{"id":143,"date":"2025-09-20T13:01:39","date_gmt":"2025-09-20T13:01:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dev.liveuphakuba.com\/?p=143"},"modified":"2026-03-23T17:17:07","modified_gmt":"2026-03-23T17:17:07","slug":"the-history-of-hiking","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/liveuphakuba.com\/ja\/stories\/the-history-of-hiking\/","title":{"rendered":"The History of Hiking"},"content":{"rendered":"
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For generations, the mountains of the Hakuba Valley have called to adventure seekers. However, their allure remained largely undiscovered by the wider world until the late 1860s as local inhabitants rarely ventured into the mountains, considering them sacred ground.<\/h4>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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As the Edo Period (1603 \u2013 1868) drew
to a close, Japan\u2019s national government, driven by a desire for Westernstyle modernization and national\u00a0defense, embarked on an ambitious
mapping project.<\/p>

The Japanese military enlisted locals and laborers to conduct surveys, and in 1893 a pivotal triangulation point was established on Mt. Hakuba marking a significant milestone in the exploration of the region.<\/p>

SCHOLARS AND RESEARCHERS
<\/b>Soon after botanists, geologists, adventures, and other prominent figures\u00a0began visiting the region to explore the mountain range. One such individual
was Walter Weston who summited\u00a0Mt. Hakuba in 1894 and published his\u00a0exploits in the book Mountaineering\u00a0and Exploration in the Japanese Alps\u00a0(1896). His publication significantly contributed to the proliferation of hiking in\u00a0the area, eventually earning him the title\u00a0\u201cFather of Japanese Mountaineering.\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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HAKUBA\u2019S FIRST RYOKAN\u00a0
<\/b>In 1890, the Matsuzawa family, led by Matsuzawa Naojiro, established the Yamaki Ryokan, the first commercial lodging facility in Hakuba. The ryokan, which still stands opposite Hakuba Station, catered to the initial wave of visitors drawn to the mountains predominately for research purposes. With no trained guides in Hakuba at this time, the Matsuzawa family hired local residents to guide the climbers, marking the beginning of the guiding business in Hakuba.<\/p>

MOUNTAIN LODGING<\/strong>
In 1906, 17 year old Matsuzawa Teiitsu, built a mountain accommodation near the summit of Mt. Hakuba.
He used the stone foundation left by a Japanese military survey unit and named the hut Hakuba Sanso. Hakuba Sanso became the first commercial mountain hut in Japan and laid the foundation for the future of Hakuba\u2019s tourism industry.
Today Hakuba Sanso is the largest mountain hut in Japan.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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HIKING CONTINUES TO GROW<\/strong>
Hakuba Sanso became a major attraction and commercial success, prompting Matsuzawa Teiitsu to add two more mountain huts to the Hakuba Sanso facility by 1915 in order to meet the growing demand. In 1916, the opening of the Shinano Railway to nearby Omachi provided direct access from Tokyo, further accelerating the mountaineering boom in Hakuba.<\/p>


As Omachi lies approximately 20 kmfrom Hakuba, Matsuzawa Teiitsu bought
two Ford Model T\u2019s and began a taxi service to transport hikers between Omachi and his Hakuba accommodations. This service quickly set the stage
for a burgeoning local economy, as numerous other businesses sprang up to
cater to the influx of mountain visitors.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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GUIDING IN HAKUBA
<\/b>Although guides had been operating\u00a0out of Yamaki Ryokan since 1890, the Hakuba Mountain Guide Association was officially formed by Matsuzawa Teiitsu in 1925. The association catered\u00a0to adventure seekers, offering essential expertise for navigating the still largely\u00a0unexplored mountain ranges of the\u00a0Hakuba Valley.\u00a0<\/p>

MINPAKU (SHOWA ERA AIRBNB)<\/strong>
To accommodate the increasing number of adventurers, local guides often
offered visitors the opportunity to spend\u00a0the night at their own homes, where they would procure provisions and discuss the itinerary together before beginning the journey the next morning. In 1937, 16 houses of local guides in Hakuba gained permission to provide lodging for travelers, marking the beginning of the minpaku business\u2014the first of its kind in Japan.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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MODERN-DAY HIKING<\/strong>
Every year, tens of thousands of guests visit the Hakuba Valley to hike the majestic peaks. Now, over a century later, the Hakuba Mountain Guide Association continues to lead visitors safely through\u00a0the mountains of the Hakuba Valley, proudly standing as one of Japan\u2019s largest guiding associations. To book your
guide with the Hakuba Mountain Guide\u00a0Association, simply call 0261-72-7132.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Teiitsu Mountain Festival<\/h3>

In July 1967, the first Teiitsu Mountain Festival was held, marking the start of the hiking season. Named in honor of Matsuzawa Teiitsu, who dedicated his life to promoting mountain tourism in Hakuba, the festival has become a cherished tradition. This year, we celebrated the 58th annual Teiitsu Mountain Festival, paying homage to the mountains and the pioneers who paved the way for us.<\/p>

Hakuba Yari Onsen Mountain Hike<\/h3>

Among the most popular hikes in Hakuba is the ascent to Mt. Hakuba Yari. This trek is best enjoyed between late July and late September, with an overnight stay at the Hakuba Yari Onsen Hut. Here, hikers are treated to breathtaking
views and starry night skies. The highlight, however, is the open air mountain onsen bath which is available to guests. To book your stay at Hakuba Yari Onsen Hut, visit www.hakuba-sanso.co.jp<\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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For generations, the mountains of the Hakuba Valley have called to adventure seekers. However, their allure remained largely undiscovered by the wider world until the late 1860s as local inhabitants rarely ventured into the mountains, considering them sacred ground. As the Edo Period (1603 \u2013 1868) drew to a close, Japan\u2019s national government, driven by a desire for Westernstyle modernization and national\u00a0defense, embarked on an ambitious mapping project. The Japanese military enlisted locals and laborers to conduct surveys, and in 1893 a pivotal triangulation point was established on Mt. Hakuba marking a significant milestone in the exploration of the region. SCHOLARS AND RESEARCHERS Soon after botanists, geologists, adventures, and other […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":181,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[3,4,6],"class_list":["post-143","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-green-season","tag-history","tag-valley","tag-culture"],"acf":{"show_in_hakuba_and_hhg":false,"show_old_design":false,"intro_text":"","post_content":"As the Edo Period (1603\u20131868) drew to a close, Japan\u2019s national government, driven by a desire for Western-style modernization and national defense, embarked on an ambitious mapping project. The Japanese military enlisted locals and laborers to conduct surveys, and in 1893 a pivotal triangulation point was established on Mt. Hakuba, marking a significant milestone in the exploration of the region.\r\n\r\nSoon after, botanists, geologists, adventurers, and other prominent figures began visiting the region to explore the mountain range. One such individual was Walter Weston, who summited Mt. Hakuba in 1894 and published his exploits in the book Mountaineering and Exploration in the Japanese Alps<\/em> (1896). His publication significantly contributed to the proliferation of hiking in the area, eventually earning him the title \u201cFather of Japanese Mountaineering.\u201d\r\n\r\nIn 1890, the Matsuzawa family, led by Matsuzawa Naojiro, established the Yamaki Ryokan, the first commercial lodging facility in Hakuba. The ryokan, which still stands opposite Hakuba Station, catered to the initial wave of visitors drawn to the mountains, predominantly for research purposes. With no trained guides in Hakuba at this time, the Matsuzawa family hired local residents to guide the climbers, marking the beginning of the guiding business in Hakuba.\r\n\r\n\"\"\r\n\r\nMOUNTAIN LODGING<\/strong>\r\n\r\nIn 1906, 17-year-old Matsuzawa Teiitsu built a mountain accommodation near the summit of Mt. Hakuba. He used the stone foundation left by a Japanese military survey unit and named the hut Hakuba Sanso.\r\n\r\nHakuba Sanso became the first commercial mountain hut in Japan and laid the foundation for the future of Hakuba\u2019s tourism industry. Today, Hakuba Sanso is the largest mountain hut in Japan.\r\n\r\nHakuba Sanso became a major attraction and commercial success, prompting Matsuzawa Teiitsu to add two more mountain huts to the Hakuba Sanso facility by 1915 to meet the growing demand. In 1916, the opening of the Shinano Railway to nearby Omachi provided direct access from Tokyo, further accelerating the mountaineering boom in Hakuba.\r\n\r\nAs Omachi lies approximately 20 km from Hakuba, Matsuzawa Teiitsu bought two Ford Model T\u2019s and began a taxi service to transport hikers between Omachi and his Hakuba accommodations. This service quickly set the stage for a burgeoning local economy, as numerous other businesses sprang up to cater to the influx of mountain visitors.\r\n\r\nMODERN-DAY HIKING<\/strong>\r\n\r\nEvery year, tens of thousands of guests visit the Hakuba Valley to hike the majestic peaks. Now, over a century later, the Hakuba Mountain Guide Association continues to lead visitors safely through the mountains of the Hakuba Valley, proudly standing as one of Japan\u2019s largest guiding associations. To book your guide with the Hakuba Mountain Guide Association, call 0261-72-7132.\r\n\r\nGUIDING IN HAKUBA<\/strong>\r\n\r\nAlthough guides had been operating out of Yamaki Ryokan since 1890, the Hakuba Mountain Guide Association was officially formed by Matsuzawa Teiitsu in 1925. The association catered to adventure seekers, offering essential expertise for navigating the still largely unexplored mountain ranges of the Hakuba Valley.\r\n\r\nMINPAKU (Showa Era Airbnb)<\/strong>\r\n\r\nTo accommodate the increasing number of adventurers, local guides often offered visitors the opportunity to spend the night at their own homes, where they would procure provisions and discuss the itinerary together before beginning the journey the next morning.\r\n\r\nIn 1937, 16 houses of local guides in Hakuba gained permission to provide lodging for travelers, marking the beginning of the minpaku business\u2014the first of its kind in Japan.\r\n

Teiitsu Mountain Festival<\/h3>\r\nIn July 1967, the first Teiitsu Mountain Festival was held, marking the start of the hiking season. Named in honor of Matsuzawa Teiitsu, who dedicated his life to promoting mountain tourism in Hakuba, the festival has become a cherished tradition. This year, we celebrated the 58th annual Teiitsu Mountain Festival, paying homage to the mountains and the pioneers who paved the way for us.\r\n

Hakuba Yari Onsen Mountain Hike<\/h3>\r\nAmong the most popular hikes in Hakuba is the ascent to Mt. Hakuba Yari. This trek is best enjoyed between late July and late September, with an overnight stay at the Hakuba Yari Onsen Hut. Here, hikers are treated to breathtaking views and starry night skies. The highlight, however, is the open-air mountain onsen bath, which is available to guests.\r\n\r\nTo book your stay at Hakuba Yari Onsen Hut, visit www.hakuba-sanso.co.jp<\/a>\r\n\r\n ","opening_hours":"","days_of_operation":"","address":"","map":""},"yoast_head":"\nThe History of Hiking - Live Up Hakuba<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/liveuphakuba.com\/ja\/stories\/the-history-of-hiking\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"ja_JP\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The History of Hiking - Live Up Hakuba\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"For generations, the mountains of the Hakuba Valley have called to adventure seekers. However, their allure remained largely undiscovered by the wider world until the late 1860s as local inhabitants rarely ventured into the mountains, considering them sacred ground. As the Edo Period (1603 \u2013 1868) drew to a close, Japan\u2019s national government, driven by a desire for Westernstyle modernization and national\u00a0defense, embarked on an ambitious mapping project. The Japanese military enlisted locals and laborers to conduct surveys, and in 1893 a pivotal triangulation point was established on Mt. Hakuba marking a significant milestone in the exploration of the region. 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Live Up Hakuba","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/liveuphakuba.com\/ja\/stories\/the-history-of-hiking\/","og_locale":"ja_JP","og_type":"article","og_title":"The History of Hiking - Live Up Hakuba","og_description":"For generations, the mountains of the Hakuba Valley have called to adventure seekers. However, their allure remained largely undiscovered by the wider world until the late 1860s as local inhabitants rarely ventured into the mountains, considering them sacred ground. As the Edo Period (1603 \u2013 1868) drew to a close, Japan\u2019s national government, driven by a desire for Westernstyle modernization and national\u00a0defense, embarked on an ambitious mapping project. The Japanese military enlisted locals and laborers to conduct surveys, and in 1893 a pivotal triangulation point was established on Mt. Hakuba marking a significant milestone in the exploration of the region. SCHOLARS AND RESEARCHERS Soon after botanists, geologists, adventures, and other […]","og_url":"https:\/\/liveuphakuba.com\/ja\/stories\/the-history-of-hiking\/","og_site_name":"Live Up Hakuba","article_published_time":"2025-09-20T13:01:39+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-03-23T17:17:07+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1024,"height":685,"url":"https:\/\/liveuphakuba.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/headerfootsteps-1024x685.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"Admin","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"\u57f7\u7b46\u8005":"Admin","\u63a8\u5b9a\u8aad\u307f\u53d6\u308a\u6642\u9593":"5\u5206"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/liveuphakuba.com\/stories\/the-history-of-hiking\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/liveuphakuba.com\/stories\/the-history-of-hiking\/"},"author":{"name":"Admin","@id":"https:\/\/liveuphakuba.com\/#\/schema\/person\/956856436392883cf9008636ba2475b7"},"headline":"The History of Hiking","datePublished":"2025-09-20T13:01:39+00:00","dateModified":"2026-03-23T17:17:07+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/liveuphakuba.com\/stories\/the-history-of-hiking\/"},"wordCount":747,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/liveuphakuba.com\/stories\/the-history-of-hiking\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/liveuphakuba.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/headerfootsteps.png","keywords":["History","Valley","Culture"],"articleSection":["Green Season"],"inLanguage":"ja"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/liveuphakuba.com\/stories\/the-history-of-hiking\/","url":"https:\/\/liveuphakuba.com\/stories\/the-history-of-hiking\/","name":"The History of Hiking - Live Up Hakuba","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/liveuphakuba.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/liveuphakuba.com\/stories\/the-history-of-hiking\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/liveuphakuba.com\/stories\/the-history-of-hiking\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/liveuphakuba.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/headerfootsteps.png","datePublished":"2025-09-20T13:01:39+00:00","dateModified":"2026-03-23T17:17:07+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/liveuphakuba.com\/#\/schema\/person\/956856436392883cf9008636ba2475b7"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/liveuphakuba.com\/stories\/the-history-of-hiking\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"ja","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/liveuphakuba.com\/stories\/the-history-of-hiking\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"ja","@id":"https:\/\/liveuphakuba.com\/stories\/the-history-of-hiking\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/liveuphakuba.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/headerfootsteps.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/liveuphakuba.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/headerfootsteps.png","width":7677,"height":5132},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/liveuphakuba.com\/stories\/the-history-of-hiking\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/liveuphakuba.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"The History of Hiking"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/liveuphakuba.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/liveuphakuba.com\/","name":"Live Up Hakuba","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/liveuphakuba.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"ja"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/liveuphakuba.com\/#\/schema\/person\/956856436392883cf9008636ba2475b7","name":"Admin","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"ja","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/a2f48bee6d2ddce225460bd59a9377dcf645db546cf97086b0ffb71091b04624?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/a2f48bee6d2ddce225460bd59a9377dcf645db546cf97086b0ffb71091b04624?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/a2f48bee6d2ddce225460bd59a9377dcf645db546cf97086b0ffb71091b04624?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Admin"},"url":"https:\/\/liveuphakuba.com\/ja\/stories\/author\/admin\/"}]}},"elementor_data":"[{\"id\":\"230e7b8\",\"elType\":\"container\",\"settings\":{\"content_width\":\"full\",\"width\":{\"unit\":\"%\",\"size\":100},\"min_height\":{\"unit\":\"px\",\"size\":0,\"sizes\":[]},\"flex_direction\":\"row\",\"_flex_size\":\"none\",\"_element_width\":\"initial\",\"presetTitle\":\"Container\",\"presetIcon\":\"eicon-container\"},\"elements\":[{\"id\":\"2760d88\",\"elType\":\"widget\",\"settings\":{\"editor\":\"<h4>For generations, the mountains of the Hakuba Valley have called to adventure seekers. However, their allure remained largely undiscovered by the wider world until the late 1860s as local inhabitants rarely ventured into the mountains, considering them sacred ground.<\\\/h4>\"},\"elements\":[],\"widgetType\":\"text-editor\"}],\"isInner\":false},{\"id\":\"f7a869e\",\"elType\":\"container\",\"settings\":{\"flex_direction\":\"row\",\"flex_gap\":{\"unit\":\"px\",\"size\":0,\"column\":\"0\",\"row\":\"0\"}},\"elements\":[{\"id\":\"24f163e\",\"elType\":\"container\",\"settings\":{\"flex_direction\":\"column\",\"content_width\":\"full\",\"width\":{\"unit\":\"%\",\"size\":\"33.3333\"}},\"elements\":[{\"id\":\"1b343e7\",\"elType\":\"widget\",\"settings\":{\"editor\":\"<p>As the Edo Period (1603 \\u2013 1868) drew<br \\\/>to a close, Japan\\u2019s national government, driven by a desire for Westernstyle modernization and national\\u00a0defense, embarked on an ambitious<br \\\/>mapping project.<\\\/p><p>The Japanese military enlisted locals and laborers to conduct surveys, and in 1893 a pivotal triangulation point was established on Mt. Hakuba marking a significant milestone in the exploration of the region.<\\\/p><p><b>SCHOLARS AND RESEARCHERS<br \\\/><\\\/b>Soon after botanists, geologists, adventures, and other prominent figures\\u00a0began visiting the region to explore the mountain range. One such individual<br \\\/>was Walter Weston who summited\\u00a0Mt. Hakuba in 1894 and published his\\u00a0exploits in the book Mountaineering\\u00a0and Exploration in the Japanese Alps\\u00a0(1896). His publication significantly contributed to the proliferation of hiking in\\u00a0the area, eventually earning him the title\\u00a0\\u201cFather of Japanese Mountaineering.\\u201d<\\\/p>\"},\"elements\":[],\"widgetType\":\"text-editor\"}],\"isInner\":true},{\"id\":\"7305974\",\"elType\":\"container\",\"settings\":{\"flex_direction\":\"column\",\"content_width\":\"full\",\"width\":{\"unit\":\"%\",\"size\":\"66.6666\"}},\"elements\":[{\"id\":\"502662f\",\"elType\":\"widget\",\"settings\":{\"image\":{\"url\":\"http:\\\/\\\/liveuphakuba.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/03\\\/headerfootsteps.png\",\"id\":181,\"size\":\"\",\"alt\":\"\",\"source\":\"library\"}},\"elements\":[],\"widgetType\":\"image\"}],\"isInner\":true}],\"isInner\":false},{\"id\":\"563243e\",\"elType\":\"container\",\"settings\":[],\"elements\":[{\"id\":\"4ee1140\",\"elType\":\"widget\",\"settings\":{\"editor\":\"<p><b>HAKUBA\\u2019S FIRST RYOKAN\\u00a0<br \\\/><\\\/b>In 1890, the Matsuzawa family, led by Matsuzawa Naojiro, established the Yamaki Ryokan, the first commercial lodging facility in Hakuba. The ryokan, which still stands opposite Hakuba Station, catered to the initial wave of visitors drawn to the mountains predominately for research purposes. With no trained guides in Hakuba at this time, the Matsuzawa family hired local residents to guide the climbers, marking the beginning of the guiding business in Hakuba.<\\\/p><p><strong>MOUNTAIN LODGING<\\\/strong><br \\\/>In 1906, 17 year old Matsuzawa Teiitsu, built a mountain accommodation near the summit of Mt. Hakuba.<br \\\/>He used the stone foundation left by a Japanese military survey unit and named the hut Hakuba Sanso. Hakuba Sanso became the first commercial mountain hut in Japan and laid the foundation for the future of Hakuba\\u2019s tourism industry.<br \\\/>Today Hakuba Sanso is the largest mountain hut in Japan.<\\\/p>\"},\"elements\":[],\"widgetType\":\"text-editor\"},{\"id\":\"ce6194e\",\"elType\":\"widget\",\"settings\":{\"image\":{\"url\":\"http:\\\/\\\/liveuphakuba.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/03\\\/Mountain-HotelHakuba-sanso-which-was-burned-scaled.png\",\"id\":1261,\"size\":\"\",\"alt\":\"\",\"source\":\"library\"},\"image_size\":\"full\",\"caption\":\"Hakuba Sanso became the first commercial mountain hut in Japan\",\"open_lightbox\":\"yes\"},\"elements\":[],\"widgetType\":\"image\"},{\"id\":\"606378f\",\"elType\":\"container\",\"settings\":{\"container_type\":\"grid\",\"presetTitle\":\"Grid\",\"presetIcon\":\"eicon-container-grid\",\"content_width\":\"full\",\"grid_columns_grid\":{\"unit\":\"fr\",\"size\":2,\"sizes\":[]},\"grid_rows_grid\":{\"unit\":\"fr\",\"size\":1,\"sizes\":[]}},\"elements\":[{\"id\":\"a9b8aaa\",\"elType\":\"widget\",\"settings\":{\"editor\":\"<p><strong>HIKING CONTINUES TO GROW<\\\/strong><br \\\/>Hakuba Sanso became a major attraction and commercial success, prompting Matsuzawa Teiitsu to add two more mountain huts to the Hakuba Sanso facility by 1915 in order to meet the growing demand. In 1916, the opening of the Shinano Railway to nearby Omachi provided direct access from Tokyo, further accelerating the mountaineering boom in Hakuba.<\\\/p><p><br \\\/>As Omachi lies approximately 20 kmfrom Hakuba, Matsuzawa Teiitsu bought<br \\\/>two Ford Model T\\u2019s and began a taxi service to transport hikers between Omachi and his Hakuba accommodations. This service quickly set the stage<br \\\/>for a burgeoning local economy, as numerous other businesses sprang up to<br \\\/>cater to the influx of mountain visitors.<\\\/p>\"},\"elements\":[],\"widgetType\":\"text-editor\"},{\"id\":\"0b8a686\",\"elType\":\"widget\",\"settings\":{\"editor\":\"<p><b>GUIDING IN HAKUBA<br \\\/><\\\/b>Although guides had been operating\\u00a0out of Yamaki Ryokan since 1890, the Hakuba Mountain Guide Association was officially formed by Matsuzawa Teiitsu in 1925. The association catered\\u00a0to adventure seekers, offering essential expertise for navigating the still largely\\u00a0unexplored mountain ranges of the\\u00a0Hakuba Valley.\\u00a0<\\\/p><p><strong>MINPAKU (SHOWA ERA AIRBNB)<\\\/strong><br \\\/>To accommodate the increasing number of adventurers, local guides often<br \\\/>offered visitors the opportunity to spend\\u00a0the night at their own homes, where they would procure provisions and discuss the itinerary together before beginning the journey the next morning. In 1937, 16 houses of local guides in Hakuba gained permission to provide lodging for travelers, marking the beginning of the minpaku business\\u2014the first of its kind in Japan.<\\\/p>\"},\"elements\":[],\"widgetType\":\"text-editor\"}],\"isInner\":true}],\"isInner\":false},{\"id\":\"c694d18\",\"elType\":\"container\",\"settings\":[],\"elements\":[{\"id\":\"36b4414\",\"elType\":\"widget\",\"settings\":{\"image\":{\"url\":\"http:\\\/\\\/liveuphakuba.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/03\\\/Ford-car-in-front-ot-Yamaki-RyokanEtEHAEhC\\u2206eRnyo\\u2211aYAj-scaled.jpg\",\"id\":167,\"size\":\"\",\"alt\":\"\",\"source\":\"library\"}},\"elements\":[],\"widgetType\":\"image\"},{\"id\":\"0a9a076\",\"elType\":\"widget\",\"settings\":{\"editor\":\"<p><strong>MODERN-DAY HIKING<\\\/strong><br \\\/>Every year, tens of thousands of guests visit the Hakuba Valley to hike the majestic peaks. Now, over a century later, the Hakuba Mountain Guide Association continues to lead visitors safely through\\u00a0the mountains of the Hakuba Valley, proudly standing as one of Japan\\u2019s largest guiding associations. To book your<br \\\/>guide with the Hakuba Mountain Guide\\u00a0Association, simply call 0261-72-7132.<\\\/p>\"},\"elements\":[],\"widgetType\":\"text-editor\"}],\"isInner\":false},{\"id\":\"e81b57d\",\"elType\":\"container\",\"settings\":{\"flex_direction\":\"row\",\"flex_gap\":{\"unit\":\"px\",\"size\":0,\"column\":\"0\",\"row\":\"0\"}},\"elements\":[{\"id\":\"9a2f58a\",\"elType\":\"container\",\"settings\":{\"flex_direction\":\"column\",\"content_width\":\"full\",\"width\":{\"unit\":\"%\",\"size\":\"50\"}},\"elements\":[{\"id\":\"189e9bb\",\"elType\":\"widget\",\"settings\":{\"editor\":\"<h3>Teiitsu Mountain Festival<\\\/h3><p>In July 1967, the first Teiitsu Mountain Festival was held, marking the start of the hiking season. Named in honor of Matsuzawa Teiitsu, who dedicated his life to promoting mountain tourism in Hakuba, the festival has become a cherished tradition. This year, we celebrated the 58th annual Teiitsu Mountain Festival, paying homage to the mountains and the pioneers who paved the way for us.<\\\/p><h3>Hakuba Yari Onsen Mountain Hike<\\\/h3><p>Among the most popular hikes in Hakuba is the ascent to Mt. Hakuba Yari. This trek is best enjoyed between late July and late September, with an overnight stay at the Hakuba Yari Onsen Hut. Here, hikers are treated to breathtaking<br \\\/>views and starry night skies. The highlight, however, is the open air mountain onsen bath which is available to guests. To book your stay at Hakuba Yari Onsen Hut, visit <a href=\\\"http:\\\/\\\/www.hakuba-sanso.co.jp\\\" target=\\\"_blank\\\" rel=\\\"noopener\\\">www.hakuba-sanso.co.jp<\\\/a><\\\/p>\"},\"elements\":[],\"widgetType\":\"text-editor\"}],\"isInner\":true},{\"id\":\"97e68bc\",\"elType\":\"container\",\"settings\":{\"flex_direction\":\"column\",\"content_width\":\"full\",\"width\":{\"unit\":\"%\",\"size\":\"50\"}},\"elements\":[{\"id\":\"152582b\",\"elType\":\"widget\",\"settings\":{\"image\":{\"url\":\"http:\\\/\\\/liveuphakuba.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/03\\\/Teiitsu-Mouintain-Festival-scaled.jpg\",\"id\":175,\"size\":\"\",\"alt\":\"\",\"source\":\"library\"},\"image_size\":\"full\"},\"elements\":[],\"widgetType\":\"image\"}],\"isInner\":true}],\"isInner\":false}]","elementor_mode":"builder","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/liveuphakuba.com\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/143","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/liveuphakuba.com\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/liveuphakuba.com\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/liveuphakuba.com\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/liveuphakuba.com\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=143"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/liveuphakuba.com\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/143\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1819,"href":"https:\/\/liveuphakuba.com\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/143\/revisions\/1819"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/liveuphakuba.com\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/181"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/liveuphakuba.com\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=143"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/liveuphakuba.com\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=143"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/liveuphakuba.com\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=143"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}