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…
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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,
Musse skis down a deep powder run in Nozawa Onsen.
Base up top: 285cm Temp Top; -8 Degrees
Base at bottom: 170cm
New Snow since close: 30cm
Weather; Snow, heavy at times
After a brief hiatus heavy snow returned to Nozawa Onsen at about 1am last night and was still falling as of 730am this morning. Unusually, more snow collected in the lower reaches of the resort than the summit. 30cm was recorded down low while the top received 20cm. Areas that were mostly tracked out yesterday afternoon have been almost completely refreshed so it should be another good days riding.
Sun, light winds and cloudless blue sky remained for the duration of yesterday. Those who got up were rewarded with deep dry snow, numerous untracked areas and an unbeatable backdrop including views of the soaring Japanese Alps. Yesterday was a good day to be on the mountain.
It looks like snow is set to continue today and tomorrow so riding should be outstanding over the next few days. Following that, we should experience some good weather for around three or four days as an area of high pressure moves over the region. The next chance of snow looks possible around the 22nd/23rd of this month.
It looks like we have a day of sun and picture perfect here in Nozawa Onsen. For those who are keen photographers; don’t forget your circular polarizing filters for the blue sky! Ice frosted trees at Yamabiko always look great with blue sky backgrounds.
We have some low lying fog in the valleys this morning so it should be quite a view up top with the cloud sea. Crowds have dispersed and with the abundant fresh snow, there is no doubt it will be a perfect day for skiing and boarding on the mountain.
Yesterday was nothing short of outstanding. Crowd levels were low and snow continued for the whole day constantly refreshing tracked out areas. It the trees was as good as it gets with dry waist deep Japan powder. Fresh tracks were easy to find even on the last runs of the day. What more could you want!?
The fire festival kicked off early last night and provided an amazing spectacle for the hundreds who attended and took part. The viewing areas were jam-packed- just as well as it was a very cold and snowy night. Sake was free-flowing all night so there will be a few sore heads around town this morning.
The forecast continues to impress and now since it is within 72 hours, quite accurate. We should see sun most of today before clouds move back in overnight. Following this three days of snow cold temperatures are set to move over the region with a classic winter NW airflow moving off Siberia. Time to get out there!
Nozawa Onsen fire festival 2013. The crowd admires the spectacle.
Last night a lightning active thunderstorm moved over the resort producing strong winds in some areas of the mountain. That probably marked the beginning of the frontal system that has delivered much colder temperatures and heavy snow across the resort this morning. With the wind about at the moment, it will be very cold up there, so make sure to put on an extra layer if heading up.
Yesterday saw snow continue in Nozawa Onsen, however it was somewhat wet with warm temperatures across the mountain. It didn’t rain, but temperatures stood at around +2C in the village for most of the day. Up high saw cooler temperatures around -4C, which meant there was some “Australian powder” on offer. There was also some wind at the top creating some fun blown ridges to ride along. Crowds were down on the past few days as most people have headed home at the end of the Japanese holiday.
The fire festival is on today. One of the most well known of its kind in the world. Definitely worth checking out the spectacle.
On the forecast front, snow should abate through the day before clearing completely some time during the afternoon. Tomorrow should see blue skies and light wind, a great day for fair weather skiers. The 17th and 18th still look perfect for some classic Japan powder.
Base up top: 230cm Temp Top; -5 Degrees
Base at bottom: 120cm
New Snow since close: 5cm
Weather; Snow
It’s snowing down in the village at Nozawa Onsen this morning. Light falls commenced in the early hours and have gradually increased in intensity producing a heavy dusting since then.
As expected, the temperatures are marginal this morning; the village is currently at 0C. With -5C up top, the snow should improve in quality around the higher reaches of the resort. The temperatures should continue to drop throughout the day as snowfalls persist.
Yesterday was a very busy day on the mountain- the gondola lines were impressive during the morning rush. Today looks like crowds will be slightly less based on the amount of cars arriving to the village during the morning.
Warm temperatures yesterday meant the snow was spring-like in quality, but still fun to ride in. During the evening a low level fog moved up the valley and the village was cloaked within a matter of minutes. In combination with the fire festival preparations, it made for an atmospheric experience.
The logs were carried through the town yesterday and today should see the construction of the tower. Well worth a look for tired skiers and boarders taking break.
The current forecast looks outstanding for snowfalls throughout Japan, especially the 17th and 18th. After today’s falls have subsided we should see a clear day on Wednesday, before a classic NW winter flow becomes established delivering a potentially sizeable dump.
Base up top: 230cm Temp Top; -7 Degrees
Base at bottom: 125cm
New Snow since close: 0cm
Weather; Clear
We awoke to another clear day here in Nozawa Onsen. It looks like it will be another nice days across the resort both on and off piste. Groomed runs with be fast early, but will soften during the day as the temperatures creep into the positives in the sun. It would be wise to apply some sunscreen before heading up today.
There is no shortage of cars making their way into the car park this morning so it should be relatively crowded on the hill today. Yesterday, it was also somewhat crowded and with the long weekend, tomorrow should see busy conditions also. Crowds can be a necessity at times; otherwise resorts may struggle to make enough money to actually run.
Yesterday was a nice day on the mountain. Blue skies and light winds prevailed throughout the day. Luckily for some it was a good day for exploration, especially for a few people who went unexpectedly far from resort.
The short and long range forecasts have continually been upgraded over the past few days and now they are looking very good for skiers and boarders in Japan.
Tomorrow decent snowfalls should commence. It will be touch-and-go regarding temperatures at the resort base early tomorrow, but the freezing level should drop to below sea level by the afternoon. These falls should last till Tuesday before a clear day on Wednesday.
On Thursday the 17th a typical NW wind winter pattern should set in, providing prolonged snowfalls and cold temperatures.
