A few of the staff that have arrived early for the season are taking to the mountains in search of fresh snow. This shot from top of nearby Mt Hiuchi looking over Mt Myoko both at over 2450m above sea level. There was a dusting on top at Nozawa yesterday again too and the forecast looks like we may get 10cm up there tomorrow! Up in the north of Japan they have a major cold front pushing through from Siberia and bringing some heavy snow falls with it all week. Places like Asahidake and Kurodake are expecting well over 1 meter in the next 7 days probably closer to 2 meters so a great start up there with temps getting […]
Latest News from Nozawa Onsen
Yuzawa Shrine
Yuzawa-Jinja is a beautiful cedar Shinto Shrine which stands as the guardian of Nozawa Onsen. Its located off the main street past O-yu onsen up the hill surrounded by cedar trees. The style of the building and the sculpture work are made by Echigo master craftsman Kaichi Iwasaki and his family. You can pray and make an offering at the main hall by ringing the bell to get the Kami’s attention and throwing in some change into the offering box. Afterwards bow twice and clap your hands twice, then bow once more and make your prayer. Japanese people go to shrines to pray for good fortune and health. Many students even go to shrines to ask the Kami for […]
First Tracks Nozawa Onsen Japan
First Tracks of this winter have been made in Nozawa Once again local skier Shogo Kawano was first to slide on the white gold this winter You will need to be up pretty early to beat him to first tracks each season In what was marginal conditions yesterday morning he took to the upper mountain slopes very early, danced, slid and celebrated. Shogo san arigatou for the entertainment, let it snow… Video by Shogo Kawano
Snovember Nozawa Onsen Japan
Snovember has started in Nozawa! The first snow falls for Japan have been recorded around the country and yesterday was our turn with the first lovely blanket of white gracing Mt Kenashi. Just a dusting but always looks pretty and an encouraging sign that Winter is on its way!Has been getting cold in town the last few days and the Fire is on. Good news is the mid range forecast is now showing a cold front and some decent snowfalls forecast for late next week. Will it be enough to open the resort on the 23rd of November? It can change a lot between now and then but always nice to see those snow figures on the charts. Winter is […]
Stay elsewhere in Japan besides Nozawa
If you are coming all the way to Japan to ski you may want to also check out other parts of this amazing country. Many people make a stop in the following places when coming to Nozawa Onsen Tokyo Kyoto Kanazawa Narita Osaka Nagano And many more Japan is a safe and easy country to travel in with so many unique destinations If you need to book Accommodation further afield we are making it easier with our affiliate Hotels and Guest Houses where you can book with ease.Stay tuned as we will soon be adding lots of great places to choose from right here. If you run an Accommodation and would like to offer your place to our guests here […]
History Nozawa Onsen Ski Resort
Flashback Friday from Nozawa Onsen – History Nozawa Onsen Ski Resort Nozawa Ski Resort has a long and colourful or should I say Black and White History, spanning over 100 years. This is a great shot from back in the 60s I am guessing. Check out the single Pizza box chair lift and notice the powder is untouched on the slope below. You would not see that much after about 10am these days! We still had a few of those old chairs in the early 90’s when I was first Ski Patrol in Nozawa the one running up Mukobayashi slope next to the Ski Jump was particularly fun. Can anyone guess which slope or lift this is? Hint check out the […]
Must try food in Nozawa Onsen: Manju and Oyaki
Nozawa Onsen has a variety of amazing food, two of the things Nozawa is famous for is Manju and Oyaki. You can find shops that sell these delicious treats in town on the main street. These foods became a specialty because of the natural hot springs in Nozawa that are used to steam them. The steam not only cooks them but gives them a unique flavor. Manju is a Japanese doughy sweet filled with red bean paste. It’s a traditional Japanese confectionary that pairs great with a cup of green tea. Oyaki is a dumpling that can either be sweet or savory and is filled with vegetable or red bean paste. They are the perfect to go food and are […]
Rugby World Cup Final
Today is the day! South Africa vs England in the Ruby World Cup final. England previously has won the Rugby World Cup in 2003 while South Africa has won twice in 1995 and 2007. England defeated New Zealand for their place in the final while South Africa took out Wales. It’s set to be an explosive match with both teams playing aggressively throughout the whole tournament. In Australia, kickoff will commence at 8pm (AEST). Who do YOU think will win? This is the first time a country in Asia has hosted the Rugby World Cup and not the last time Japan will host an international sporting event. Next summer Japan hosts the 2020 Olympics. Due to our history […]
Travel Insurance
For those of you that like to go wild on the slopes, check that your travel insurance covers you before hitting the powder! Make sure when you are buying travel insurance for snow sports, that it covers your planned activities. There are many policies that say they cover you for snow recreation but only give you coverage for groomed runs. This means that you aren’t being covered for skiing off-piste, cross country, or backcountry. Even if they do cover off-piste, they may not cover you without a proper guide. You want to read the fine print to make sure you are getting the coverage you need and any extras such as helicopter transportation in case of extreme emergencies. Most travel […]
Stay Connected in Japan with Pre-paid Sim Cards
Being stuck without data or racking up huge fees while traveling can quickly ruin a trip. Its now easier and cheaper than ever to stay connected in Japan with pre-paid sim cards. You’ll be able to post to Instagram and make your friends jealous your entire trip! Buying and getting set up with a Sim card can be done right when you arrive in Japan. Most pre-paid Sim card companies make it easy to pick up Sim cards at both Narita and Haneda Airport. They also have English support so you don’t have to worry about any language barriers. You’ll need to have an unlocked cell phone to use a prepaid sim card and most options don’t offer text […]