I know its possible but i hear don't about to many visitors getting houses for cheap here. Most seem to stay at pensions which do cost more than 500 but I don't think that much more. you can get your own place for 500.

There will be some other other minor costs staying that long but you should be able to a trip for 7500. A smarter route might be showing up in mid Dec and leaving early March. Cut a month of doing nothing out. Doing nothing seems to cost money.

season passes are WAY less the 1K unless you plan on getting passes to multipule mountains. Early bird Happo was around 55,000yen and the Tsugaike Cortina Norikura pass is less than that. I think your only going to be able to stay in Japan for 90 days on a tourist visa, but a quick trip to HK or Korea can extend that, might want to factor that into your budget if your gonna stay for more than 90 days.

A person only needs to go to Nagano for a visa extension but there is a fee. i think its just the 4000en for a stamp. You will get a dfferent stamp that says 'final extension' on your passport. So if you wanted to stay for 3- 3 month visa periods(over 6 months) you would need to leave the country after 3 months then do the Nagano government building for you next refresh.

In the posters trip, a Nagano visit a week before his Visa expired is all that is needed.

Also factor 300 for getting from airport to Hakuba and back.

Alternatively, just before you need to renew your visa you could marry a local.

Do you think I am budgeting too high or too low for housing costs? I don't mind horrible living conditions, I just need a place to sleep and store my stuff.

I do also like the idea of cutting that month out. I could come back to utah and work and ski here for another 2 months after skiing the best snow in japan.... good option to think about!

Perhaps I should buy 1 pass to one of the larger resorts like happo and a second season pass to a much smaller and cheaper resort then so I can maximise the terrain to ski on if they are cheaper then I expected.

I might be wrong. But pretty sure Hakuba is not your usual ski town where people stuff houses for chap rent. I've seen a few Japanese that do that but is still at the most 4 in a small apartment which might lead to about 15,000 per month.

But I bet you don't find such shared accommodation as a foreigner unless you speak the language. When you rent a house/apartment you to have pay a a few fees and since your only a short stay you will loose it all. Upwards to $1000. Pensions are an ideal route as you get free ski friends with the rent. Also with many apartments in town you would want a car. So I think you should budget round 800 per month but call them to ask.

For multi pass your best served with a car. But if you buy early bird most passes other than Happo are under 35,000.

Hey Daryl,
I have been googling around trying to find out what a pension is or where I can find a phone number to call one to ask about rates. What exactly is a pension?

A car is out of the question so I think I will just plan to research what resort people like best and get one pass there.

talk with FT on this board. he has a pension and as discussed by a few folks the other day likely the best one in town for ski bumming... for various reasons. A pension is like a bed and breakfest in USA but with out the old people and doilies. Also no breakfast but you can cook there. I guess it the same as filling a house full of people but with average rent and someone cleans the toilets.

peek a boo

ding ding ding. No way you spend a season at the HPL and don't have the time of your life, we all know core ski folks that stay at his place year in and year out. Info from your previous post points you straight up this ally. I suggest you contact FT directly.