Nagano
Hakuba Working Holiday Jobs
Ten resorts, the Japanese Alps on your doorstep and Tokyo a train ride away.
- Season
- December to March
- Housing
- Usually included
- Perfect for
- Alpine adventurers
- Package
- £650 when it opens
Why Hakuba
Hakuba Valley sits in the Northern Japan Alps in Nagano Prefecture. It hosted alpine events at the 1998 Winter Olympics and is now one of Japan's most popular ski destinations with international visitors.
Helping Hand placements in Hakuba aren't open yet. Join the waitlist and you'll get first pick of jobs as soon as they are.
A day in the life
What a day in Hakuba could look like
08:00
Pick a resort, any resort: the valley has around ten
15:00
Lodge shift, looking after skiers fresh off the mountain
19:30
Dinner in Echoland with friends from the season
Day off
Shinkansen to Tokyo for a city weekend
Seasonal jobs in Hakuba
The valley has around ten ski resorts, so winter brings strong demand for seasonal hospitality and resort staff.
- Hotel, lodge and chalet staff
- Ski and snowboard rental
- Restaurants, cafés and bars
- Housekeeping and guest services
- Lift and resort operations
When to go
The ski season generally runs from December to March. Hakuba is also busy in the summer "green season" with hiking, rafting and mountain biking, so some people stay on after winter.
Getting to Hakuba
From Tokyo, take the Hokuriku shinkansen to Nagano, then a bus into the valley. That puts Hakuba within easy reach of Tokyo on your days off.
Waitlist open
£650, paid only once your job is secured
Hakuba isn't open yet. Joining the waitlist is free, and you'll get first pick of jobs when placements open.
What's included
- Guaranteed job before you leave
- Accommodation included
- 2 Japanese language lessons
- Visa application help
- Pre-departure planning call
- Local support throughout your stay
- Documents and translations
- Insider travel tips
