Nozawa Onsen Accommodation, Nagano, The Alps Japan
Nestled in the Japan Alps is a magical place steeped in culture and with some terrific skiing and boarding. Nagano was home to the Winter Olympics in 1998.
Get in touch if keen to get knee deep in powder or neck deep in a Hot Spring soon…
Video
Check out our video of our 4 main properties below.
Nozawa Onsen is a very traditional town with beautiful hot springs, friendly locals, and awesome snow. Our Lodge gives you amazing value and we have a range of accommodation to suit any budget.
The Lodge is only 100m to the slopes and short stroll to town
Relaxed and comfortable atmosphere
In the centre of Japan’s main Island Honshu easy access from anywhere
You can fly direct to Tokyo and there is a shuttle bus direct to the Lodge
English and Japanese Speaking Staff to help with all your needs
Unique and beautiful place with breathtaking nature and culture
Nozawa Village is also famous for its hot springs, there are many nearby
Lots of terrain, with Gondolas, high speed quads, and long runs – very few lift lines
Thanks Mark – we were first invited to Nozawa years ago and have been enjoyed the skiing, the village and your hospitality ever since. Thanks for helping us enjoy it so much,
Another stunner in Nozawa Onsen this morning. Brilliant atmosphere clarity is delivering spectacular views with a totally cloudless clear blue sky. Highly recommended too make the effort bringing the cameras up the mountain this morning.
The groomed runs will be fast early with the cold overnight temperatures, probably grading to fun and slushy later. Off piste conditions should be quite variable; depending on sun exposure. We are expecting quite warm temperatures well into the positives, even at the top, so a classic spring like day is expected. Clear conditions will persist for the morning at least before bands of high cloud move over during the afternoon.
Yesterday was one of the clearest days of the season so far. The Sea of Japan was easily visible with even Sado Island spotted offshore from the summit of Nozawa. It’s not too often that we experience such visibility.
Riding yesterday was also fun. Down low became heavy going and slushy during the afternoon thanks to warm temperatures. Up high the snow had a chalky consistency, excellent for throwing some spray. Off piste had nice snow in the shaded gullies but sun exposed areas became difficult and highly variable as the day wore on. Crowds were not an issue.
The forecast has slightly improved since yesterday, still not great however. From late tonight and tomorrow morning we should see rain. Weather models predict a strong high pressure system sitting SE of Japan will interact with a developing low to draw up warm SSW airflow from the tropics. Tonight temperatures will continue to increase till 3am and then remain at about 2000-2400m until mid morning tomorrow. We should then see a gradual cooling trending with rain turning to snow around Saturday evening.
Snow is possible on Sunday before a fast moving but less intense warm front passes through of Monday. Following that we should expect cool temperatures and possible snow.
Well, what a day we have in Nozawa this morning; crystal clear skies with a couple of wispy high clouds. The Sea of Japan will be visible from near the summit. If you like fair weather skiing then today is your day. If you like spring skiing you will also enjoy the turns on offer. Runs will be slushy with the strong sun and warm temperatures as it’s nearly above freezing all the way to the top. Like the past couple of days crowds are non-existent.
Yesterday was a fun day on the slopes. Good powder fields were on offer through the trees at Yamabiko as light snow continued throughout the day. With the small crowds vast stretches of untracked Japan powder was accessible using a bit of local knowledge, although avalanche conditions are still dangerous. Groomed runs were for the most part firm and fast; a great day for testing out the edges.
I’m going to be honest here; the forecast does not look so good. There are no two ways about it. We should expect very warm temperatures with rain tomorrow and Saturday. The temperature will drop to below sea level on Sunday, with quite a bit of good snow possible. However, on Monday another warm front should pass through the region with the possibility of even more rain. It looks like after Monday we will finally in the clear with cold temperatures and possible snow making a return.
Base up top: 320cm Temp Top; -8 Degrees
Base at bottom: 175cm
New Snow since close: 2-10cm
It’s an interesting morning here in Nozawa Onsen. We have some light snow falling across the mountain with quite a large variation in temperature from top to bottom. Up high it’s still cold, sitting at -8C but down low is positively balmy at about +1C. Therefore we should expect a high degree of snow quality variation across differing altitudes today. Interestingly we have also had more snow down low than up high. 10cm was recorded on the lower slopes while up high only received 2cm.
Yesterday was a quiet day on the hill. Thanks to cold morning temperatures the snow was very nice in quality with many powder pockets on offer through the trees. The groomed runs were nice to begin before becoming firm and fast in the afternoon, icy in stretches. Snow clouds moved away at midday and it remained partly cloudy with even some sun during the afternoon. Lower slopes became sun affected with a crust forming off piste as the day wound up.
Tomorrow we should expect a nice clear sunny day. No new snow is expected. Following that there should be a bit of warmth moving over the region on Friday and Saturday, possible even some dreaded rain. Thankfully the warm temps should not linger with a cool front breaking through on Saturday night.
It’s another snowy day here in Nozawa Onsen. Light flurries continued overnight producing 5cm up top and 10cm in the village. It looks like today will be yet another nice day with plenty of fresh tracks on offer and minimal crowds.
Yesterday saw great conditions across the mountain. Morning snow showers gave way to partly cloudy conditions. Lift lines were almost non-existent and the snow remained in great shape throughout, especially in the trees. The sun remained until just before last lifts when the snow clouds once again blew in obscuring the top half of the resort.
The current forecast looks like a real mixed bag. We are expecting sun, snow, rain and cloud over the next four days or so. Snow showers are possible for most of today and tomorrow before clearing to fine weather on Thursday. The predictions for Friday and Saturday are very warm temperatures with a freezing level of over 2000m. Some rain is possible during this time from an unwanted SW airstream. Luckily cold temperatures and snow are expected to arrive by Sunday putting a stop to the temporary spring-like conditions.
Sorry for the delayed report today guys. Everyone is wondering what the snow is like and I can assure that it is quite fine and hasn’t suddenly all disappeared. We woke this morning to passing snow showers that had dusted the resort with 2cm of fresh cover. Since first lifts we have had a further 6cm fall up top.
It is now sunny and partly cloudy in Nozawa Onsen this morning and it has been a great day on the mountain with minimal crowds.
Some were saying yesterday was the day of the week and they were mostly correct with extremely cold overnight temps and fresh tracks on offer. Unexpectedly the sun had broken through the clouds by midday and it was fine for the duration of the afternoon. The sun yesterday had formed a crust layer in certain areas.
Looking ahead the forecast suggests we should see light snow overnight before conditions clear again tomorrow with fine weather expected. Alternating snow showers and clear weather are expected over the next few days.
