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,
Fireworks raining down on the Hikage slopes last night in Nozawa Onsen.
Base up top: 400 cm Temp Top; -3 Degrees
Base at bottom; 225 cm
New Snow since close: 0 cm
Weather; Overcast
The latest forecast is in and since this time yesterday we have seen predictions make some incremental upgrades to both snowfall amounts and wind strength for next weeks series of fronts. This could be one of the last prolonged period of very cold and snowy weather for the season, at this stage we are expecting just under a week of cold conditions with snowfalls. Snowfalls are expected to be heaviest Monday night, Tuesday and then again on Wednesday night. Heavy falls are expected during the subsequent time periods with lighter falls mixed between. Will this weeks snow surmount to a base depth of 5m? All bets are on and it remains to be seen..
The spring skiing in Nozawa Onsen over the past two days has been sensational. Again, yesterday we had firm conditions in the morning softening the perfect amount during the afternoon. The groomers were on fire and even with weekend crowds putting in their best efforts, remained smooth and fast all day.
Last night we also saw the lantern festival on the Hikage slopes with an awesome display of lights, colour and booming fireworks. An impressive turnout as a huge crowd of mostly Japanese tourists marvelled at the spectacle.
Today we will have somewhat different conditions to yesterday. The snow will be slushy from the outset with warmer overnight temperatures and a thick fog has enveloped they resort. This may affect snow speed as increased humidity introduces moisture to the snow, it will likely be running slower than yesterday. Sticking to the well groomed pistes will be the best bet.
Its been a cool morning so far but with a warm inflow of southerly winds and some incident sun rays impacting the snow we should find conditions softening through the afternoon, if it hasn’t already. Groomed runs will be in excellent condition, almost as good as they get if the weekend crowds are ignored. The park and pipe are also in fine form. Off piste is still extremely variable and best avoided for today; south facing aspects will fare better.
Yesterday in Nozawa Onsen we had some beautiful clear weather and almost perfect temperatures for spring skiing. The snow was very fast but neither icy nor too slushy. The local groomers really put in a top notch effort. Light crowds and a smooth surface meant maximum speeds were easily achievable.
There is a decent forecast ahead. We just had the inevitable downgrade of Monday nights dump however almost very significant falls are still predicted. Following this cold temperatures and light to moderate snow may continue for much of the week. The freezing level looks to make many attempts to ascend however its predicted to be kept down around 400m by a brisk north westerly breeze. For the next few days mostly overcast weather will prevail, with occasional breaks of sunshine.
With the amount of cold sunny mornings we have had so far this month there is a definite spring vibe in the air. Expect conditions today to be firm and fast earlier, softening with the incidence of solar radiation. Off piste areas may have the occasional patches of spring corn beginning to form, that will be very fun to ride. But today the best bet will be riding the groomers that will be perfect for some carving action.
The snowfalls that were predicted over the last 36 hours amounted to nothing more than a few passing flurries, maybe the next system will deliver on the snowfall front. Conditions yesterday were very icy and very good edging technique was required. The lower slopes softening nicely later in the day providing more forgiving conditions.
Over the next couple of days we should have mostly fine weather, light winds with occasional passing clouds. Typical spring conditions will prevail until Monday when a strong cold front will make its presence known across the region. At this stage snowfalls are forecast for most of next week, although as it has done very much lately, the forecast will likely change as the dates approach.
Its a cold and windy morning here in Nozawa Onsen today. With no new snow to report and a temperature reading of -7C at the summit of Mt Kenashi the snow will be very firm and/or icy today on all but the lowest of slopes. On piste areas will be the pick and they will be fast, good edging technique required.
Yesterday we saw some warm sunny weather last the duration. It was a nice day to be outside with soft and forgiving spring skiing making for ideal conditions to practice and improve. The park and pipe were great as were the views between the sweeping clouds from the summit.
We expected some light snow showers today continuing into tomorrow. Confidence is low on all but the smallest of falls, probably no more than 10cm will fall. Winds will be light tomorrow and temperatures slightly higher. A clear day is expected on Saturday becoming much warmer into Sunday. In the long range forecast more snowfalls are forecast mid next week.
The rain that was forecast for last night has seemed to of missed us here in Nozawa Onsen and instead we have received the lightest dusting of snow in the village and 5cm up top. Good news, the skiing and boarding today will be better than expected. Looks like today the freezing level will gradually decline, currently sitting at 1200 meters, to around 200 meters. During this time isolated light snow showers are also a possibility, enhancing conditions.
Yesterday was also a nice day to be up on the hill. With colder than predicted temperatures the snow remained in good shape on certain aspects for most of the day. Snowfalls from the previous day had buried the persistent icy base layer deeper in the snowpack with a tradeoff for more dangerous avalanche conditions. On piste held firm but not icy snow with good speed.
According to the forecast we should have some light snow showers from top to bottom tomorrow, probably around 10cm in total. Following this a number of clear days are expected. Friday will be cold, clear with light winds and Saturday will be warmer spring type conditions, clear with light winds. Some clouds may then move over the region for Sunday. Next week is looking good for a more extended period of snowy weather.
