Sunshine Fun Nozawa Onsen
And the sunshine just keeps on coming! These bluebird days are a welcome defrost to the bodies after the constant Northern cold fronts blowing through since Christmas. Fresh snow will be on its way again soon though so make the most of the sunshine while you can.
This weekend is the famous Fire Festival on Sunday teh 15th of January. But the activities and preparation for it have been starting this week. Today, if you find yourself outside Hikage Information Centre at 1pm keep an eye out for a group of local villages taking part in tree dragging races.
While drinking sake the entire time, the 25 year olds and the 42 year olds of the village have a race to drag felled trees across the snow.
They then drag the trees down to Nagasaka and through the village streets to the festival grounds.
After that, for the next 48 hours, the village members build the Shaden or Shrine that eventually becomes one big bonfire on the night.
It’s an epic start to a wild weekend so see if you can spot some of the festivities.
Please note, this year, the festival is only open to locals and people actually staying in the village. You can get a ticket from the manager of the lodge you are staying in. You will not be able to enter without it.
Here is a link to the Fire Festival night with a schedule and more information; https://www.nozawaholidays.com/news/nozawa-onsen-fire-festival/
TODAY:
Temperature at the top; -3
New snow since yesterday; 0cm
Base at the top; 180cm
Snow conditions; Groomed trail. It will be crusty off piste so please be careful
Weather; Another day of sunshine!
LIFTS IN OPERATION: Same as yesterday
RUNS OPEN; Same as Yesterday
SNOW FORECAST:
We’ve woken up to another sunny day but the clouds will start rolling in by the afternoon. We may see some light rain in the evening. Hopefully this shouldn’t last long and Saturday should bring more cloud cover with light snow starting to fall and continuing into Sunday and the week ahead. Nothing too heavy but the temps are getting cold again with Northerly winds which we like to see.
The long range forecast is looking hopeful for some good snowfall in time for the Chinese New Year. Let’s cross our fingers and start those snow dances!
Check back here tomorrow for the latest forecast.
Tag #nozawaonsenjapan to share another lot of your bluebird day photos!