Where To Stay In Nozawa Onsen?
One of the most popular ski resorts in Japan, Nozawa Onsen boasts some excellent terrain, great snow conditions and lively action off the mountain. The resort is serviced by Nozawa Onsen village, a historic hot spring town offering visitors plenty of accommodation, restaurants and bars to enjoy. On this page you will find the following information:
— Best Places to Stay in Nozawa
— Accommodation & Ski Packages Nozawa
— Nozawa Onsen Ski Resort: The Stats & Facts
— Japan Ski Resorts: Everything You Need to Know
— 25 Things to Do Around Nozawa
— Tours & Charters from Nozawa Onsen
Nozawa Onsen is a historic hot spring town with a history dating back more than 1000 hours. The area is blessed with numerous natural water sources with multiple public ‘onsen’ (hot springs) dotted through the town and many guesthouses and hotels having their own in-house baths. Accommodation ranges from high-end to budget with an increasing number of Western-style, self-contained apartments and lodges popping-up each season. As Nozawa’s popularity continues to grow, an increasing number of restaurants and bars are also opening, offering visitors some of Japan’s best apres ski in winter.
Based in Nagano and operating all year round, we are a registered travel agent, tour and charter operator. We can arrange accommodation, transport, ticketing, rental, tours or put it all together into a ski package at Nozawa Onsen. For more information, see ‘Tours & Charters from Nozawa Onsen’ below. Now let’s get into it with the big question:
BEST PLACES TO STAY IN NOZAWA
Nozawa Onsen is a reasonably-sized village spread-out along the base of ski resort. Accommodation can be found at the base of the ski runs with the majority of hotels and guesthouses found further down the hill in the main area of the village. While you can walk between most areas of the village, it’s a good idea to be clear on the exact location of your accommodation and how easy it is to access the ski runs while also avoiding unnecessarily long walks over ice and snow when heading-out at night.
For accommodation listings, see our ‘Nozawa Onsen Area’ hotel page. Looking at the resort’s trail map, Nozawa Onsen can be divided into three areas:
NAGASAKA AREA / central village
The Nagasaka ski fields sit in the middle of the resort and are serviced by the Nagasaka Gondola – one of two gondolas in the resorts. The main parking areas also found in this area – between Nagasaka and Karasawa – meaning that most skiers and snowboarders start and end their days in Nagasaka. From the base of the resort, the village is spread down the hill with the Chuo Bus Terminal – the approximate middle of the village – located 10-minutes walk down the hill from the Nagasaka Gondola.
This area has the most accommodation options, restaurants and bars. Walking-up and down the hill to the base of the ski runs is trying at the best of times, but especially so if you need to lug a lot of gear with you over ice and snow. If you want to avoid that walk each morning, choose accommodation close to the base of the runs.
HIKAGE AREA / north village
Looking at the map above, the Hikage ski fields sit to the left of Nagasaka – or in real terms, to the north. The resort’s second gondola, the Hikage Gondola, is located in this area making providing access to the upper reaches of the resort. Much older than the new Nagasaka Gondola and located much further from the main car parks, being based around the Hikage Gondola is a great way to avoid the queues in the morning.
A number of hotels and guesthouses are located around the bottom of the ski run with more dotted through the streets descending into the main village. This area has some restaurants and bars but is far less lively at night than the central area of the village. Depending on the exact location of your guesthouse, staying in this area still places you within 5 to 10-minutes of main dining and nightlife area, while being notably quieter – a great option for visitors wanting to avoid any disturbance at night. For visitors staying in the area, we recommend:
NOZAWA GRAND HOTEL
Neary Ski Resort
Hot Spring Hotel
| Nozawa Grand Hotel | |
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| Area | NOZAWA ONSEN |
| Type | Hotel |
| Feature | Concierge ServicesDinner & Breakfast IncludedEnglish-SpeakingFamily RoomsFree WifiJapanese RoomsNearby Ski Resort / Ski-in Ski-outOnsen / Hot SpringOutdoor OnsenPrivate BathroomRestaurantWestern Rooms |
| Price | JPY12,000 ~ 35,000 / pp |
Located at the northern end of village, Nozawa Grand Hotel offers guests a comfortable and convenient stay while allowing easy access to the ski fields along with restaurants and entertainment of the village. Guests have a choice of both Japanese and Western-style rooms, an in-house restaurant and indulgent men’s and women’s hot springs with fantastic views across the village and toward the ski runs. One of Nozawa’s most established hotels, Nozawa Grand is a proven favourite with international visitors especially families looking for a little more space and quiet to unpack and unwind.
KARASAWA AREA / south village
Again referring to the map above, the Karasawa ski fields sit to the right of the central Nagasaka area – or in real terms, to the south. This area also has car parks but no gondola with a two chairlifts providing access to the runs in the immediate area and across to the Nagasaka Gondola. The absence of a gondola means that Karasawa is less convenient than Nagasaka and Hikage in terms of accessing the overall resort, however for that reason you can expect far fewer people there.
There’s some good accommodation options located along the base of the ski runs, allowing immediate access – a good option if you want to enjoy the snow on those runs while the morning queues clear from the Nagasaka Gondola before heading that direction. Just be aware that for the more distant accommodation, you might face a long walk into the centre of town at night to enjoy the restaurants and bars. For visitors staying in the area, we recommend:
THE RIDGE NOZAWA APARTMENTS
| The Ridge Nozawa Apartments | |
| Area | NOZAWA ONSEN |
| Type | Self-Contained |
| Feature | Bar/LoungeConcierge ServicesEnglish-SpeakingFamily RoomsFree WifiJapanese RoomsKitchenetteNearby Ski Resort / Ski-in Ski-outPrivate BathroomRestaurantSki / Snowboard RentalWestern Rooms |
| Price | |
Visitors looking for self-contained, Western-style accommodation in Nozawa Onsen should look no further than The Ridge Nozawa Apartments. Located within walking distance of the resort’s Karasawa slopes, The Ridge offers high-end apartments ideally-suited to international visitors including families. The hotel offers Western-style rooms and bedding with an emphasis on space, comfort and privacy. All rooms include private bathrooms including a toilet, shower and bath along with kitchenette, and lounge areas.
ACCOMMODATION & SKI PACKAGES IN NOZAWA
Based in Nagano and operating all year round, we are a registered travel agent, tour and charter operator offering a full-suite of winter services including ski/snowboard packages, accommodation, lift passes, private charters and a range of tours including both group and private options covering Nozawa Onsen:
NOZAWA ONSEN ACCOMMODATION & SKI PACKAGES
Nozawa offers skiers and snowboarders around 300 hectares of terrain accessible via 36 trails and courses. By Japanese standards this makes Nozawa Onsen a medium-sized resort, ideally-suited to snowboarders and skiers who love its powder and lively village which offers plenty of dining and fun at night. Accommodation ranges from high-end to mid-range ‘ryokan’ (traditional guesthouses), Western-style hotels, budget ski lodges and an increasing number of luxury options including self-contained chalets – PLAN & BOOK IN NOZAWA NOW!
NOZAWA ONSEN SKI RESORT: THE STATS & FACTS
Nozawa offers skiers and snowboarders around 300 hectares of terrain accessible via 36 trails and courses. By Japanese standards this makes Nozawa Onsen a medium-sized resort which is easy to move around given a good setup of gondolas and lifts. Ideally-suited to snowboarders who love its powder and youthful atmosphere, Nozawa continues to grow in popularity year-on-year. For all the stats, facts and highlights, see our ‘Nozawa Onsen Ski Resort’ main page.
JAPAN SKI RESORTS: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW
Did you know that Nozawa Onsen is just one of the more than eighty ski resorts in Nagano and more than five hundred in Japan? Needless to say, when you choose Nagano for your winter getaway you are spoiled for choice! Our ‘Japan Ski Resorts’ page has everything you need to know to start planning your ski and snowboard adventure including: LATEST NEWS & DEALS, THE BEST RESORTS IN NAGANO & JAPAN, FAQs and of course OUR SKI PACKAGES, ACCOMMODATION, TRANSPORT & TOURS.
25 THINGS TO DO AROUND NOZAWA
Long before Nozawa Onsen was a snow resort, it was famous for the healing powers of its thermal water and as a place of refuge. With a history stretching back more than 1000 years, Nozawa is one of Japan’s most famous ‘onsen’ (natural hot spring) towns, a legacy that lives on today in its free public hot springs, quaint streets and rural backbone. Our ’25 Things To Do Around Nozawa’ page has some great information about what’s on offer all-year-round.
HOW TO GET TO NOZAWA
Located at the northern end of Nagano Prefecture, Nozawa Onsen is easy to reach using public transport or by driving yourself. As a stop on the Hokuriku Shinkansen line running from Tokyo to Kanazawa, Iiyama Station is a convenient hub from where to reach Nozawa by bus or taxi, allowing visitors to head to and from the area quickly and comfortably. For information on just how to get there, see our ‘How To Get To Nozawa Onsen – Nagano Ski Resort Info’ page.
TOURS AND CHARTERS FROM NOZAWA
As one of Nagano’s top tour operators, we are proud to provide a number of services including tours and private charters, starting from Nozawa Onsen. With so much to do in Central Japan, the easiest way to make the best of your time is to leave the planning to us!
1 Day Tour
| (Winter Only) 1-Day Tour From Nozawa Onsen: Snow Monkeys, Zenkoji Temple & Sake | |
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| Period | December to March |
| Time | 08:50-18:00 |
| Meeting Place | Nozawa Onsen |
| Adult Rate | ¥17,800 |
| Child Rate | ¥11,000 |
Offering pick up from multiple locations in Nozawa, this fun and educational tour brings you to the Jigokudani Monkey Park to get up close and personal with the famous hot spring loving snow monkeys. After that, you will be treated to a tasty Japanese lunch before visiting Nagano City and the historic Zenko-ji temple, one of Japan’s oldest and most important Buddhist sites.
Private Tour
| [START FROM NOZAWA/MADARAO] Private Snow Monkey Tour | |
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| Period | All Year Round |
| Time | 09:00 to 17:15 ~ 18:30 |
| Meeting Place | Any location in Nozawa Onsen/Madarao Kogen |
| Price | ¥170,300 ~ / group |
For a more personalized experience, you and your group can book our private tour of the Monkey Park and Zenko-ji Temple. With a guide and vehicle set apart for the whole day to tend to only your group, you can go at your own pace and have the guide’s undivided attention. You may also store any luggage you have in the vehicle throughout the day, taking the hassle out of getting around.
Beyond just tours, we also offer private charters using our fleet of clean and modern vehicles. With door-to-door service, we can pick up you up from where you are and take you to where you want to go anywhere in Central Japan and neighboring regions. Attaching a guide and making your day out into a private tour for just your group is also possible, and a great option if you would like to go somewhere that isn’t included in one of our other tours. For more information, please click HERE to check availability and pricing for your trip.
