Indoor Activities Nozawa Onsen Saturday Snow for Nozawa 8cm of snow being reported overnight for Yamabiko this morning. Still raining at Village level so suggest you head high early. Can see the snow line vaguely amongst the clouds sitting up above the village. Temps are hovering just above freezing level down low and set to drop throughout today. More snow expected for the slopes and we may even see the white stuff fall down in town. Definite return to winter feel today so if you don’t feel like braving the elements here are a few cool things can do on a day like today; https://www.nozawaholidays.com/activities-nozawa-onsen-japan/rainy-day-activities-nozawa-onsen/ A few tips, Climb a wall, Grab a Yoga Mat, Sip on some Gin, Chill […]
Nozawa Onsen
Day Trips from Nozawa Onsen: OBUSE
Whether you’re a skier, snowboarder, or non-snow-person in Nozawa Onsen, taking a day trip to Obuse is well worth your time! Home to the Hokusai-kan Museum, Kozan Takai Memorial Museum, Nihonnoakari Museum (Japanese Lantern Museum), groves of grape and apple trees and famed for the perfect acidic soil to grow delicious chestnuts, you will be overwhelmed with things to do. Follow me along on my day trip to Obuse! Getting to Obuse from Nozawa Onsen Starting the day early, we caught the Nozawa Onsen Liner at 08:20 for just ￥600 each to Iiyama. A brief 25 minute ride later, we arrived at the newly constructed Iiyama Train Station. Instead of taking a local train or Shinkansen, we caught a connecting […]
Best Time Ski Japan Nozawa
Best Time Ski Japan Nozawa Ride the wave into March in Nozawa Beautiful Sunny day for the official first day of Spring in Japan. It was nice and cold early but definitely warming up as the day opens up and the sun kisses the slopes. Almost empty up there today, check out the web cams just a few people sliding down the mountain. Will be nice on the groomers and probably a bit crispy on any untouched powder stashes. Temp at the top; 5 degrees New snow since close; 0 cm Base at the top; 300 cm Snow conditions; Nice and quiet fun on the groomers and park. Weather; Sunny day Really feels like this season has flown […]
Still Rooms in Nozawa for Peak Season!
It’s a perfect opportunity to book as there has just had a cancellation at Lodge Nagano for 2 beautiful Japanese Style Tatami rooms with awesome views in January. Check in ; 13th of January 2020 Check out ; 24th of January 2020 Be in Nozawa for the famous Fire Festival and for some of the best snow you will ever experience. The Fire Festival is on the 15th of January and is a celebration for a plentiful harvest, good fortune, prosperity in life and health in the next year and quite a spectacle to watch. They are perfect dates for School Holidays and the rooms are right next door to each other so great for families, together will sleep 5 […]
First Snow of the Season has Hit Japan
Temperatures have been dropping across Japan, bringing the season’s first snow. Nagano received its first snow of the season just the night before last nearby in Hakuba. The Karasawa Hutte sitting at just over 2300 m received a nice dusting. It is surrounded by 4 peaks that are all over 3000m and they were looking nice and white with a fresh cover of snow too. This is however not the first snow for Japan this season. In northern Japan, Hokkaido’s Daisetsuzan park received about 5cm of snow on the 18th of September this area in Kurodake is often the first place to see snow in Japan and was nice and early this year. The first snow also fell in […]
Nozawa Onsen Events Calendar 2019/20
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 […]
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 […]
Nozawa Onsen Spring Snow Report 29/4/2019
Nozawa Onsen Spring Snow Report, 29th of April 2019 This Nozawa Onsen spring keeps on giving. The resort is reporting a couple of centimetres overnight to go with what we awoke to yesterday. It really is amazing how much snow we have been blessed with during the month of April. What it all means is that there is still a very healthy base up top. There are only a few days left in the ski season before it’s the Green Season‘s turn. It tends to surprise people that we have such a long season here in Nozawa Onsen but it’s probably fair to say that everyone has been surprised by April’s snowfall. Coinciding with Japan’s Golden Week celebrations, it truly […]
Nozawa Onsen Spring Snow Report 28/4/2019
Nozawa Onsen Spring Snow Report 28/4/2019 Nozawa Onsen spring snow is not something we’d expect this late in the season. But we’ll certainly take it! We saw in excess of 10 centimetres fall yesterday. At last count, around midday, it was 11cm before the afternoon brought even more. Another few centimetres fell upon the top of Mount Kenashi last night. All in all, fantastic news for skiers in Nozawa Onsen and a great way to kick off this year’s Golden Week. The sun is out already and there are a few more people rolling into town already. Golden Week combined with fresh snow will certainly make for a vibrant atmosphere. With the temperatures now climbing, it creates the unique opportunity […]