Medical clinic and hospital

The only English spoken medical clinic in Hakuba is Shintani clinic (Ph 0261-75-4177 ) . It is open 8.30am till 5pm or so every day during the season but does close down for lunch between 11.30 and 1.30. On weekends it generally only accepts serious cases and mountain injuries- it won’t see if you have a runny nose. You will need to pay for it even if you have insurance- you will need to claim it once you get back home. He will charge a hefty fee just for the medical report for the insurance so be cashed up. They have x rays, CT, Ultrasound machines and they do have an orthopaedic surgeon who is great with knee injures and other ski related type injuries. If you have a life threatening injury it is better to get an ambulance (Ph 119) and get straight to either the Omachi General hospital (40 mins by car), the Azumi Hospital (1 hr), or the Matsumoto Hospital (90 mins by car). Don’t count on getting pain killers from anyone until you get to a hospital.

Physio & massage

Hakuba physio & massage is an Australian run centre, so there is no language barrier. They are located next on the main Happo Gondola road.. You can book them either via their website or by phone ( 0261-724117 ). Manu’s Healing Massage & Yoga in Misolano near Echoland, offers Deep Tissue Sports Oil massage, Indian Ayurveda oil massage and reflexology massage as well as others. Private yoga lessons are also offered.

Pharmacies

There are 3 main pharmacies in town, the American drug store (near Rapie Mountain shop), Oota Chemist (diagnally opposite the station), and the one below A Coop supermarket just up from the station. You will have fun miming your medical condition to the staff if you do not speak Japanese! Asprin, cold tablets and the like you can get from the convenience stores.