Nagano, Mar 18, 2026 (News On Japan) - Hakuba Village in Nagano Prefecture, long regarded as a mecca for skiing and snowboarding and crowded with inbound tourists during winter, has faced a persistent challenge in attracting visitors during the quieter summer months.
The figure behind efforts to transform Hakuba into a year-round destination is Hiroshi Wada, who has introduced a series of unconventional ideas that have reshaped the area’s appeal, including opening an aerial terrace overlooking the Northern Alps and installing a giant swing reminiscent of scenes from "Heidi, Girl of the Alps," creating one popular attraction after another.
Wada is now tackling a new issue: the survival of the village’s accommodation facilities. Many lodgings built during the height of the ski boom are increasingly closing due to a lack of successors and rising fuel costs. In addition, a large number of these businesses operate as combined residences and guesthouses, meaning that selling the property often forces owners to give up their homes as well.
To address this, Wada has begun leasing shuttered guesthouses and renovating them into hotels, adding dining spaces open not only to guests but also to the public, all operated under his management. At the same time, he proposes a plan that allows former owners to continue living on-site by separating and renovating the residential areas from the lodging facilities.
Whether Wada’s latest initiative can reverse the decline of Hakuba’s ski lodges remains to be seen.
Source: テレ東BIZ
