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Visitor reviews for Nozawa Onsen Ski Resort
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(NOTE: Reviews may be edited by our content team for the purposes of ensuring accurate and relevant information)
(NOTE: Reviews may be edited by our content team for the purposes of ensuring accurate and relevant information)
Latest
December 30, 2022
Kenneth from
Australia
Kenneth from

July 16, 2018
Peter from
United States
Peter from

Nozawa is growing up. While the ratio of Japanese visitors to international visitors in the winter is fairly constant (70:30ish), there's increasingly more of the services that inbound guests want. There are several places to get excellent coffee, breadcentric breakfasts, etc, and the accommodation base in the village is gradually being upgraded.
But this remains a real working mountain village (3,600 residents year-round) that just happens to have an Olympic-quality ski field. It feels much more like a small European resort (think Lech, Gstaad, or its twin, St. Anton), although culturally you're absolutely aware that you're in Japan. There's been a ski resort here for over 100 years so the snow and mountain management is world class.
The village continues to invest and will replace the main gondola over the next two years. After the opening of the new shinkansen a few years ago, it's just over two hours from Tokyo so much more accessible than it used to be. The green season is picking up, with a lot of winter athletes training on the artificial slope, as well as mountain bikers rubbing shoulders with the regular guests looking for cool weather, local food/sake/beer and onsen.
October 24, 2016
Simone Flores from
Japan
Simone Flores from

Nozawa Onsen is one of those special places on the planet that will keep drawing you back. We travel a lot for work and adventures and usually make a habit of not going back to the same place twice. But Nozawa is the exception and we go there almost every year and have been doing so for a few years now.
The snow is amazing and that in itself is a big draw card but there is so much more with the food, culture and authentic traditional feel. We always stay with the good folk at Lodge Nagano. They have been there a long time and know the village and mountain very well; great friendly vibe and everything is easy. We had some friends with kids last season so stayed at their Nozawa Central Apartments just down the road. Also an awesome set up with the rental shop down stairs and great staff.
It is also very easy to get there now with either the snow shuttle of the plane or the new Bullet train that stops in Iiyama just down the road. We always try and go later in the season; in early March when the snow is still good but no crowds at all.
August 14, 2012
Max Kelly from
Japan
Max Kelly from

Visited Nozawa last season and it must have been a record season for snow fall. Stayed at Villa Nozawa and they had to dig a trench thru the car park just to get out the front door. There was a 4 meter base up top and it just kept falling.
Loved the traditional feel of the lodge and the whole village. Really what a ski holiday in Japan should feel like. With quaint bath houses and restaurants and beautiful shrines scattered around the village.
August 18, 2011
Scott Nolan from
Australia
Scott Nolan from

We visited Nozawa Onsen for the first time and stayed halfway up the mountain in a fantastic property called Sasa-Nozawa. It snowed for the whole week we were there, and the powder was so light and dry. Ski patrol tend not to be too anal with skiing OOB .
The food in the village was ever so cheap, we found that we were paying around $60 for 2 for dinner AND drinks.
Also not to missed is one of the many free onsens around the village, they are great to soothe aching muscles after a days skiing.
Nozawa Onsen has something for everyone, and we will definitely be going back next year.
March 30, 2011
Matthew Thompson from
United Kingdom
Matthew Thompson from

6th-13th March 2011
Amazing resort with plenty of nice wide quiet runs, especially during the week. The Skyline run that leads onto Karasawa green run is so much fun. Usually gets busier at the weekends with locals but due to the earthquakes it stayed relatively quiet. This place is ideal if you want to improve your snowboarding or skiing as there is plenty of space without the chains of ski schools & busy lift queues during the week.
We had fantastic snow & enjoyed the beautiful tree runs. We stayed at Villa Nozawa, part of Lodge Nagano. Australian & Japanese owners with Japanese style rooms, amazing breakfasts, fantastic place for couples & families.
The food is quite cheap with most meals around £7-£12 & you can get a lot for your money. Some places we went to cost around £30-£40 per head if you fancy splashing out on a banquet meal (worth every penny), which often include a private onsen within the hotel restaurants such as Himatsuri (completely private onsen, great for couples with indoor & half open roof onsen) and Kiriya Ryokan, which gave us a completely private meal(large private onsen included with meal too that can be shared with other occupants of the Kiriya Ryokan).
Most of the restaurants may appear closed to the eye but just pop your head under the half curtains you'll always get a warm welcome & some of the best customer service I've ever had.
Best conditions we've had snowboarding & some of the best food. Usually more busier tourism up to end of February we heard. From March we experienced a slightly quieter atmosphere with amazing snow. If you want to go snowboarding/skiing & get a real unique Japanese experience go to Nozawa Onsen. Though not a massive resort the conditions give you plenty to play with just off the piste groomed runs. Also there are buses that run to nearby(within an hour) resorts too where you can buy bus & lift ticket in one, ideal if you have a longer 2 weeker trip planned.
You should really all experience a ski trip like this. Nozawa Onsen - this one is unique.
March 19, 2011
John Clouston from
Australia
John Clouston from

Just had a wonderful week at Nozawa Onsen 1-9th March 2011. Snow quality was amazing. Over 120 cm of new snow in this week. All light and dry powder. I have skied all over the world and the snow quality here was as good as Utah. People friendly and the food great and inexpensive.
I will be back next year. Like everyone else, myself and family have been saddened and shocked by the earthquake and tsunami that hit North Eastern Japan. Villages Like Nozawa Onsen need support so if you have been to this region then go back again. I know we will.
February 02, 2010
Terry Alderman from
Switzerland
Terry Alderman from

July 28, 2009
Kylie Musgrave from
Canada
Kylie Musgrave from

We visited Nozawa Onsen last season and absolutely fell in love withe the village, the mountain, food, hotsprings and the people.
Having skied as a family in many places around the world we found this to be one of the most interesting ski holidays we have been on with a terrific blend of authentic culture and enjoyable snow.
Stayed at Villa Nozawa in Nozawa Onsen and they were terrific, could not have been more friendly and helpful, great value too. The web page is nozawaholidays.com
Great location, just 100m from the slopes so easy with the kids
The hot springs or onsens are also a fantastic experience and must be done. It's a perfect way to soothe the aches and pains after a day on the slopes. Then, at night, wander the quaint streets and check out the 30 odd restaurants in the village. There are some cute little bars too.
It was a great trip and we will be back.
February 05, 2009
JohnA from
United Kingdom
JohnA from

Nozawa Onsen is a very nice place with a small village atmosphere and very helpful people. Wonderful onsens (free public ones abound) and, at around 40 deg C or higher, they will cook you quite quickly.
Site claims that Nozawa Onsen has 40% beginner (and I can believe that), 30% intermediate (doubtful) and 30% expert (believable). The doubt about intermediate surrounds the definition.
I found that there was a lot of flatish (often requiring a long push to get anywhere) "slopes" and quite a few fairly steep ones but not much in between.
Lift unloads were poorly placed in relation to the load for the next logical lift. That said, it was easy to avoid the worst of the pushes once you worked them out.
Some stunning rides to be had along Skyline, on Challenge and Yamabiko (but not on weekends when it gets a little crowded - Nozawa Onsen is sorta like Thredbo on a good day.)