Nozawa Onsen Ski Guide: Trails, Passes, Rentals & Après-Ski
Whenever we talked to our Japanese and expat friends about skiing in Japan, Nozawa Onsen always came up.
“Have you been to Nozawa? You guys gotta go!” they’d always say. So, during our winter trip to Nagano, we carved out two days and two nights of skiing in Nozawa Onsen.
And while Nozawa lived up to the hype of being a charming Japanese onsen village tucked away in the mountains, its fame has attracted many international tourists and travelers.
There’s a lot to love about Nozawa Onsen, but I definitely don’t want to over-romanticize it.
In this guide, I want to share all about skiing in Nozawa Onsen Ski Resort—from what to expect to the slopes and ski runs to gear rental shops and the free onsens, après-ski scene, and more.
Here’s everything you need to know to plan your ski trip in Nozawa Onsen in Nagano!
Overview of Skiing in Nozawa Onsen
Nozawa’s history & ski culture
Nozawa Onsen’s history as an onsen town dates back to the early 13th century, when mention of it was first recorded. However, ski and snow sports wouldn’t become popular until much later.
The Nozawa Onsen Ski Club was established in 1897, and throughout the early 20th century, skiing and tourism development prospered.
Nozawa soon became famous for its powdery snow and ski + onsen culture, and was further popularized after being chosen as one of the host resorts for the 1998 Nagano Olympics.
Today, Nozawa Onsen retains its charming Japanese village atmosphere, which is so unlike other large-scale, commercialized ski resorts you’ll find across the world and even in Japan.
However, while the village and locals are welcoming and deeply friendly, the international attention has brought with it hordes of expats and foreign-owned cafes, restaurants, and hotels.
The expectation of a sleepy hot spring town is no more; something I wish I had prepared for mentally.
If you ski in Nozawa Onsen, be prepared to rub shoulders with crowds of English speakers, wait in long queues for the ski lifts, and sometimes long queues for food and drinks at izakayas (the constraints of a village having “limited supply”).
All that said, Nozawa is extremely cute and shouldn’t be overlooked for a ski trip in Nagano.
Nozawa ski resort: Mount Kenashi & 3 ski zones
Those who make the effort to get there and deal with the crowds will be rewarded with early mornings of empty, lantern-lit streets, 13 (free) steaming bathhouses, and fluffy, powder snow on fun slopes and 36 runs across Mount Kenashi (1,650m).
That means you can get to all three core areas of Nozawa all on your skis! They are Uenotaira, Yamabiko (best for views and powder), and Kandahar, which is mainly used for steep runs and competitions.
What makes Nozawa’s ski resort extra enticing is its quality snow, fun trails, family-friendliness, and one lift pass to several interconnected ski zones.
Skiing in Nozawa: Overview!
| Elevation | 565–1,650m |
| Ski Area | 300 hectares |
| Lifts | 20 total |
| Runs | 36 (split evenly between beginner, intermediate, and advanced) |
| Longest Run | 10km (from Yamabiko to the village) |
Nozawa Onsen’s skiing is not the largest, grandest, or even most impressive!
However, it has a unique, condensed variety of slopes and runs spread out across Mount Kenashi that caters to all levels—beginners, advanced, and hardcore “off-runs.”
As an intermediate skier, I had so much fun skiing all the way down from atop Mt. Kenashi.
Slopes, forest trails & best routes for beginners
If you want to start your ski day by going all the way to the top of Mt. Kenashi, you’ll need to take the Nagasaka Gondola up to the Yamabiko Station.
Then, ski down trail Yamabiko-4 (intermediate) to reach the Yamabiko “Four” lift to the top. There’s no direct gondola up to the summit otherwise.
For beginner skiers at Nozawa, I recommend taking the Nagasaka Gondola up to the Yamabiko Station (stop 1), then skiing down the green beginner trails in the Uenotaira ski area, all the way down through the Paradise section.
Stay right to continue on the green zig-zag path through the forest and the Tourogi Pass. It will lead you all the way down to the Hikage Gondola/Station. From here, you can go back up to the Uenotaira area, or cut across via a flat trail (#38 — the Nagasaka-Link path) to the Nagasaka Station.
And do it all again, or try the intermediate trails down from Mt. Kenashi!
While we were skiing at Nozawa, we had a snow dump (read: blizzard) which became one of Nozawa’s record snowfalls (mid-February). It was crazy — we could barely see out of our goggles. Miraculously, the clouds lifted, and we had fresh powder to ski in with some sunshine by the end of the day. Amazing!
Lift passes & prices
A 1-day lift pass for Nozawa Onsen Ski Resort costs ¥7,300, while a 2-day (recommended) pass costs ¥13,500.
I definitely recommend staying overnight in Nozawa Onsen (recs below) to soak in the evening après-ski and onsen atmosphere with so many izakayas, shops, and bars (and the free onsens to warm up in, if your accommodation or hotel doesn’t have private on-site hot spring baths).
Two nights felt short, but we booked our hotel late in the season, and nowhere had more than two consecutive nights available. So, we decided to stay two nights and take a two-day ski lift.
Tip: When booking your ryokan or hotel, check if they offer a rental discount or package deal with lift passes.
Gear rentals & ski schools
We showed up in Nozawa Onsen needing to rent… pretty much everything for skiing (except pants, jackets, and gloves, which I picked up at Shiga Kogen the weekend before).
Luckily, you can get what you need on site at several rental locations at the base of each of Nozawa’s slopes.
We decided to rent gear from Sports Thanx, located on the east side of Nozawa town, right in front of the Nagasaka Gondola and Karasawa slopes, and we were happy with our gear (we chose the basic skis and they were great!). They also have a location on the mountain where you can drop gear off.
Note that Nozawa’s rental shops can get pretty busy, but please practice patience! The staff do their best to accommodate the crowds.
There are other shops to rent ski and snowboard gear, but I’d recommend sticking to a shop near the lifts for convenience.
On the northern side of town, by the Hikage Gondola area, is Olive Rentals, located just above Olive Café at the top of the Yu-Road flat escalator (DON’T try to go down this with ski boots on!). Oliver’s is better known for their premium Salomon and Atomic gear.
Planning Your Nozawa Ski Trip
How to get to Nozawa from Tokyo
You can get to Nozawa Onsen from Tokyo in under 3 hours thanks to the Hokuriku Shinkansen (tickets).
The easiest option is to take the Shinkansen from Tokyo Station (or Ueno Station, if you’re closer) all the way to Iiyama Station (about 1 hour 50 minutes). From there, hop on the Nozawa Onsen Liner bus for a 25-minute ride into the village.
However, depending on your Nagano winter itinerary, you can also travel straight from Tokyo Station to Nagano City via Shinkansen and then later take a direct bus transfer from Nagano Station to Nozawa Onsen.
🚨 Just be aware that since Nozawa is very popular, booking your train and ryokan/hotel in advance is highly encouraged!
Best time to ski & snow quality
Nozawa’s ski season usually runs mid-December to late March, with peak snow in January and February.
We skied in mid-February (and midweek — 18th to 20th, to be exact) and experienced heavy crowds, but also prime “Japow” snowfall.
Where to Stay for Skiing
Nozawa Onsen is a small Japanese village with a limited supply of ryokans and hotels. That said, book EARLY to get the best season deals. Click here to check what’s still available.
Because of the tourism, you’ll find all types of accommodation options (and budgets) in Nozawa Onsen.
We stayed at the Lodge Yokochi and had to choose a triple tatami-style room with shared bathrooms on our floor (because of no availability elsewhere). The amenities weren’t awesome, but they did the trick fine (except I got food poisoning from the next-door Mexican restaurant, and not having my own bathroom got tiring really quickly).
I’d stay here again, if only for its convenience to the bus stop, proximity to the gyoza bar, and gear drying and storage rooms. Even after check-out on our last day, we were able to use the lodge’s shared “onsen room,” which no one ever used, so I always had it all to myself.
But there are definitely better places to stay in Nozawa for the price we paid. We’ve seen jaw-droppingly gorgeous ryokan for $190 USD per night to budget lodges for $40 per night.
For accommodation in Nozawa, look for places with:
- Convenient, on-foot access to the bus stop, village center, and one of the ski lifts
- Included or on-site breakfast, so you avoid starting your morning too late on the slopes!
- (Optional) Private hot springs (in case you don’t want to do the open, free bathhouses)
From those criteria, you should find something central, convenient, and cost-effective.
Ryokan & hotels near Hikage Gondola
- Sakaya (luxury ryokan with beautiful onsen baths!)
- Tanuki ⭐️ (best for families and larger groups)
- Kawamotoya (best for groups and apartment-style accommodation)
- Nozawaya (2-star ryokan guesthouse for couples or families)
Hotels near Nagasaki Gondola
If you want to stay near the Nagasaki Gondola (best for getting to the top of the ski resort quicker), then search the map for accommodation nearby.
I recommend these places to stay:
- Tamayura ⭐️ (homely guesthouse right by the station with ski-to-door access!)
- Akari House (cozy studio and apartments for groups)
- Nozawa Peaks (bright, modern Japanese-style rooms)
Après-Ski & Onsens
Free bathhouses (soto-yu)
After skiing, follow the scent of sulfur through Nozawa’s town. This is where Nozawa Onsen gets its name and fame as a Japanese onsen town.
The village is dotted with 13 (or 14, depending on who you ask) free public bathhouses, called soto-yu.
Each bath has its own character and claims to have different mineral and healing properties. The most iconic, Oyu, is in the heart of town and is a must-visit!
It’s unmissable to anyone walking through town; this two-story wooden bathhouse looks samurai-esque and has piping-hot spring water straight from the source. (Seriously, it’s the hottest onsen I’ve been in!)
If you’re staying in a ryokan, you’ll probably have your own private (also gender-separated) onsen as well, in case you’re not comfortable bathing in more public bathhouses or sentos.
Bars & izakayas to unwind
Evenings in Nozawa are fun, which is partially why so many international tourists come skiing here—there are bars, izakayas, and booze aplenty. But you won’t find nightclubs (well, maybe one or two).
Instead, most spots are cozy, family-run izakayas or decked-out international-style bars.
You can find gyozas, pizza, ramen, okonomiyaki, burgers, and tacos in Nozawa—yes, it’s that international!
I have a whole post I’m writing about where to eat in Nozawa… so, stay tuned! For now, here are some of my saved pins and favorites:
- Shohei Soba – Our go-to hot/cold soba noodle shop. Family-owned and not overly busy.
- Winterland – Ugh, plump and delicious gyozas with craft beer on tap. Need I say more!
- Haus St. Anton – yummy oyaki dumplings, from Nagano! Line up outside for these.
- Panorama House Buna – An on-the-slopes option (Paradise area) with delicious katsu curry!
Many ryokans in town also include dinner or kaiseki meals, which significantly helps avoid long queues and the need to make reservations.
Final Tips for First-Time Visitors
Nozawa’s main draw is its ski and onsen culture. Unless you’re staying for a week for full-on powder shredding, there’s not much else to do than ski, soak, ski, soak. Eat? Of course. Drink sake? That too.
But there is more to do during winter in Nagano, and I’ve made a winter itinerary for you in case you’re keen to visit beyond Nozawa (and you should!).
From hiking to snow-covered shrines to visiting the snow monkeys of Jigokudani, there are many more cultural and outdoor adventures to have in Nagano.
If you’re planning your Nagano ski loop, read my Shiga Kogen Ski Guide next! It offers 80 km of trails and a quieter, more expansive but local mountain experience.
A Shiga ski trip is also perfect for combining with Shibu Onsen (another nostalgic and charming onsen town with free bathhouses; much quieter than Nozawa), and the snow monkeys.
Have any questions about skiing in Nozawa Onsen? Ask in the comments below!
