First things first! If you are going to be driving anywhere in Nagano in winter, you need a 4 wheel drive vehicle fitted with Snow Tires. In fact, if it is snowing, then there will be police officers standing the the entrances to the expressways checking that all cars have snow tires.

From Tokyo and Narita Airport

There are two main routes from Tokyo to Hakuba. If coming from central Tokyo, or Narita Airport, then the northern route, via the Kanetsu and Joshinetsu Expressways, is quicker. However if coming from Shinjuku, Shibuya, or Yokohama, then the Chuo Expressway is easier

Directions (via Kanetsu and Joshinetsu expressways):

1. (0KM) take the expressway from SHINKUKO INTERNCHANGE(IC) to the toll booth at NARITA IC.
2. After the toll booth you approach NARITA JUNCTION(JCT), follow signs heading to Tokyo. Follow the road all the way to KASAI JUNC (about 60km). There are a couple of toll booths along the way.
3. At KASAI JCT, get into the left hand lane and take the turn off heading towards the Tohoku Expwy and Misato. This will take you around and under the expressway and you'll be heading north on the Tokyo Metropolitan Highway Central Loop Course. This road is elevated and runs alongside the Arakawa river. Off to the left you can see the new Tokyo Sky Tree, the tallest building in the world.
4. Keep going straight at HORIKIRI JCT (following the Tohoku Expwy and Misato signs). After HORIKIRI JCT, get into the left lane as you want to head left at upcoming KOSUGA JCT, following signs to Tohoku Expwy and Higashi Ikebukuro.
5. The next junction is KOHOKU JCT and you want to keep going straight, following the signs to Tohoku Expwy and Angyo.
6. 12km after KOHOKU JCT is KAWAGUCHI JCT, and here you want to change onto the Tokyo Metropolitan Highway outside loop. Approaching KAWAGUCHI JCT, get into the left lane and follow the signs to Oizumi and Misato and then left again at the split between Oizumi and Misato (following signs to Oizumi). There is another toll booth, and then you are on the Tokyo Metropolitan Highway outside loop.
7.  The Tokyo Metropolitan Highway outside loop will take you all the way to OIZUMI JCT, where you meet up with the Kanetsu Expressway. Just keep following the road and it will loop around to the left and you'll come out and merge with the Kanetsu. From here on it is dead easy.
8. Follow the Kanetsu Expwy for about 65km up to FUJIOKA JCT where you head left onto the Joshinetsu Expwy (signs list Fujioka and Nagano).
9. From FUJIOKA IC it is about 90km of plain sailing to KOSHOKU JCT where you take the right hand lane that loops around to Nagano and Joetsu.
10. You get off the expressway at NAGANO IC. It is about 45km to Hakuba from here
11. After going through the toll booth at NAGANO IC, turn right at the traffic signals onto route 35.
12. Travel straight along route 35 about 3km, until you hit Nagano Minami By Pass (route 19). Turn left onto Nagano Minami By Pass. You'll know your on the right road if you see a PC Depot store, followed soon after by a Yamada Denki Store (both on your left). Get in the right hand lane and take the overpass.
13. Keep going straight (through a couple of tunnels) for about 10km and you'll see the signs for the Hakuba, Nagano toll road. Keep to the left (even though there is an overtaking lane), and go down and under the the main road to get onto the toll road. Toll is 200yen. There is a 1.5 km tunnel and then you are on Olympic road, which will lead you into Hakuba (another 20km or so).

Directions (via Chuo expressway):

1. Get on the metropolitan expressway system in Tokyo and get on the #4 Shinjuku Route, which you follow until it merges into the Chuo Expressway at Takaido.
2. From here you have 90 minutes to 2 hours of straight motoring until you hit the junction of the Chuo and Nagano expressways at OKAYA JCT. Get into the left lane and follow the signs to the Nagano Expressway.
3. Follow the Nagano Expressway for about 20 minutes until you get the the TOYASHINA IC. Exit here.
4. After the toll booth, go straight through the traffic signals (there is a shopping center on the left called Swan Garden).
5. The road runs alongside the expressway for a short way, then veers off to the left. Go pass the Go kart track (on the left) and Swiss Mura (on the right), until to get to the next set of traffic lights at Shigeyanagi and turn right. This is the Azumino Art Line (or route 306). You follow this road for about 25km until you get to the Kamiichi Kita Intersection in Omachi City. Turn right onto route 147 and head through Omachi until you get to Asahimachi intersection. Turn left here onto the Omachi Bypass, and follow this until you get to the Minami Karuma Intersection (about 300m past drug Costco, which is on your right). Turn left onto route 148, and follow this road to Hakuba. This is a very scenic route, as you go past Lake Kizaki Ko and Lake Aoki Ko.

From Nagoya and Osaka

There is only 1 real route from Nagoya up to Hakuba. If coming from Osaka then take the Meishin Expressway to Komaki and turn onto the Chuo Expressway.

1. From wherever you are in Nagoya you need to get onto the Chuo Expressway. KOMAKI JCT is the starting point. Form there it is a straight drive all the way to OKAYA JCT.
2. At OKAYA JCT you head left onto the Nagano Expressway to TOYOSHINA IC and then follow the route listed above from step 4 in the directions via the Chuo Expressway