Getting around is easy with the Hakuba Valley Shuttle Bus, which connects all the major resort areas. Tickets are ¥800 online (must use within one hour) or ¥1,000 cash on board. A night bus also runs for ¥500. Otherwise, I usually just walked.

Where We Stayed in Hakuba: Hotel Moegi in Happo-One

This hotel is close to lifts and restaurants, onsen on site, and runs a shuttle to and from the bus stop on arrival and departure days. No elevator, stairs only. Around ¥25,000–¥35,000/night

Days 4–6: Matsumoto

Matsumoto is a castle town that is quieter and more lived-in than Hakuba, with excellent food and one of the most beautiful castles in Japan. Two days here gives you a full castle-and-culture day, followed by a day trip to the Edo-era post town Narai-juku. For my detailed 2-day Matsumoto itinerary, check out my post here.

Getting to Matsumoto from Hakuba

We took the JR Oito Line directly from Hakuba Station, no reservations needed as all seats are unreserved. The journey involves one transfer at Shinano-Omachi Station, where you switch trains to continue to Matsumoto. The first leg takes about 30 minutes, there's roughly a 15-minute wait, and the second leg is about an hour; totalling around 1.5 hours. Trains aren't too frequent, so make sure to check the timetable before you leave. We only found out about the platform switch in Shinano-Omachi from overhearing other passengers as Google Maps didn't flag it, so keep your ears open at Shinano-Omachi and look for the departure board.

Where We Stayed in Matsumoto: Onyado Nono Matsumoto

Onyado Nono Matsumoto has an indoor and outdoor onsen, sauna, cold bath, late-night soba/ramen, breakfast buffet, and free apple juice and tea downstairs. Highly recommended. Note: no-shoes policy with tatami mats throughout; shoes go in a locker at check-in.

Days 6–7: Nagano City

Nagano City is the region’s main transport hub and home to Zenkoji Temple, one of Japan’s most important Buddhist temples that draws in millions of visitors every year. Compared to Matsumoto and Hakuba, Nagano City feels more urban, but the temple precinct and the snack-lined Namikase Street approach make it a worthwhile stop before heading back to Tokyo. For the full Nagano City guide, check out my post here.

Getting to Nagano City from Matsumoto

From Matsumoto, you could take the Shinonoi Limited Express, which takes about 50 minutes through beautiful snow-covered countryside. The local Shinonoi Line is also available for roughly half the price and takes about 1.5 hours. Both are comfortable; I opted for the latter.

Getting Around Nagano City

We relied on local trains and were able to walk around pretty easily.

Where We Stayed in Nagano: Hotel Metropolitan Nagano

The Hotel Metropolitan Nagano is connected directly to Nagano Station on the second floor, which is extremely convenient for an early departure the next morning. If you drop luggage before check-in, get a storage slip from the front desk.

Day 7-8 — Departure & Return to Tokyo

If your shinkansen home isn’t until the afternoon, use the morning for a slow breakfast near Nagano Station, a final oyaki from Namikase Street, or any last-minute souvenir shopping.

Returning to Tokyo from Nagano

The Hokuriku Shinkansen from Nagano Station back to Tokyo Station takes 80–100 minutes. Reserve your seat in advance, especially on weekends and during holidays. Unreserved cars can fill up on busy travel days.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to speak Japanese in the Nagano region?

Hakuba during ski season has a large international community and many English-speaking staff. Matsumoto and Nagano City require more Japanese or Google Translate, but you can absolutely get by.

Do I need snow boots or special gear?

Yes. Waterproof boots with a solid grip are essential, especially in Hakuba. Traction cleats, which are sometimes sold at convenience stores and sports shops, could be useful for icy temple steps and shrine paths. Pack a warm layering system, base layers, hat, gloves, and a good wind-resistant outer layer for the chilly winter air.

Is Hakuba worth visiting without skiing or snowboarding?

Yes absolutely. The gondola views at Iwatake, the mountain scenery, the onsen, and the general atmosphere make it worthwhile for non-skiers. With that said, food and accommodation in Hakuba carry ski-resort prices, so factor that into your budget.

Should I get a JR Pass?

It depends on your broader Japan itinerary. I found this not worth it for this itinerary alone, also because we used the snow shuttle to get from Tokyo to Hakuba.

Cost Breakdown (Per Person, Excluding Flights)

Prices are approximate, based on costs as of early 2026. The approximate travel costs (without airfare) including food, hotel, and attractions could range between $1200-$2000 per person. Personally, I was able to stay under $1,500 per person.

Some money-saving tips:

• Convenience stores (Lawson’s in Hakuba, 7-Eleven and FamilyMart elsewhere) are great for cheap breakfasts

• Lunch sets at most restaurants cost noticeably less than the same dishes at dinner

• Buy Hakuba Valley Shuttle Bus tickets online (¥800) rather than cash on board (¥1,000)

Other Travel Planning Resources

📲 Stay Connected with eSIM

🗺️ Hakuba Travel Map: Sights and Food

🗺️ Matsumoto & Nagano Travel Map: Sights and Food

Related Posts

Eats in Matsumoto

Soba at Soba-dokoro Kippo

On our way to Matsumoto Castle, we enjoyed a soba lunch set at Soba-dokoro Kippo. There are many soba places in Matsumoto, so if you’re having a hard time choosing one, just go here!

We came right at 11 AM opening time on a weekday, and right after we ordered, a large group of Japanese people who looked like they were at a convention took up the rest of the seats at this restaurant. Guess we came in at a good time!

There are two soba lunch sets you can choose from, and at the time in February 2026, they were 1250 yen per person. My partner chose the oyakodon (egg and rice) set while I chose the tempura set. My favorite, with some bias, was obviously the tempura set. The crisp of the tempura was on point, and it pairs wonderfully with the fresh soba noodles. Both lunch sets came with pickles and cheesecake as well. This joint is cash only, so make sure you prepare accordingly.

Sushi… cause why not

Matsumoto is landlocked, and I’m fairly sure most of the sushi restaurants were flying their fish in. Regardless, I wanted to get sushi anyway, and so we stopped by すし屋左衛門, which was run by a really friendly elderly couple.

The front door was unassuming and easy to miss if you cannot read Japanese. We ordered a three-box set for dinner, which came with 3 pieces per drawer. We started with a sperm sac appetizer and even had a seared scallop gifted as an extra present. My favorite was the medium fatty tuna, while my partner enjoyed both the raw and cooked forms of scallop.

Upon hearing that we were going to Nari-juku, the lady handed us a tourist pamphlet to help us with our travel. They gave us a keepsake magnet to take home as well! While we were the only ones in the restaurant that night on a weeknight, their kind service made the whole experience enjoyable.

Shinshu Salmon at an Izakaya

I wanted to experience a local izakaya experience, but I had also seen Shinshu salmon on a lot of menus and wanted to try it. We walked past this 信州ゴールデン 新館 izakaya, and it felt like the right busy-with-locals vibe, AND it had the Shinshu salmon I wanted. They had tablets that we could use to order dishes as we wanted, and the food came out really quickly.

My favorites were the Shinshu salmon sashimi and the Matsumoto variety of fried chicken thighs, which were super juicy. I wrote about what the Shinshu salmon tastes like in my 3-day itinerary post here.

Drinks at the Main Bar Coat

I came for the whiskey, really, but ended up getting cocktails at Main Bar Coat. While there is a small cover charge to go in, it comes with an appetizer. Drinks are strong here, but tasty! And the atmosphere was a nice, cozy speakeasy vibe, perfect for a couple or small group.

Eats in Narai-juku

Toji Soba at Kokoro-ne

There are plenty of soba options at Narai-juku, but we settled on going to Kokoro-ne to try their Toji Soba.

While the toji soba tasted great and warm in the winter, I think the one-time experience was good enough for me. I’m just a cold soba noodle girl. Regardless, I recommend the experience, especially if you are visiting while it’s still cold outside.

Coffee & Dessert

After a warm bowl of hot soup, I needed some coffee and dessert. We visited the Izumiya Cafe, which had a selection of pour-over coffee, cafe au lait, and a few desserts to choose from. We ordered both the cheesecake and the apple pie, and the apple pie was the clear winner!

While the cafe was definitely tourist-priced, it was a super cute restaurant with a relaxing vibe and modernized but charming aesthetics. The seats in front of the window looked like a great spot to people-watch as it faces the main street of Narai-juku.

For more of my adventures and travel tips for Matsumoto and Narai-juku, check out the following posts:

Disclosure: Some of the links on this page are affiliate links, meaning I may earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase—at no additional cost to you. All opinions are my own and based on my personal travel experiences.

Contents of this Guide:

This guide starts with two days in Matsumoto, including a day trip to Narai-juku, and one day in Nagano.

Matsumoto & Nagano 3-Day Itinerary

• Day 1: Matsumoto Castle & Yayoi Kusama Exhibit

• Day 2: Narai-juku

• Day 3: Zenkoji Temple

Frequently Asked Questions

Matsumoto & Nagano 3-Day Itinerary

Day 1: Matsumoto Castle & Yayoi Exhibit

Nawate Shopping Street

On the way to Matsumoto Castle, you will run into a cute traditional shopping street that begins on the banks of the Metoba River and is famous for its frog theme. At one point, there were many Kajika frogs by the Metoba river, but while you may not see a real frog, you’ll find an obsessive number of frog statues throughout the street1. It was early in the morning when we went, so even though the stalls weren’t fully opened yet, we had the streets mostly to ourselves, and the unbothered neighborhood cat.

For lunch, we decided to try a soba joint nearby. There is no shortage of soba places in Matsumoto, so pick a place that looks good, and you’ll most likely be pleased.

Rather not pick? See where I ate here!

Matsumoto Castle

Matsumoto Castle is one of the oldest surviving original castles in Japan. The castle is nicknamed the Crow Castle because of its black exterior. When we visited, there was some construction going on to fortify the moat around the keep, which was interesting to see up close.

I highly recommend paying to go inside the Great Keep. Upon entering the castle, you will be directed to take off your shoes and put them in a plastic bag to carry throughout the self-guided tour. The hallways were wide enough to fit samurai in full armor. The ceiling and steep staircases are another matter, as we constantly had to watch our heads and take turns using the stairs. Even though the black castle never saw any war action, there is an exhibit inside with a collection of guns, other weapons, and armor.

After exploring the keep, it is relaxing to walk around the castle grounds. Don’t miss the Uzumibashi Bridge! It’s a great spot for a photo or to sit on the park bench and eat a snack.

Official Matsumoto Castle Website: https://www.matsumoto-castle.jp/eng/about

Matsumoto City Art Museum - The Yayoi Kusama Collection

Next, head to the Matsumoto City Art Museum. Our primary reason for the visit was to see the Yayoi Kusama collection exhibit, a Japanese contemporary artist known for her polka dot sculptures and infinity mirror rooms. As a child, Kusama had experienced a lot of hallucinations, which had greatly influenced her art. Reading about her lifelong battle of being tormented by her own mind was especially heart-wrenching. Kusama’s vivid art was how she handled that darkness.

Tip: You can choose to only pay for the permanent collection exhibition, which is where you will find Kusama’s work. The special exhibition is a separate ticket. To see what the special exhibition is at the Matsumoto City Museum of Art, check their official website below.

Matsumoto City Museum of Art: https://matsumoto-artmuse.jp/en/visit/

Matsumoto Castle at Night

If you have the energy, swing back to the castle after dinner. The illuminated Crow Castle reflected in its moat is something else.

It might be seasonal, but check the Matsumoto Castle Instagram page or website to see if they are hosting a nighttime illumination. If yes, come right back to Matsumoto Castle to watch a ~5-minute light show with beautiful music. During the time we went, this event was free and absolutely enjoyable.

Matsumoto Castle Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/matsumotojo_office/

By this point in the day, my phone was running low on battery between navigation and photos, so a convenient pocket-sized battery pack like the Iniu power bank, which comes with a convertible strap cord, will come in handy.

Where to Drink in Matsumoto

We spent two nights in Matsumoto, so we tried something different each night. One night we went to a local izakaya, and the other night we went to a cocktail bar named Main Bar Coat.

Main Bar Coat has a cozy speakeasy vibe with an array of whiskey and cocktail options. There is a cover charge, but it includes an appetizer that was actually delicious. The drinks were tasty, and they definitely don’t skimp on the pour. It’s a good place for a date or a very small party.

If you’re looking for something more low-key, roll into a local izakaya. We walked past a random one that seemed busy with locals and decided to give it a shot. If they have it on the menu, try the shinshu salmon sashimi, which is a local landlocked trout that reminded me of ocean trout.

Day 2: Narai-juku

From Matsumoto Station, the train to Narai-juku is about an hour. The train ran about every ~1.5 hours in the winter and daylight is limited so you’ll want to plan a little bit on when you want to go. Bring cash for train tickets and dining at Narai-juku.

Narai-juku

Narai-juku is an Edo-period preserved village that is part of the Nakasendo highway. The post town was successful because the Torii Pass is considered one of the most difficult sections of the Nakasendo trail. Occasionally, the village will have some events, which you can find posted by the Narai-juku Tourist Association through this link.

We strolled the streets and perused the stores and cafes that were open. It was the middle of the week in winter, so most of the shops were closed. I’ve seen pictures of how crowded it can get in the height of summer, and I’m sure the experience will be much different then. For lunch, I tried the Toji Soba, which I would describe as a hot pot-style soba. While it was definitely an interesting experience and brought warmth to my belly in the winter, I would definitely prefer the zaru soba in the summer!

Kiso-no-Ohashi Bridge

Meander down a side street behind the main road, and you'll find Kiso-no-Ohashi, an arching wooden bridge made out of cypress. During the winter, the bridge was closed off due to ice, so the visit may not be worth it. During the fall, the autumn leaves make a nicer backdrop.

We caught the next train back as the sun was beginning to set, fully satisfied with the half-day we spent at Narai-juku.

Day 3: Zenkoji Temple

From Matsumoto, Nagano is a quick train ride that is around 50 minutes on the limited express. For half the price, you could take the local train, which would take about 1.5 hours. I rode on the Shinonoi Line, and at 8:30 AM in the winter, there was plenty of seating and space for overhead baggage. Along the journey, we passed by what looked like rice paddies blanketed in snow. The flat fields stretching out between the mountains were beautiful either way.

If you’d rather skip the walk from Nagano Station to Zenkoji, the Nagano Dentetsu line is a convenient option. The line runs underground beneath Nagano Station on the Zenkoji exit side. Just head down the escalator after you exit the station, and you’ll find it. The ride itself is only 4 minutes, but factor in waiting for the train and a 12-minute walk from the station to the temple, and you’re looking at a similar total time to just walking the 25 minutes from Nagano Station directly. At 210 yen each way, it’s cheap either way.

Tip: The cash machines on the Nagano Dentetsu line did not recognize new 500 yen coins or newer bills at the time of our visit in 2026. We had to exchange cash with a train staff member before we could buy tickets.

Zenkoji Omotesando & Namikase Street

Explore the Omotesando, which stretches from the Zenkoji Temple to Nagano station. Before long, you’ll see Namikase Street right before the main entrance of Zenkoji. The streets are lined with renovated storehouses that were previously stalls, cafes, and old-fashioned shops selling Nagano’s famous local treats. My favorite treats:

• Oyaki: a stuffed bun made with a wide variety of fillings.

• Apple pie: Nagano is famous for its apples, and is the top apple-producing prefecture in Japan. I liked the one at Beni-Beni.

• Roasted sweet potatoes: This is my guilty pleasure, just a simple treat that is best eaten while it’s still warm

If you still have room after snacking, check out とんかつ専門店 からり for pork katsu. The meat melted in my mouth, and it came with free refills on cabbage and rice.

Zenkoji Temple

Zenkoji is an impressive Buddhist temple built in 642 AD and rebuilt several times since. It was so magnificent with the giant gates out front, and it was more ornate than I expected inside, with elaborate decor and golden statues of Bodhisattvas lining the walls. There are experiences and activities you can partake in, such as daily morning prayers, sutra copying, and more.

At the entrance to the main hall, you’ll find Binzuru: a statue known as the “patting Buddha”, rubbed by visitors in the spot where they wish to be healed. Throughout the Zenkoji temple grounds, there are areas set up where you can burn some incense and place the incense stick into the jokoro, an incense burner. Then you “bathed yourself” in the smoke by waving it towards yourself and pressing your hands together to pray for something.

We were observing people coming to pray when we saw a middle-aged man hurriedly come to the incense stick stand, throw in a couple of coins, and say a really quick prayer before walking away. I thought that maybe he was in a rush to catch a train.

Then I saw him again, this time at Jizo, a bodhisattva associated with children, travelers, and the deceased, and I saw him do the same thing. He threw in some coins from his pocket, and then he fell onto his knees in front of the statue with his incense stick. Whatever he was going through and whatever he was praying for, he really needed. It made me hold back some tears and choke up seeing him so desperately pleading.

After the temple visit, we spent a little more time scouring Namikase Street on our way out before grabbing some drinks near Nagano Station.

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Frequently Asked Questions

When to Visit Matsumoto and Nagano

I traveled to Matsumoto and Nagano in February. The weather was cold, and the air was crisp. Puffy jackets were a must at nighttime. While cold in the winter, the castle looks stunning against snow-covered mountains.

From what I’ve read, spring brings cherry blossoms around Matsumoto Castle and the Zenkoji grounds. Autumn brings golden ginkgo and red maple. Summer is warm and lively.

How many days do you need in Matsumoto and Nagano?

Two days in Matsumoto (with Narai-juku as a day trip on day two) gives you a comfortable pace. The city also has excellent food, particularly soba, and a walkable downtown that rewards slow exploration. The castle at night, especially, is something you'll want the time to do properly.

We weren’t interested in the Jigokudani Monkey Park, but if that was part of your plan, then you’ll need at least 2 days in Nagano.

How to Navigate Matsumoto and Nagano

To make it easier on your trip planning, I am sharing the locations that I spoke about in this blog post (and some extras) that might be helpful for your trip to Matsumoto and Nagano in the Google Map below:

Where to Stay in Matsumoto

I decided to stay at an onsen hotel and found the Onyado Nono Matsumoto. I highly recommend this place to anyone exploring Matsumoto, as it exceeded all expectations and had great amenities.

✅Pros: indoor & outdoor onsen, sauna room, cold bath, late-night soba/ramen, free apple juice/tea downstairs, cute room, luggage wheel cleaner, great hotel staff

❌Cons: None.

Some people might be uncomfortable about having to put their shoes away in the shoe locker. The hotel has tatami mats, so they have a no-shoe inside policy.

🏨Book Onyado Nono Matsumoto | 📽️Video of my room

Where to Stay in Nagano

I decided to stay near the train station for convenience and stayed at the Hotel Metropolitan Nagano, which was directly connected to Nagano Station. It’s an older hotel that has everything you would need for a short stay.

✅Pros: conveniently connected to Nagano Station on 2F, has restaurants inside, quiet, comfortable, has elevators and is near a Don Quijote!

❌Cons: Luggage storage experience was a bit bumpy. Just make sure you get a luggage storage slip from hotel staff if you are dropping off your luggage before check-in, and everything should be fine.

🏨Book Hotel Metropolitan Nagano

Other Travel Planning Resources

📲 Stay Connected with eSIM

Related Posts

This is not a “best of” list. It’s a working map: places I researched, returned to, or kept as reliable fallbacks while I was out and about. You can open it so that it overlays on the Google Maps app on your phone, and you can save the list to your account as well. Instructions on how to use the Google Map List can be found in this post.

What’s Inside the Travel Map

The Google map list is organized with tags, so you can focus only on what you need when you click on a certain tag:

• 🍜 Food: Restaurants, Izakayas, and places I ate at for meals or reliable standbys.

• 🚊Transit: Train stations and key transit points I used or noted for efficient travel.

• ☕️ Coffee & Bakeries: Coffee, tea and pastries

• 🍶 Bars & Wine: All izakayas can be considered drinking establishments, but this is when the focus is on the drink more than the food

• ⛩️Worth Seeing: Landmarks, neighborhoods, viewpoints, street art, and other places worth wandering past to at least take a photo

• 👣Walks & Wanders: places to stroll or meander by

• 📷 Camera Out: Don’t forget to take out the camera

Link to my map here: Explore Matsumoto & Nagano. Note this map was made when I travelled in the winter of 2026.

If you want additional information, feel free to check out some of my other blog posts that will go through some of these locations in more:

Saving the List

When you open the link to the Google Map List that I share, you can click “Save List”.

Using the List

Once you have it saved, you can easily pull up the Google map list again by clicking on “You”.

Then select the Google map list you wish to open:

I recommend sorting by distance for the most useful view.

To filter, click on any tag. For example, clicking "🍜 Food" will narrow the list down to all food location saves.

How the List is Organized

The Google map list is organized with tags, so you can focus only on what you need when you click on a certain tag. Below is a sample of some of the tags I generally make:

• 🍜 Food: Restaurants, Izakayas, and places I ate at for meals or reliable standbys.

• 🚊Transit: Train stations and key transit points I used or noted for efficient travel.

• ☕️ Coffee & Bakeries: Coffee, tea and pastries

• 🍶 Bars & Wine: All izakayas can be considered drinking establishments but this is when the focus is on the drink more than the food

An example post with a Google Map list to get you started:

Quick Comparison: Hakuba vs Niseko

Hakuba at a Glance

• Location: Nagano, ~3 hours from Tokyo

• Snow: Heavy, reliable powder across 18 ski areas

• Vibe: Quiet Japanese mountain town with real local character

• Best for: Anyone building a broader Japan itinerary on top of skiing/snowboarding, non-skiers/non-snowboarder

Niseko at a Glance

• Location: Hokkaido, ~2 hours from Sapporo

• Snow: World-class powder, some of the deepest in Japan

• Vibe: Louder, busier, a little unhinged, which honestly, is not necessarily a bad thing.

• Best for: Serious powder chasers, people who want full resort energy

Location & Getting There

Hakuba is in the Nagano prefecture and is easy to access from Tokyo via bus, train, or car, and can easily fit into an itinerary that involves Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Nagano, etc. We took a 5+ hour direct bus from the Haneda airport but you could also get there in 3-4 hours if you were just taking the train.

Niseko is on the northern island of Hokkaido. We flew into Tokyo and transferred on a local airline to New Chitose Airport in Sapporo, then took a bus to Niseko. You could easily pair a trip to Niseko with a few days in Sapporo.

Snow & Riding Experience

I asked my travelling partner this question, and he said hands down the snow experience was much better at Niseko. Granted, the timing of the weather makes a difference; and that’s out of our control.

Annual snowfall reported by the resorts and tourism offices put both destinations at nearly the same, with Niseko having a slightly higher volume at times. Beyond volume, it’s also a quality difference. As cold air sweeps across the Sea of Japan it gathers moisture, rises over Hokkaido’s mountains, and releases it as the light, dry powder Niseko is famous for, a process confirmed by researchers at Hokkaido University and the Japan Meteorological Agency.¹

If you're not competitively chasing powder, the difference may matter less to you.

Vibe & Atmosphere

This is probably the biggest difference between the two. My experience in Hakuba felt more like a mountain town, where I could walk around at my own pace. In contrast, Niseko had a bit of a more unhinged energy, a sort of mesmerizing chaos that sometimes comes with the snow sports culture. Both draw in a lot of international visitors, but Niseko is way busier between the two.

For Non-Skiers

Hakuba actually surprised me with how much there was to do without skis. The highlight was riding the Iwatake gondola, where you can buy a tourist-only ticket to go up just for the Japanese Alps scenery, which is genuinely breathtaking. There are also more to walk around and see, such as the Hakuba Ohashi Bridge, and a walkable food and shopping scene around Happo-One and Echoland. I had a full three days without once feeling bored. (I wrote a full guide on what to do in Hakuba as a non-skier if you want the details.)

Niseko is harder to navigate as a non-skier in terms of structured activities, but I didn’t mind. My days had a slower rhythm, which I wrote about here. The days included long stretches at the onsen, wandering the Hirafu village, and stumbling across things I hadn’t planned on. Which leads me next to food.

Food and Drink

Hakuba has a solid izakaya scene, especially around Echoland. For lunch or dinner, Koiya is worth the visit if you like unagi don. It was probably the best unagi I’ve ever had.

Niseko, though, is where I had some of my most unexpected food moments of the entire Japan trip. Soup curry was a revelation that I did not expect. I’d had curry rice, curry udon, curry everything, but never soup curry. And then there’s Hokkaido milk. I don’t even drink milk at home, but I saw everyone at the hotel breakfast buffet pouring a glass and figured I’d try it. I went back for a second glass. Then I started buying it from convenience stores every day for the rest of the trip. Hokkaido produces around 50% of Japan’s milk, and you can absolutely taste why.

For drinks in Niseko, we found a speakeasy called Bar Gyu+ hidden behind a red sticker-covered fridge door in the Hirafu area. Inside, there are great whisky options and cozy cocktails. There’s a speakeasy in Hakuba, too, but I didn’t go as it seemed too high-end for what I was looking for.

One tip, though: Make reservations during the peak winter season for both Niseko and Hakuba.

So what’s the verdict? Niseko or Hakuba?

Choose Hakuba if:

• You are visiting Japan as part of a broader itinerary based on Honshu

• You are you a non-skier or beginner who wants structured sightseeing options

• You want easy connections to Tokyo, Nagano, or Matsumoto

Choose Niseko if you:

• You are a serious skier or snowboarder chasing world-class powder

• You don’t mind (or actively enjoy) a buzzy resort atmosphere

• You are already planning time in Hokkaido or Sapporo

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Hakuba or Niseko better for non-skiers?

Hakuba has a slight edge for non-skiers, with more structured sightseeing options like the Iwatake gondola, shrine walks, and accessible village shopping. Both are doable but Hakuba just has more to specifically direct a non-skier toward.

Which is more expensive, Hakuba or Niseko?

Both are pricier than other Japanese destinations in winter, as is typical for ski resorts. Niseko is generally the more expensive of the two, with higher accommodation costs driven in part by its international demand and luxury resort development. Hakuba tends to offer a wider range of budget-friendly accommodation and food options.

Can I visit both Hakuba and Niseko on one Japan trip?

You can, but they’re on different islands and not particularly close to each other. I’d recommend visit one per trip and save the other for your next Japan adventure.

Have you visited Hakuba, Niseko, or both? I’d love to hear how your experience compared.

¹ Inatsu, M., Kawazoe, S., & Mori, M. (2021). “Trends and projection of heavy snowfall in Hokkaido, Japan.” Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology, 60, 1483–1494.

Disclosure: Some of the links on this page are affiliate links, meaning I may earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase—at no additional cost to you. All opinions are my own and based on my personal travel experiences.

Contents of this Guide:

• Is Hakuba Worth Visiting Without Skiing or Snowboarding?

• Getting to and Around Hakuba Without a Car

• 3-Day Hakuba Itinerary (Without Skiing or Snowboarding)

  • Day 1: Arrival, Onsen & Echoland

  • Day 2: Shrines, Shopping, and Snow Peak Land

  • Day 3: Iwatake Gondola & Mountain Harbor

• Hakuba FAQ

  • Where to stay in Hakuba

Is Hakuba Worth Visiting Without Skiing or Snowboarding?

Yes, Hakuba is worth visiting even without skiing or snowboarding. The main draw is the beautiful mountain views, especially the ones at Iwatake Resort. With that said, since Hakuba is a ski town, food and lodging were a bit more expensive in the winter than in some other Japanese destinations. It is worth a stop, especially if you’re already visiting areas nearby such as Nagano or Matsumoto.

Getting to and Around Hakuba Without a Car

If you’re planning your own route into Hakuba, check out my guide here. Getting around Hakuba was easy even without a car. We stayed in Happo One and found that there were plenty of shops and restaurants that were walkable within 10-15 minutes. For further locations, we took the Hakuba Valley Shuttle Bus.

Hakuba Valley Shuttle Bus

The shuttle runs between all major ski resorts, including Happo-one, Iwatake, and Tsugaike, making it convenient to explore different areas each day. If you have a multi-resort lift pass, shuttle access is included.

Pricing:

• The shuttle bus costs 800 yen per ride when purchased online in advance. Online tickets must be used within one hour of purchase

• 1,000 yen when paying cash onboard.

How to Purchase:

Tickets can be bought by scanning QR codes posted at major bus stops or through the Hakuba Valley Shuttlebus site.

Night Transportation in Hakuba

The Hakuba Valley shuttle bus also operates a night bus with tickets at 500 yen if purchased online. Taxis are avaliable but there is a limited number of them. Our hotel recommended reserving them in advance, ideally at least a few hours ahead.

Things to Do in Hakuba Without Skiing or Snowboarding: 3-Day Itinerary

Day 1 - Arrival, Onsen & Echoland

Onsen

After checking into the Moegi hotel, the first amenity we took advantage of was the hotel's onsen. An onsen is a Japanese hot spring bath, that are traditionally fully undressed in facilities separated by gender. There are a couple of public ones that I did some research on, if your hotel doesn’t have one.

Echoland

Echoland is the main entertainment area in Hakuba, and has many restaurants, bars, and izakayas within walking distance. At Echoland, we ate dinner at AGURAYA, which is an izakaya that specializes in oden. My favorite was the burdock root wrapped in fish cake. While I was eating my meal, a group of about 8-9 young Aussies stopped in and asked to drink the snake liquor. It looked like some type of liquor with a whole snake infused in it. Honestly, it looked horrifying to see the snake floating in the bottle, as I am queasy around snakes. They asked the bartender to partake with them, and he joked back, “Nah, that stuff isn’t good for you”.

Bar hopping was a little harder than we expected, as we were doing this without a reservation. So if you are looking to go out during peak ski season, try to make a reservation if you can!

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Day 2 - Shrines, Shopping, Snow Peak Land Station

⛩️Shimofurimiyahosonosuwa Shrine 細野諏訪神社

Start the day in tranquility with a visit to the local shrine. It’s a small shrine, but it looked beautiful in the snow and was at least worth stopping by to admire.

The pathway is in front of the Unajune restaurant. You will see a wooden Tori gate along the path. I will link it in the map that I share about Hakuba. The steps were icy when I went, so snow cleats might have been helpful here.

📷Hakuba Ohashi Bridge

If you feel like continuing on this morning trek, walk to the Hakuba Ohashi Bridge that crosses over the Matsukawa River. You will be rewarded with another vantage point of the mountains with a riverbed covered in snow.

The Hakuba Ohashi Bridge takes about 30 minutes from Happo-One’s main area. The path to the bridge was more icy near the main Happo-One’s area, because there are no sidewalks, so the cars melt snow, which becomes ice by the next day. Once you leave the Happo-One main area, there are designated pedestrian walkways, and it is less slippery. I still found it to be a nice and relaxing morning stroll, even as I gingerly walked through the icy areas.

Lunch at Koiya

If you like unagi don or broiled eel with rice, I highly recommend getting lunch at Koiya. At dinner time, there can be a line, but when we went for lunch, we had no issues getting a table.

Snow Peak Land Station

A shopping stroll, even if it’s just to window shop, is a nice way to digest lunch. Unless you’re looking to buy any outerwear at full price, I would just check out Snow Peak Land Station. The architecture of the building is interesting, and you can enjoy a drink at Starbucks with a great view.

If you like Japanese drugstore cosmetics or want a greater selection of canned highballs, alcohol, etc., check out the drugstore chain Matsumoto Kiyoshi.

🛒Snow Peak Land Station area shopping

• Outerwear / Clothing: Snow Peak, Columbia, North Face

• Vintage: Kasamo Vintage

• Drug Store: Matsumoto Kiyoshi

While we opted to walk back to Happo-One (~20-30 minutes, flat terrain), you could take the bus or the JR line back.

🛒Happo-One area shopping

If Snow Peak Land Station wasn’t enough, these are some of the other shopping options in the Happo-One area:

• Outerwear or accessories: Oyuki, Rhythm

• Convenience Stores: Lawson’s

• Sake or Gifts: シオール白馬

Day 3 - Iwatake Resort and Mountain Harbor

Ride the Iwatake Gondola for the Views

No one says you can’t ride the gondola just for views. For a picturesque view of the Japanese Alps, head to Iwatake Resort. Purchase an adult tourist ticket (2900 yen in 2026) and ride the gondola up to Hakuba Mountain Resort.

After getting off the gondola, you will immediately be greeted with sweeping mountain views. It is hard not to pause and stare in awe at the Japanese Alps before you.

Activities at Iwatake Park (no skis or snowboards required)

At the summit, there are activities at the Iwatake White Park, such as:

• Yooho-Swing: Swing in front of the mountain scenery for 500 yen.

• Explore snow caves and snow walls

• City Bakery: A couple of the items actually sell out, so get there early if you want something specific, but I was very happy with my butter milk biscuit!

• Hakuba Mountain Harbor terrace: enjoy your snacks here and take pictures, including the Instagram-famous photo spot (featured on the cover photo of this post)

• A small souvenir shop inside the resort for some Hakuba-themed gifts

Chavaty Bakery via Chair Lift

After spending hours at the Iwatake White Park, take the 5 Line South Lift to descend to Chavaty Bakery. No additional lift tickets are required to use this lift. There are also great views here and plenty of outdoor seating options, and much less crowded than City Bakery.

If you’ve already had baked goods at City Bakery, then just come for the tea lattes and views. Once you’ve had your fill, ride the chair lift back up to get back to the main summit area. There are plenty of lunch options if you are looking for something substantial back at the main lodge or around the Iwatake White Park area.

After your adventure in Iwatake Park, enjoy the izakayas or onsen near the Happo-One area one last time.

Hakuba met my expectations this winter. While it’s definitely a ski town, there was plenty for me to do and beautiful mountain scenery that is easily accessible for a non-skier like me!

Frequently Asked Questions

Where to Stay in Hakuba?

Since my boyfriend wanted to ride the Happo-One lift, we decided to locate ourselves at Hotel Moegi so that it would be convenient when he hit the slopes early in the morning. The lifts are within minutes of the hotel, and the center of Happo One is within 10-15 minutes, making it easy to get to restaurants and shops.

Check out my experience at the Hotel Moegi in my YouTube short here. Hotel Moegi is a cute hotel with a nostalgic, older feel. We were treated kindly by the staff and found that it met all our needs at the price of ~$200 per night.

✅Pros:

• Breakfast sandwiches were delightful

• location was great( minutes to the lifts, close to food and bus station),

• ski/snowboard locker

• shuttle to/from the train or bus station when you arrive or depart

❌Cons:

• No elevators, only stairs

• The bathroom is a bit older, so it had a bit of a musky smell, but we used the public bath, so this wasn’t too much of an issue for us.

🏨Booking link for Hotel Moegi

Interactive Hakuba Map

To make it easier on your trip planning, I am sharing the locations that I spoke about in a Google Map list that might be helpful for your trip.

Do I need to be able to speak Japanese in Hakuba?

Unfortunately, the truth is that you will see more foreigners than Japanese people in Hakuba during the winter. So yes, while you can totally get by with Google Translate or another translation app, I always recommend learning at least basic greetings and simple phrases.

How Long Should I Stay in Hakuba in the Winter?

If you aren’t with any skiers or snowboarders, I’d say a visit to Hakuba for 1-2 days should be enough to hit the main attractions and onsen. However I had plenty of things to do for 3 days and could’ve stretched longer even. There are other activities like snowshoeing and tubing that I didn’t explore.

Other Hakuba Travel Planning Resources

📲 Stay Connected with eSIM

Would a packing list post be helpful? Message me or comment what your thoughts are!

Leave a comment

This is not a “best of” list. It’s a working map: places I researched, returned to, or kept as reliable fallbacks while I was out and about. You can open it so that it overlays to the Google Maps app on your phone, and you can save the list to your account as well. If you’ve never used the Google Map Lists feature before, check out my post here which outlines some starter tips.

What’s Inside the Travel Map

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The Google map list is organized with tags, so you can focus only on what you need when you click on a certain tag:

• ♨️ Onsen: my hotel already had one but I had bookmarked backups in case yours does not

• 🍜 Food: Restaurants, Izakayas, and places I ate at for meals or reliable standbys.

• 🚊Transit: Train stations and key transit points I used or noted for efficient travel.

• ☕️ Coffee & Bakeries: Coffee, tea and pastries

• 🍶 Bars & Wine: All izakayas can be considered drinking establishments but this is when the focus is on the drink more than the food

• Worth Seeing: Landmarks, neighborhoods, viewpoints, street art, and other places worth wandering past to at least take a photo

• 👣Walks & Wanders: places to stroll or meander by

• 🛒 Shopping: convenience stores, clothing, drugstores

Link to my map here: Explore Hakuba. Note this map was made when I travelled in the winter of 2026.

If you want additional information, feel free to check out some of my other blog posts that will go through some of these locations in more:

Let me know if you find this helpful in the comments.

Leave a comment

Disclosure: Some of the links on this page are affiliate links, meaning I may earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase—at no additional cost to you. All opinions are my own and based on my personal travel experiences.

Pricing and logistics as of January 2026:

• Route: Haneda Airport -> Hakuba

• Season: Winter

• Duration: ~5.5 hours, with 2 rest stops

• Cost: ¥12,750 per person

Nagano Snow Shuttle Booking FAQ’s:

What size luggage can I bring? Can I bring my snowboard or skis on the Nagano Snow Shuttle?

Double-check the website for luggage size requirements. Our ticket came with 1 bag per person. If you’re worried about weight limits, use one of these portable and convenient luggage scales. Yes, you can bring your snowboard or skis, but it will count as a bag.

How much time should I plan for between snow shuttle boarding and arrival?

Give yourself a few hours between arrival at the airport and bus departure. The suggested transfer time on the Nagano Snow Shuttle website said 60-75 minutes, but I like to take my time and opted for 2-3 hours. This gives us time to meander and leisurely do the following:

• Clear customs and obtain luggage (1 hour - 1.5 hours).

  • If you are bringing snowboards or skis, you will need to pick them up in the oversized area. Look for the carousel covered in stickers that is along the wall near baggage claim F.

    

• Grab a snack (20-40 minutes)

• Transfer to Haneda Airport Terminal 3 if needed (15-20 minutes)

  • If your flight lands at Terminal 1 or 2, you can take the free terminal shuttle outside the arrival lobby. They run every 4-8 minutes.

  • International flights usually land in Terminal 3

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Clearing customs and grabbing bags took us about an hour, with most of the wait due to oversized bags. We also had to pre-fill out an electronic customs declaration and disembarking form online at the Visit Japan Web.

What is there to do while waiting at Haneda Airport?

Since we had extra time, we also explored the other floors at Terminal 3. On Floor 4 were many restaurants with outside decor in an Edo-period resemblance. On Floor 5, there was an observation deck overlooking part of the airfield and with the bay in the back.

Is riding the snow shuttle cheaper than the shinkansen?

No. However, it is hassle-free without worrying about lugging your luggage through multiple train transfers and will get you directly from the airport to the hotel.

On The Road: The Nagano Snow Shuttle Experience

Check-in for the Nagano Snow Shuttle opens 1 hour before departure and up to 15 minutes before departure. The check-in should be in the arrival lobby at Counter No. 9.

Look for the staff in purple “Nagano Snow Shuttle” jackets in front of the “Meeting Service” counters. Here’s a link to the map and instructions that were provided on the Nagano Snow Shuttle website.

We checked in the minute it opened so that we could leave the snowboard and luggage with the staff. They told us to meet back 20 minutes before the bus leaves, giving us some time to buy snacks or relieve ourselves before boarding the bus. Once it was time, we assembled at the counter to take our tagged luggage back, and were escorted by the staff downstairs to the charter bus area.

Low-key, I had expected a purple bus, but our ride today was a white Highland Express bus with the Alpico Group’s name on it. I am guessing they rent other charter buses as needed. The bus had comfortable seats and overhead space that could accommodate a small carry-on or backpacks that weren’t stowed away in the bus’s luggage compartment. There was WiFi and a small food tray. No charging ports on this one, though so make sure to bring a battery pack. I like using this small and compact Iniu power bank that comes with a cord that converts to a handle strap.

During our travel on the road, we were given two rest stops, one of which was at Kamisato Rest stop and the other at Oyaki Farm for some sampling.

Kamisato Rest Stop

Our bus driver wasn’t clear on how long the stop was. There were multiple people confused about when we had to report back, so most came back by 20 minutes in, but we didn’t leave until 30 minutes later.

Rest stop-wise, it was a big one with many buses rolling through. There were plenty of bathrooms, vending machines, and a lot of food options inside the rest stop. There were also a couple of food trucks outside. We helped ourselves to the free hot tea station inside the rest stop.

Oyaki Farm Stop

If you travel during the daytime on the Nagano Snow Shuttle and if the Oyaki Farm is open, you will get to experience a sampling of Oyaki, a popular cuisine in the Nagano prefecture. Oyaki is a stuffed bun made with a wide variety of fillings, and traditionally, they are cooked on a hot iron pan and then steamed on an open hearth to add a bit of smoky aroma.

We all received a free Oyaki coupon which we exchanged directly with shuttle staff. Our free Oyaki was a mixed vegetable flavor, and it was tasty! We bought more later on and our favorite flavors were the mushroom and salted potato.

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Arriving in Hakuba

We opted for the “drop off service,” so a shuttle dropped us off at Hakuba Base Camp, and we transferred to a smaller bus to get closer to our hotel, which is usually anywhere between 15 and 30 minutes. While it took about 5.5 hours to get to the Hakuba region, it took us another 15-20 minutes to actually get dropped off closer to our hotel (Hotel Moegi), which was located in the Happo One area.

Overall, after seeing the long shinkansen lines at Nagano Station full of riders in the winter, I probably would take a shuttle bus to Hakuba again for convenience. There may be other shuttle companies worth checking out, though!

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I’m planning to write more posts - is there a specific part of the trip that you’re most curious about? Let me know in the comments!

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