Shigakogen Open Season 2022 Our neighbours have started skiing in Shiga Kogen! Yokoteyama the highest ski resort in the area at nearby Shiga Kogen has officially opened on the 18th of November. The bottom of the resort is at 1750m above Sea Level and the top at a lofty 2305m so they tend to get more snow and colder temps in the early part of the season. Conditions are still marginal and looks like they have been using the Snow guns to make some extra snow but that fall last week was enough to give it the green light. Eager skiers and boarders turned out on mass yesterday to enjoy the sunshine and first tracks for the season. Shigakogen Open […]
Ski Board Rental Nozawa
Snow Depth Nozawa Onsen
Snow Depth Nozawa Onsen It is amazing what snow depth we get to in Nozawa Onsen Ski Resort in Japan Keep your eye on the road signs in Nozawa The below shot is after the first snowfall of the season a few days ago with about 15cm falling from reports. The above shot is peak season after about 12 meters of snow falling in total. The peak base last year up top was 480cm on the 23rd of February 2022. So that sign sits at about 5 meters above ground level. That’s the equivalent of almost 3 grown adults standing on each others shoulders. So we still have a long way to go but will be interesting to see where […]
Courier Service Nozawa Japan
Courier Service Nozawa Japan The Journey is inevitable. Baggage is optional Have lots of people contacting us asking if can send their bags up to Nozawa when arrive. The Answer is yes! The Courier service mainly handled by a company known as Black Cat or “Kuro Neko” is next level. They will get your bag from A to B in Japan in no time and at a very reasonable cost with pure Japanese efficiency. I once sent a bag from Tokyo at 7pm and it arrived in Nozawa at 9am the next morning. I would have struggled to get it there any quicker myself! It only cost 1500 yen too. All Airports in Japan have a “Takyubin” counter where the […]
Ski Course Nozawa Japan
Ski Course Nozawa Japan Who wants to improve their Skiing or Snow Boarding skills? Ski and Board Improvement courses in Nozawa Work on your Parallel Turns and Apres yarns with one of our awesome improvement courses this coming season in Nozawa. Join a group of like minded people to enjoy a week in the snow and hone your skills at the same time. Whether board or ski we are running 3 courses this season in December, February and March. Ski Course Nozawa Japan 7 Nights Accommodation, breakfast, 6 days lift passes and 4 hours a day of instruction all included from just 133,000 Yen or about $1435 per person. Great value and sure you would get a lot out of […]
Accommodation Nozawa Fire Festival
Accommodation Nozawa Fire Festival The Nozawa Onsen Fire Festival Who has seen it? Let us know what you thought it was like. The Fire Festival is a spectacle which needs to be seen to be believed. 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 has a rich and colourful history in Nozawa Onsen. 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 men of the Village construct the shaden (shrine) from beech wood on the […]
Nozawa Onsen Main Street
Nozawa Onsen Main Street Main Street Nozawa Onsen Oyu dori The Main Street in Nozawa is pretty special to walk down anytime of year. Most nights between May and November it is like the empty shot and you could throw a bowling ball down the street but not hit a soul. In peak holiday times and most of winter though it comes to life however and the streets are bustling with people coming back from skiing and heading to an Onsen or for a bite to eat. It is a great vibe and probably one thing that makes Nozawa special compared to many other resorts. It has a real heart to the village. Many little shops and restaurants have been […]
First Snow Nozawa 2022
First Snow Nozawa 2022 Snowy Peeks from Nozawa this Morning Beautiful crisp clear start to the day in Nozawa with temps as low as 3 degrees. It is going to be a fresh day with a high of 9 degrees expected and the highlight is we have snow on some surrounding peaks. Across the valley Mt Myoko and Mt Hiuchi pulling on their white coats for the first time this season. Looks magnificent too set against the Autumn colours below. Amazing time to be in Nozawa and watch this monumental season change take place. As the march in to the long Winter begins.
Changes Japan Since Covid
Changes Japan Since Covid Has the world changed since Covid? Sure some things have changed and some stay the same. For many it has been over 2 years since you stepped on Japanese soil and snow and imagine you are excited to be coming back. We are very excited to see you in Nozawa too. To be honest Nozawa itself has not changed a great deal, in the 30 plus years I have been there it has not changed so much. One of the things I like about it 🙂 We have a new Gondola for you, as mentioned in the last post, and there are a few new restaurants about town but that same great hospitality or as Japanese […]
Buy Lift Pass Nozawa
Buy Lift Pass Nozawa Who has ridden the new Nagasaka Gondola in Nozawa? Having only opened two season ago for many of our overseas guests the answer is probably not yet. So hope you are excited to check it out this coming season. It is quicker, roomier, more comfortable and has better views than the old girl. I was amazed the first time I rode it, normally I have time to feed the kids, remove my aching boots and send a few emails on the way up but with travel time cut in half the kids had to go hungry 🙂 A few fun facts for you The middle station has been removed and the track is straight to the […]
Winter Update Japan 2022
Winter Update Japan 2022 Coldest October day in 88 Years for Tokyo The mercury has dropped in Nozawa and we are turning on the heaters and stoking up the fire. All of Japan is experiencing a cold front that has seen Tokyo with its coldest day in October in nearly 9 decades. The high in Tokyo was 13 degrees. The last time it was that cold in early October was in 1934. That is 10.5 degrees below the average and more like weather we would expect to see in December! Could there be some good snow falls in Tokyo this winter? It usually does snow most years but does not always settle. I am just glad to hear we are […]