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. In 2018, those dates happen to fall upon a Saturday and Sunday which creates a great opportunity for those in Japan to escape to the mountains for a memorable weekend! 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, […]
Nozawa Holidays
Onsen Therapy in Nozawa Onsen
Onsen Therapy? Onsen therapy in Nozawa Onsen? Long before locals in Nozawa Onsen ever heard of skiing people were visiting the village for the onsens themselves. For hundreds of years, Japanese people have been aware of the healing and regenerative powers of natural hot springs. Much more recently, the western world is starting to take notice. So, when we heard of an Australian doing some research (and just started a Facebook page to collect all the info in one place) into Japanese onsens being used as therapy, we had a few questions… Teresa McEleney Lymphoedema MLD Therapist Remedial Massage Therapist NH: Why onsens? Teresa: For years, I’ve had an interest in water therapy, especially cold and hot immersion therapy for […]
Mountain Biking & Trail Running, Nozawa Onsen Summer 2018
Mountain Biking, Nozawa Onsen Summer 2018 Details for mountain biking in Nozawa Onsen this summer; – Nagasaka Gondola will be open from 7th of July through to the 26th of August – purpose-built tracks, in addition to roads, lead down from the top of the mountain – can also ride to Shiga Kogen from May to November – Bike hire; ¥2000 per day for basic bike, starting from ¥4000 per day for cross bike/mountain bike – pictures, video and further info; Mountain biking Nozawa Onsen – the village and surrounds are perfect for road cycling too; Cycling Nozawa Onsen – discounted accommodation available at Kaiya Nozawa, Nozawa Central, Nozawa House & Harvest House – please feel free to email us […]
Cheap Summer Accommodation, Nozawa Onsen, Japan
Cheap Summer Accommodation in a Traditional Japanese Village Nozawa Onsen already owns its place on the adventure map for people over the winter season. The village sees skiers and boarders from all over the world visiting from December through April. Once the Green Season starts, things slow down but the charm of the village remains. The snow, skiers, and boarders are gone but many will tell you there’s more to do in the summer months! You can get to Nozawa Onsen in just 2 hours from Tokyo and immerse yourself in a traditional Japanese farming village that is both accessible and yet, truly authentic. Kaiya Nozawa is a traditional and very welcoming lodge. Just 50 metres from the mountain, it’s […]
Explore Hokuryu Lake Near Nozawa Onsen
Hokuryu Lake During the busy Nozawa winter ski season it’s hard to conceive of a world beyond the mountain. However, there are other treasures around presenting themselves during the Green Season. One such treasure is Hokuryu Lake. A relative stone’s throw from the village is a beautiful big lake filled with spring water and melted snow. It’s a great opportunity for a paddle or a hike through the surrounding forest. So too is it the perfect place to kick back and read a book or enjoy a drink. For the romantics, from above the lake resembles something of a heart shape and there’s pedal-boats built for two! The walk around the lake is a small journey of discovery. Aside from […]
Nozawa Onsen’s Summer “Baby Bamboo Festival”
Baby Bamboo Festival While January’s Fire Festival may lay claim to being Nozawa Onsen’s most popular and well-known festival, it certainly isn’t the only one! June’s Take no Ko Matsuri or “Baby Bamboo Festival” is a fun festival to witness. It goes for over a week and brings a night market vibe to the centre of town. This year, the festival runs from the 8th to the 17th of June. Being held in during the warmer months outside the ski season, it’s not as busy as the Fire Festival. It also means that it’s the perfect time to sit outside and soak up the atmosphere with a cold beer (or two) and a tasty BBQ bamboo stick! This particular festival […]
Gyoza Cooking and Calligraphy at Kaiya Nozawa
Gyoza Cooking and Calligraphy at Kaiya Nozawa Kaiya Nozawa is open during the 2018 Green Season. We have some great package deals and we’re excited to host some unique experiences! Akiko Sensei will be running both gyoza cooking and calligraphy classes for those who want to take a uniquely Japanese skill home with them. Gyoza Cooking Classes Who can say that they don’t enjoy gyoza? I don’t see any hands up… Although yaki-gyoza (the fried kind as opposed to boiled; sui-gyoza) typically contains pork as well as vegetables, they certainly can be made vegetarian. Yaki-gyoza is the most popular way to cook and eat gyoza in Japan. It may seem simple enough but those who’ve tackled the challenge without the […]
What is Golden Week?
It’s Golden Week in Nozawa Onsen! Golden Week has begun in Nozawa Onsen and the whole of Japan. It’s a great time to be in town for a few reasons. We’ve still got a bit of snow up top and the weather in the village and on the mountain is very spring-like. This means you can go for a few turns in the morning and a paddle on the lake in the afternoon, with plenty of time to fit in an onsen and some fantastic local food. The question still remains to many, however; what is Golden Week? Basically, it’s a collection of national holidays which occur alongside one another. Usually combined with well placed weekends, Golden Week becomes one […]
Summer Package Deals, Nozawa Onsen, Japan
Summer Package Deals, Nozawa Onsen Japan Most people visiting Japan will head to the big names like Tokyo, Kyoto, Hiroshima and maybe even Takayama. These are amazing destinations, for sure, but how about getting off the beaten track and exploring a beautiful, rural Japanese onsen village like Nozawa Onsen? Easily accessible from Tokyo using your Japan Rail Pass. Only 2 hours by bullet train and yet it’s a world away from the hustle and bustle of the big city lights of the world’s largest metropolitan area. It’s surprisingly easy to get to this traditional farming village. Here’s how; Getting to Nozawa Onsen, Japan. Nozawa, famous for its amazing powder snow and skiing from December to April. However, the “Green Season” […]
What to do in Nozawa Onsen on a Rainy Day
Nozawa Onsen on a Rainy Day Let’s start with the positives; it looks like we might have better weather tomorrow. Also, there’s still plenty of things to do in Nozawa Onsen on a rainy day! Wednesday 25th of April 2018 Temp at Top: 10 degrees Weather: Light rain Base at top: 100cm Base at Uenotaira station: 30cm New snow since close: 0 cm Here’s another positive; for those who are going to up today, you probably won’t be sharing the mountain with too many other people! Unfortunately, there is a bit of rain about, continuing on from overnight. It’s only very light, however, so that means the alternative is you can grab an umbrella and still have a great day […]