Nozawa Onsen Events Calendar 2019/20 There are a growing number of events and activities in Nozawa Onsen. To keep track of everything, check out our new Nozawa Onsen Events Calendar. If there is anything you happen to stumble upon that we may have missed please let us know – there’s a good chance others will be interested too! Some of the dates for the coming winter season (October onward) are yet to be finalised. Also, as events come and go, we’ll look forward to the next year. That means we’ll be updating the calendar constantly. Enquiries may be directed to stay@nozawaholidays.com. 2019 April Echigo-Tsumari Art Field – 27th (until end of October) Yoga Retreat (with Mariko & Luke) – begins […]
Events
Nozawa Onsen Autumn Lantern Festival 2019
Nozawa Onsen Autumn Lantern Festival 2019 Each year, on the 8th and 9th of September, the village comes alive for the Nozawa Onsen Autumn Lantern Festival. It’s a great insight into Japanese tradition and hospitality. However, even if you can’t make those dates, all is not lost. Those who have visited Nozawa will remember that each little area surrounding an onsen is its own little community. Many of these communities (Akiha, surrounding Kaiya Nozawa and Nakao, the area around Villa Nozawa, as examples) host their own mini-festivals, either side of the main event. It makes for a particularly vibrant period. Visitors will hear local participants practicing drums and rehearsing dances in the days leading up to each festival. As mentioned, […]
Iiyama Sawagosa Music Festival – Nozawa Onsen
Iiyama Sawagosa Music Festival Across the valley from Nozawa, the Iiyama Sawagosa Music Festival features well-known and local music, handmade art and food (the food alone is worth a visit) and skate/bike demonstrations. There are also fireworks, plenty of beer (thanks to staff like the kind gents pictured) and a campsite. It all makes for what is a truly local yet welcoming vibe. Sawagosa takes its name from an expression meaning “let’s make some noise”. While there is plenty of that, it all goes down with the Japanese goodwill and friendliness we love. For such an awesome festival, it surprises to learn it’s organised by a group of volunteers. Actually, perhaps that’s not a surprise. There’s an obvious love for […]
Back Country Touring Nozawa
Back Country Touring Nozawa Nozawa Onsen is one of the oldest and longest running Ski destinations in Japan. People first starting sliding down its slopes in 1923 and even earlier. It has a long and proud history in all skiing disciplines and has produced many Olympic level skiers in downhill, jump and cross country over the years. Infact more than any other town in Japan. Probably due to Nozawa’s strong and proud history with on piste pursuits, back country has taken a little while to get on the map. But make no mistake the surrounding terrain of Nozawa Onsen and the fast that it is one of the snowiest places on the planet make it a back country mecca for […]
Ski Improvement Courses Nozawa
Ski and Snow Board Improvement Courses Nozawa Onsen Nagano Japan Ski Snowboard Improvement Courses Nozawa Japan On a one-week snow trip the time goes pretty quick. By the time you get to the snow get all your gear unpacked and sorted then hit the mountain, a few great days a few fun nights and before you know it you are packing again to head home. You often probably hear yourself say I am going to work on certain aspects of my riding ability this trip but it all becomes a snowball blur. Why not take the time out for a dedicated improvement course to get your turns and timing to the next level. This year we are running a few […]
Cooking Class Nozawa Onsen
Food is one of the major draw cards for visiting Japan! Especially in winter when the conditions are crisp and cold there is nothing better than a hot pot or nabe or a hot bowl of noodles. Japan has a great range of noodle dishes too; soba, udon and ramen are 3 of the most popular. Here is a little write up on a restaurant in Tokyo where you can make your own Ramen! In Nozawa there are also a few families that will welcome you in to their homes to make your own Soba Noodles. It is pretty cool as can see the whole process from the beginning and then enjoy a hot bowl of soba noodles you made […]
Nozawa Onsen Fire Festival
The Fire Festival is one of the three most famous fire festivals in Japan. It is held on January 15th every year to pray for a plentiful harvest, health and good fortune in the coming year. The festival dates back to 1863, and though the location has changed, the festivities remain the same. During this festival the twenty-five and forty-two year old men from the village play a very important role. An old belief in Japan dictates that, for men, these years are unlucky ages. The twenty-five and the forty-two year old men in their unlucky ages construct the shaden (shrine) from beech wood that reaches a height of 18 meters. Every year it takes 100 villagers to build […]