Country Escape from Tokyo Japan A birds eye view of how Nozawa Onsen looks right now! For many that visit Nozawa in the Winter months it is always interesting to see how Nozawa looks in the “Green Season”. It is very Green right now and the rice paddies are flourishing with the recent rains and warm weather. Hard to believe in just 5 months all this could be under a few meters of snow! Seiji san arigatou for the great footage Nozawa Onsen is just 2 hours from Tokyo yet a world away. A quaint village of just 3500 people but proudly having some amazing restaurants, bars and cafes to enjoy. Along with fantastic activities to enjoy year round. Along […]
Nozawa Onsen Summer
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 […]
2020 Tokyo Olympics Visit Nozawa
2020 Tokyo Olympics Visit Nozawa It would be fair to say Japan is a fairly Sports obsessed Nation, they love and do well at a whole host of sports. They are even better at hosting Sporting events with an amazing blend of history, culture and high tech you can rest assured Tokyo and all of Japan will put on an amazing show for the 2020 Summer Olympic Games. Some of the details Dates; Fri, 24 Jul 2020 – Sun, 9 Aug 2020 Host City; Tokyo Japan Opening Ceremony; 24th of July Stadium; New National Stadium Number of Athletes; More than 11,000 New Sports; Baseball/Softball, Karate, Sport Climbing, Skateboarding and Surfing So exciting times ahead and some exciting new sports. We are […]
Flowers Japan Nozawa Nagano
Flowers Japan Nozawa Nagano Spring Flowers in Japan If you love flowers now is an amazing time to visit Nozawa and around Nagano. We have the Sakura or Cherry Blossoms out and also the beautiful yellow Nanohana or Canola flowers transforming the landscape. Spring time in Japan is amazing Flowers Japan Nozawa Nagano – Kanazawa Kenroku-en Gardens Nearby Kanazawa boasts one of the most famous Gardens in Japan the Kenroku-en Koen. The gorgeous gardens were once the outer garden of the Kanazawa Castle and are in the same amazing area. They were constructed in the Maeda Era and took nearly 200 Years to construct! They opened to the public in 1871 and have a wide variation of flowers and […]
Nozawa Onsen Golden Week 2019
Golden Week in Nozawa Onsen Golden Week takes place over the last week of our skiing season. In fact, this year, it’s a little more than a week but we’ll get to that in a minute. It’s a great time to be in town for a few reasons. We should still have a bit of snow up top and spring weather suits the vibe. You could even take a few turns on the mountain in the morning and a paddle on the lake in the afternoon! There’s a festive feel during Golden Week and this year it’s extra special. What is Golden Week and why is it special in 2019? Basically, it’s a collection of national holidays which occur alongside […]
Half Marathon and Trail Running, Nozawa Onsen, 2021
Half-Marathon and Trail Running, Nozawa Onsen, 2021 The village and mountains of Nozawa Onsen and its surrounds provide a beautiful backdrop for increasingly popular running events. The main two are July’s 4100D trail running event and the Kita Shinshu Half Marathon in September. Along the village streets and mountain trails of this traditional Japanese village, the 4100D is a truly unique experience. So too, the Kita Shinshu half marathon, stretching along the Chikuma River from Nozawa Onsen to Iiyama city. Details for running events in Nozawa Onsen this Green Season; 4100D Nozawa Onsen 2021 – Friday, 23rd July – Categories; 65 km, 23km, 14 km – Entry; 65 km (17,000 yen), 23 km (8,000 yen), 14 km trail race (6,000 […]
Host Own Yoga Retreat, Nozawa Onsen, Japan
Host your Own Yoga Retreat, Nozawa Onsen, Japan As mentioned within our Green Season Long-stay deals post, the yoga scene in Nozawa Onsen is a burgeoning one. We’ve begun hosting our own yoga retreats over the past few summers and the responses have been resounding and affirmative. While we’re looking forward to this year’s retreats, there is also another option for instructors and their groups – host your own yoga retreat! Nozawa Holidays has seen increasing interest from those wishing to take advantage of the village’s ideal setting to host their own retreats. And of course, we’re well-positioned and willing to help. Our accommodation options are ample and yoga spaces not limited to indoor areas. There’s also the shade of […]
Green Season Long-stay Nozawa Onsen, Japan
Long-stay Nozawa Onsen Spending a month in Nozawa Onsen over the Green Season is cheaper than renting at home! We all know how well Nozawa Onsen thrives during the winter. But during the offseason, the town and mountain revert to a traditional farming village. It creates the perfect retreat from the heat and hustle of the busier touristy areas. So too, does it provide a peaceful sanctuary to indulge creativity or self-reflection. Last Green Season, we had families take advantage of discounted rates on self-contained apartments, gathering to be together away from the world. We saw couples come stay in our lodges to mountain bike down green ski runs, paddle on Lake Hokuryuko and hike through farmland and cedar forests […]
2-Night Nozawa Onsen Mountain Escape to Experience the Famous Lantern Festival
Take a Nozawa Onsen Mountain Escape to Experience the Lantern Festival! Each year, on the 8th and 9th of September, Nozawa Onsen comes alive for the amazing Lantern Festival. Festivals are something that Nozawa Onsen village does well and while January’s Fire Festival may get all the hype due to coinciding with plenty of powder snow, September’s Lantern Festival is a bit of a favourite. Saturday, 8th During the early evening of Saturday 8th, Oyu Dori (Nozawa’s main street) springs to life with street vendors and a parade featuring drums, flute players, dancing and an age-old Japanese folk pantomime. Being the end of summer and the beginning of autumn, the performance is said to dispell evil in favour of good […]