It was my first time travelling to Japan & I wanted to explore Tokyo (very much a townie). My husband wanted to see snow, being from a tropical country with only rainy or sunny days. I divided our 8 day trip between Tokyo & Hakuba (being the nearest to Tokyo where the earliest snow should fall). I searched through a huge list of accomodations for a place in Hakuba but Hayaokidori stood out because Masaki-san's website tugged at my heart.

His website was extremely informative about Hakuba, and admittedly, his videos of his train sets (which in real life, were gorgeous) at his blog sealed the deal. I've always had a soft spot for ppl who would put their lives online and I felt he reached out to me from so far away.

Getting there was a breeze from Tokyo, their transportation system is excellent. We took the Bullet Train from Tokyo to Nagano & a bus to Hakuba Goryu station where we had a 10-15 min walk to Hayaokidori. It should not be a problem to get there if you have a map in hand. The route is pretty simple also. The walk might be a problem if you are carrying heavy bags as its a little uphill.

Pension Haoyaokidori looked charming from the outside and once inside, I felt like it could be home! We were greeted by Masaki-san's mum who called Masaki-san from the back. He was very efficient and friendly and led us to our room. Ours was on the second floor and we opted for the smallest room as we were travelling on a tight budget.

The interior is cozy & rustic, slippers were available, the dining and lounge area was the best in my opinion. There are bookshelves filled with books of all sorts & VHS tapes. There is also a tv and VHS player in the lounge. I loved the long wooden table where we spent our nights just sitting and sipping hot chocolate (Masaki-san's own recipe, my husband misses it still) while reading or surfing on our netbook (free wifi!)

The room was super tiny though, it had 2 single beds, a tiny chair & table, a TV, a rack and little legspace. We didn't mind it since we did just come from Tokyo where our room was also tiny. The other drawback was the common toilet. They are on the first floor with separate Gents & Ladies & showering is another area. However, there is a tub perpetually filled with HOT water so we could soak and warm ourselves before going out into the chilly weather! LOVED IT!~

Unfortunately for us, it didnt snow when we there in early December so we don't know how the transport was like to nearby ski places. I think that they should be pretty alright since there are plenty of other inns nearby w ppl coming for skiing season. We were there during really really early winter and with no snow, we ended up exploring surrounded Hakuba which was a treat - cycling routes are aplenty with well marked posts. Masaki-san was very helpful in phoning up a friend so we could rent a bike to cycle around! The surrounding woods also had walking paths tho Masaki-san says beware of bears according to season. The village is also pretty charming and there are Onsens (hotspring baths) aplenty also. It's pretty easy to get to Hakuba town with the nearby JR station. H/w check their timings as they are about 1hr in between trains.

Masaki-san's mum is an excellent cook and there is a menu of food available at Hayaokidori. I must compliment Masaki-san for being very thoughtful as he catered to our unique requirements for meals :) Breakfast was awesome & something I looked forward to! Masaki-san's mum cooked up a mean Okonomiyaki (Japanese pancake) & her pizza was delicious!

I highly recommend this place if you visit Hakuba, it has a personal charm and Masaki-san is very friendly and informative. Remember to ask to read his travel journals! They're a real treat cos he has a great sense of humour :) You can also play with the train sets for a small fee! Thank you for being such a wonderful host Masaki-san!