Areas / Central Honshu
Nozawa Onsen 野沢温泉
A traditional hot-spring village with a big resort on Mt Kenashi, deep beech-forest powder and sidecountry touring.
- Prefecture
- Nagano
- Season
- Dec – Apr
- Level
- Intermediate+
- Nearest airport
- Tokyo Haneda (HND) / Narita (NRT)
- By rail
- Iiyama station (Hokuriku Shinkansen), then about 25 min by bus
Resort accessTree skiingShort tours
Nozawa Onsen combines a traditional hot-spring village with one of Japan’s larger ski resorts on Mt Kenashi. Heavy snowfall and wide beech forests make for excellent tree skiing.
With a guide, you can go beyond the resort for short tours and quieter forest runs. It’s a good step from resort skiing into the backcountry. Then you finish the day in one of the village’s public baths.
Why a guide: a guide knows where you can legally and safely leave the resort, and where the best snow is sheltered from the wind.
Highlights
- Beautiful beech forests with deep powder
- Short tours from the top of the resort on Mt Kenashi
- Traditional village with free public onsen baths
- Easy to combine with Myoko or Hakuba
Main hazards
- Tree wells and gullies in deep snow
- Avalanche terrain beyond the resort boundary
- Heavy, wet snow at lower elevations in warm spells
Conditions change daily. Check the latest avalanche and weather information, carry beacon, probe and shovel, and ski with a qualified guide if you don't know the area. See our safety guide.
Where to stay
Ski Nozawa Onsen with a certified local guide
Tell us your dates, group and ability. We match you with a certified guide who knows the terrain and today's snow, and send you a quote. Requesting is free and there's no obligation to book.
Request a guide