Shopping in Hakuba

Shopping in Hakuba

Hakuba Valley has one of the widest shopping opions of all ski resorts in Japan.

Some of the worlds biggest brand names have set up shop in Hakuba, as well as major Japanese outdoor gear makers. Apart from those listed below Snowpeak, Mont Bell, and Phenix all have a presense in Hakuba Valley

Outdoor Gear Shops

North Face Gravity

Patagonia

Kojitsu Sanso

Perhaps the biggest, and most well known is the North Face Gravity Outlet located just up the road from Hakuba Station. This is a major outlet store with a wide range of equipment. It also features a café on the 2nd floor with great views of the mountains. While not overly cheap, the quality of the gear here is excellent. The only issue is that they don’t have a lot of large sizes.

Just down the road from North Face is the Patagonia Outlet. Again this is a major outlet shop stocked full of Patagonia and affiliated products. Can get very crowded on weekends (they even have the need for parking attendants). Again not super discounted, and a not a large range for the larger figure.

Across the road from North Face, in an old pachinko parlor of all places,  is a well known Japanese outlet called “Kojitsu Sanso”.
Unlike the above brand shops, this store features a large number of international brand equipment, from Helly Hansen to Columbia and everything in between.

Supermarkets

Hakuba has 3 main supermarkets. All are large and stock a wide range of goods at an affordable price.

The Big Supermarket

Hapia

Delicia

The place most people visit is “The Big” supermarket, which is open long hours and is probably the cheapest in town. Because of this it can get very crowded, especially from about 16:00 – 19:00 as people pop down here after getting back from the slopes. You’ll find pretty much everything you need here, but you won’t get Wagyu steaks or other premium items here. There is also a 100yen shop here with great bargains, and if you need cheap warm snow boot, this is the place.

The 2nd major supermarket in town is the JA A-Coop Hapia Store up the road towards Happo from Hakuba Station. As this is a Japan Agricultural (JA) Co-operative, you’ll find the best fruit and veges, as well as high quality meat and poultry produce. In recent years they have been upgrading their deli menu, and they sell some great cheese and cured meats also. There is also a great wine selection here, with some premium reds and whites from around the world.

The 3rd major supermarket in Hakuba is “Delicia“. It is located along route 148 north of Hakuba Station. The main point about this store is that it is less crowded than the other two, but still has a wide range of products. A personal favorite of mine is the sashimi on hand here, which I personally think is better than the other two.

Convenience Stores

Hakuba Valley has a number of 24 hour convenience stores spread out across the valley. The main chains are Seven-Eleven and Lawson. Otari to the north, and Omachi to the South both have stores open 24/7, however they are not close to the ski resorts in those towns.

Seven Eleven on Olympic Road

Happo Lawson

Seven Eleven has 3 stores in town. One in the south along route 148, one in central Hakuba on Olympic Road, and one on route 148 to the north of town near Iwatake. All are open 24/7 with ATM, food and beverages, and other essentials for daily life. Alcohol is sold here, but is about 25% more expensive than the supermarkets.

Lawson has 2 stores in town. The most well known one is at Happo. The Happo store is one of the few Lawson in Japan that closes at midnight, as it had become an assembly point for visitors to buy alcohol late into the night, which can be a dangerous situation in snow country. The other store is on route 148 south of the Green Sports Park.

Pharmacies

Hakuba has a couple of major large pharmacies. In addition to across the counter medications, creams, lotions, sanitary products and supplements, they also stock a large range of beauty products.

Matsumoto Kiyoshi

American Drug

Ota Pharmacy

Matsumoto Kiyoshi is the most well known store. It is located down the slope from the A-Coop supermarket, and stocks a huge range of products. You can also get prescriptions filled here. Staff have a wide range of expertise and can offer advice on medications and treatments.

American Drug, and odd name for a pharmacy is also a national chain with an outlet in Hakuba. It is located on route 148 just south of the Big supermarket. They also have a wide range of products including quite a good selection of travel size lotions and creams.

There are also a couple of smaller pharmacies that mostly handle prescriptions but do have a few other supplies. 
In fact the Fujinoya Pharmacy has quite a good wine selection.

Hakuba Valley has one of the widest shopping opions of all ski resorts in Japan.

Some of the worlds biggest brand names have set up shop in Hakuba, as well as major Japanese outdoor gear makers. Apart from those listed below Snowpeak, Mont Bell, and Phenix all have a presense in Hakuba Valley

Outdoor Gear Shops

North Face Gravity

Patagonia

Kojitsu Sanso

Perhaps the biggest, and most well known is the North Face Gravity Outlet located just up the road from Hakuba Station. This is a major outlet store with a wide range of equipment. It also features a café on the 2nd floor with great views of the mountains. While not overly cheap, the quality of the gear here is excellent. The only issue is that they don’t have a lot of large sizes.

Just down the road from North Face is the Patagonia Outlet. Again this is a major outlet shop stocked full of Patagonia and affiliated products. Can get very crowded on weekends (they even have the need for parking attendants). Again not super discounted, and a not a large range for the larger figure.

Across the road from North Face, in an old pachinko parlor of all places,  is a well known Japanese outlet called “Kojitsu Sanso”.
Unlike the above brand shops, this store features a large number of international brand equipment, from Helly Hansen to Columbia and everything in between.

Supermarkets

Hakuba has 3 main supermarkets. All are large and stock a wide range of goods at an affordable price.

The Big Supermarket

Hapia

Delicia

The place most people visit is “The Big” supermarket, which is open long hours and is probably the cheapest in town. Because of this it can get very crowded, especially from about 16:00 – 19:00 as people pop down here after getting back from the slopes. You’ll find pretty much everything you need here, but you won’t get Wagyu steaks or other premium items here. There is also a 100yen shop here with great bargains, and if you need cheap warm snow boot, this is the place.

The 2nd major supermarket in town is the JA A-Coop Hapia Store up the road towards Happo from Hakuba Station. As this is a Japan Agricultural (JA) Co-operative, you’ll find the best fruit and veges, as well as high quality meat and poultry produce. In recent years they have been upgrading their deli menu, and they sell some great cheese and cured meats also. There is also a great wine selection here, with some premium reds and whites from around the world.

The 3rd major supermarket in Hakuba is “Delicia“. It is located along route 148 north of Hakuba Station. The main point about this store is that it is less crowded than the other two, but still has a wide range of products. A personal favorite of mine is the sashimi on hand here, which I personally think is better than the other two.

Convenience Stores

Hakuba Valley has a number of 24 hour convenience stores spread out across the valley. The main chains are Seven-Eleven and Lawson. Otari to the north, and Omachi to the South both have stores open 24/7, however they are not close to the ski resorts in those towns.

Seven Eleven on Olympic Road

Happo Lawson

Seven Eleven has 3 stores in town. One in the south along route 148, one in central Hakuba on Olympic Road, and one on route 148 to the north of town near Iwatake. All are open 24/7 with ATM, food and beverages, and other essentials for daily life. Alcohol is sold here, but is about 25% more expensive than the supermarkets.

Lawson has 2 stores in town. The most well known one is at Happo. The Happo store is one of the few Lawson in Japan that closes at midnight, as it had become an assembly point for visitors to buy alcohol late into the night, which can be a dangerous situation in snow country. The other store is on route 148 south of the Green Sports Park.

Pharmacies

Hakuba has a couple of major large pharmacies. In addition to across the counter medications, creams, lotions, sanitary products and supplements, they also stock a large range of beauty products.

Matsumoto Kiyoshi

American Drug

Ota Pharmacy

Matsumoto Kiyoshi is the most well known store. It is located down the slope from the A-Coop supermarket, and stocks a huge range of products. You can also get prescriptions filled here. Staff have a wide range of expertise and can offer advice on medications and treatments.

American Drug, and odd name for a pharmacy is also a national chain with an outlet in Hakuba. It is located on route 148 just south of the Big supermarket. They also have a wide range of products including quite a good selection of travel size lotions and creams.

There are also a couple of smaller pharmacies that mostly handle prescriptions but do have a few other supplies. 
In fact the Fujinoya Pharmacy has quite a good wine selection.

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