This year’s two day event is taking place at Hakuba Goryu on the 17th and 18th of October. 

It’s no secret that Hakuba is best known for its powdered snow and world class winter sports, with many visitors coming for just that. But that only scratches the surface of what makes Hakuba truly special. 

The real beauty of Hakuba lies in the people who work tirelessly to keep this community thriving, and the stories that come from it. Unfortunately, it’s a side of Hakuba that many visitors never get the chance to see. 

If only there were a way to share those stories with people on a 300-inch outdoor screen…

Wait, what’s that?

AREA UNITE Film Festival?

What is AREA UNITE?

To sum it up, it’s a jam packed event full of snow sports, film screenings, music, and art. 

AREA UNITE was started by Takuma Oike with a simple idea: to create a space where skiers and snowboarders could come together, share what they do best, and express themselves through their passion for riding. 

What started as a way to bring people together around snowboarding and skiing grew from a shared belief that everyone in Hakuba has something unique to contribute. AREA UNITE became a place where the whole community of Hakuba could connect, showcase their creativity, and, most importantly, inspire one another. 

That spirit of collaboration is at the heart of AREA UNITE. It isn’t about one person, one sport, or one particular way of doing things. It’s about bringing different people, ideas, and perspectives together and seeing what can come from it.

As explained by the founder, Takuma Oike himself,

“AREA UNITE is something we build together. It grows through different perspectives, ideas and people coming together. That process itself is what defines it.”

What’s Happening This Year?

A little bit of everything is happening at the AREA UNITE Film Festival this year. Alongside the main event, the large outdoor film screenings, you’ll find art stalls, market stalls, food, music, and plenty of other things to explore throughout the day.

Whether it’s your first time at AREA UNITE or you’re a regular, don’t be worried there’s plenty to keep you entertained. Come down, grab some food, check out the local artists and market stalls, meet some people, and soak up the atmosphere before settling in for the main event, films on a huge outdoor screen under the beautiful Hakuba sky.

A New Home For The Festival?

That’s right, AREA UNITE is moving to Goryu. 

For the past three years, AREA UNITE has been held at Matoka Otari & Cortina Auto Campground in Otari Village, Nagano Prefecture, located at the northernmost point of the Hakuba valley. The venue provided the perfect setting for the festival to establish its identity and bring people together. During that time, the event has continued to grow, welcoming more and more people and building momentum year after year.

2026 marks an exciting new chapter for AREA UNITE, as the festival moves to the Hakuba Goryu ski area, specifically to the lower section of the Toomi ski slope. With the event continuing to grow, the new location will provide the much needed space to accommodate more visitors and allow AREA UNITE to reach an even wider audience, while providing a stunning new setting for the festival experience.

The partnership with Goryu also opens up new possibilities for the festival. By combining Goryu’s location, community connections, and resources with the spirit of AREA UNITE, the aim is to expand what the event can offer and create an even bigger wave of excitement around it in the year to come.

With the move to Hakuba Goryu comes a few exciting upgrades for visitors. The new venue will feature a massive 300-inch outdoor screen with the Toomi ski slope providing an incredible backdrop, larger and more accessible parking, indoor restrooms, and more space to enjoy the festival throughout the day. While we’ll certainly miss Matoka Otari & Cortina Auto Campground and the memories made there over the past three years, this new chapter at Hakuba Goryu brings plenty of exciting possibilities. Sometimes you have to move on to make room for something even bigger.

Key Details To Know!

Event Name: AREA UNITE Film Festival 2026

Dates: 17th and 18th October

Times: Doors Open 11am

地点： Lower part of Hakuba Goryu Toomi ski slope, 22184-10 Kamishiro, Hakuba Village, Kitaazumi District, Nagano Prefecture 399-9211

Admission fee: 

• • 4,500 yen on the day (2-day pass)
  • 2,500 yen (1-day pass) 
  • 4,000 yen in advance (2-day pass only, until October 16th) 
  • Free for those under 18 

Sales method:

• • Online sales (scheduled to start in late September) 
  • on-site registration 
    

Social Media: areaunite_film_festival

网站 https://www.areaunite.jp/