Nozawa Onsen Village Guide: What to Do Beyond the Slopes
- Last Updated On September 15, 2026
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Nozawa Onsen is a traditional Japanese ski village around two hours from Tokyo, and one of the best places to swap the neon and crowds for something slower and peaceful.
We spent 4 months living in Nozawa Onsen during the ski season and completely fell in love with the place. This Nozawa Onsen guide covers our favourite things to do in the village, the free onsens you shouldn’t miss. And how to get there from Tokyo.
In a Rush? Here Are Our Favourite Hotels in Nozawa Onsen
Nozawa Onsen: A Brief History
Nozawa Onsen has a rich ski history and is one of Japan’s oldest ski areas.
Skiing was first introduced to the area in 1897, with the Nozawa Onsen Ski Club formally established in 1918.
When you visit, you’ll see the name Schneider throughout the village and on the mountain. That’s because it was the Austrian skier Hannes Schneider that introduced modern alpine ski techniques to the area in 1930, and why Nozawa Onsen shares a sister-village relationship with St. Anton in Austria, Schneider’s hometown. They also named what is probably the most difficult run on the resort after him.
Why Should You Visit Nozawa Onsen
If you’re looking for incredible powder skiing that is only a short journey from Tokyo, then Nozawa Onsen is the place.. Nozawa offers a charm that you don’t find in western ski resorts. It’s low-key, with nights ending in a traditional Japanese onsen rather than a packed bar till 3am.
The village offers everything you could need and more, whilst still retaining that small village vibe that we came to love. The mountain, whilst small by European standards, is incredibly charming and has easy access to that desirable Japanese powder skiing.
There’s plenty to see and do in and around the village that you could easily fill a couple of days here on a trip to Japan, even if you aren’t skiing (although we recommend you do)!
How to Get to Nozawa Onsen
Travel Time: ~ 2 hours from central Tokyo
Fare: ~ ¥9290 (¥8690 Shinkansen + ¥600 Nozawa Bus)
From Tokyo Station you can catch the Hokuriku Shinkansen to Iiyama City in 1 hour 40 minutes. Upon arrival at Iiyama you’ll find the Nozawa liner bus stop just as you exit the station. The bus from Iiyama station to Nozawa Onsen takes around 25 minutes and runs approximately every hour in the winter season. We recommend planning your Shinkansen journey so that it lines up with the Nozawa liner. One of the great things about Japan’s rail system is that it regularly runs on time!
Best Things to do in Nozawa Onsen
Experience a Traditional Japanese Onsen
Do you know what’s better than a Japanese onsen experience? A free one.
There aren’t many places this close to Tokyo that provide the accessibility and convenience of an onsen experience. Not unless you’re staying in a ryokan near Mt. Fuji or paying for a day-use onsen.
The onsen experience involves stripping down to your birthday suit in a public bath house (onsen), washing yourself with a bucket or shower and then soaking your body in the 40°C natural hot spring bath.
Nozawa Onsen is home to 13 free onsens, spread throughout the village. That means that no matter where you stay in the village, there’s almost certainly an onsen nearby.
Our local was Shinden-no-yu and honestly, there’s nothing better than finishing a hard day of skiing and soaking in an onsen. We’re convinced it’s the only thing that kept our muscles from aching after skiing for weeks on end.
The free onsens in Nozawa are small and very basic. If you’re wanting an experience with a few more amenities there is a paid onsen in the village, Furusato-no-yu, which includes showers, soaps, and even has an outdoor onsen as well!
Don’t feel like bathing in public? Book a ryokan stay in Nozawa Onsen that has the option to hire a private onsen.
World Famous Japanese Powder Skiing
Let’s face it, this is the main draw to Nozawa. At its heart Nozawa Onsen is known for its ski resort, thousands flock to the mountain every winter to get a taste of incredible Japanese powder skiing, and we’ve seen why!
Even if you haven’t skied before, skiing in Japan is a great place to learn. Nozawa has 9 beginner slopes, 16 intermediate slopes and 16 advanced slopes. Meaning there’s plenty of terrain for all skill levels.
But it’s not the in-bounds piste skiing that makes Japan famous. It’s the powder.
Nozawa Onsen is a great place to catch untouched powder runs straight off the top of the mountain, with no need to hike out for it! It’s a truly magical experience floating your way through the softest, fluffiest powder snow you’ll ever see. It’s completely changed our view of skiing, we’ve left the groomers behind and are already planning to work another season here.
We spent the 24/25 ski season living and working in Nozawa Onsen and have become more than familiar with everything this mountain has to offer. If you’re planning a ski trip to Japan and are considering Nozawa, then check out our dedicated ski guide to Nozawa Onsen.
Visit the Snow Monkeys
There’s an incredible phenomenon in Jigokudani Monkey Park near Nozawa where Japanese Macaque visit an outdoor hot spring every winter. These guys are lovingly referred to as the ‘Snow Monkeys’ and are absolutely worth a visit if you’re in the area.
We’ve seen Orangutans in Borneo and Long-Tail Macaque in Bali, but we’ve never seen anything like this. Just watching these little guys chilling in a hot spring bath really does bring to light how similar we are!
From Nozawa Onsen you have two options to visit the Snow Monkeys.
- Hire a car in Iiyama and drive (1 hour)
- Join a guided tour.
We visited as part of a larger staff trip and rented cars to get there. If you are going to rent a car and drive, make sure you’re comfortable driving in the snow and have winter tyres.
For most people the easiest way to get there is to join a guided tour. As it’s such a short distance away and you’re already making the journey out, we recommend joining an extended tour to make a bit more of the day!
Cafe Hop Around Town
One of our favourite non-ski related activities in Nozawa is to simply wander around the town, hopping from café to café.
Nozawa is home to some incredibly cute and cosy cafes that breathe warmth into you on a cold winter’s day.
Some of our regulars from the season:
- Tanuki Café – Our go to café for a special occasion. I had a delicious breakfast from here on my birthday before hitting the slopes.
- Nappa Café – Incredible spot for an affordable curry lunch and decorated with lots of knick-knacks.
- St. Anton – Both in the village and on the Hikage plateau, although the village shop sells incredible steamed sweet buns!
- Akari House Swiss Bakery – We were sharing a house with the staff from the bakery, safe to say we’ve eaten our fair share of delicious pastries and sweet treats from here.
It’s a great way to see the village and get lost amongst the winding streets and steaming hot springs.
Witness Japan’s Hottest Festival - Dosojin Fire Festival
There aren’t many places you can go in the world where an entire village turns up to set fire to all the local 43 year old men.
That’s exactly what happens every year in Nozawa Onsen during the Dosojin Fire Festival, which takes place from 13th -15th January.
On the final day of the festival once the pyre is built and the preparations are made, all the 43 year old local men in the village sit on top of a huge pyre, whilst the 25 year old men defend it from the villagers wielding flaming torches.
Skin gets burned and hair gets singed, but it’s fine because so much sake has been drunk that no-one feels a thing! Until the morning…
It’s an incredible sight to witness and can only be done if you’re living or staying in the village. The festival begins with the two age groups racing each other to carry beech trees from the Hikage plateau to the festival site at the bottom of the village. It’s worth being here for every day of the festival to feel truly immersed in it!
We’ve written a full guide on everything you need to know about Dosojin Fire Festival.
Where to Stay in Nozawa Onsen
Whilst we were staying in a shared staff house during the ski season, one of our jobs was to clean and service a number of apartments throughout the village.
We also had a number of friends visit over Christmas and stay in the village, so we’ve got a good feel of what hotels and apartments are best for a trip to Nozawa.
Check out some of our favourite hotels in Nozawa Onsen:
We’re written a full breakdown of where to stay in Nozawa Onsen so you can choose the right area for your trip!
Final Tips for Visiting Nozawa Onsen
This Nozawa Onsen guide wouldn’t be complete without a few practical tips
Don’t be afraid to visit Nozawa Onsen if you’ve never skied before or you’re just a beginner. We lived and skied with people who’d never even seen snow before!
There’s plenty of things to see and do in the village and surrounding area besides skiing. Visiting Nozawa is a great way to escape the city life and experience the Japanese countryside, something not a lot of visitors to Japan do.
If this is your first time visiting Nozawa or Japan in general, here’s a few tips to make the process smoother:
Getting to Nozawa Onsen is going to be easier with a Suica card. You can use it on the train and the Nozawa Liner, so it’s worth setting one up before you travel. We’ve written a full guide on setting up a Suica card.
Getting an eSIM is also a good idea, as reliable data makes using Google Maps and Google Translate so much easier. Even after 10 months in Japan, we still relied on them daily. Check out our guide to the best eSIM options in Japan.
While cards are accepted almost everywhere in Japan now, it’s still worth carrying some cash for smaller shops, restaurants and stalls, especially in Nozawa. We recommend bringing a fee-free debit card, such as Chase or Revolut, and using it at the international ATM in the village.
Japan is a very safe country, but travel insurance is still worth having, especially if you’re skiing! It can cover things like lost luggage, cancelled flights and theft, as well as giving you extra protection throughout your trip. Make sure you arrange it before you fly. We’ve put together a guide to the best travel insurance for long-term trips, which includes winter sports coverage.
Finally, it’s worth learning a few basic Japanese phrases before you arrive. You don’t need to be fluent, but knowing phrases like konnichiwa (hello), sumimasen (excuse me) and arigatou (thank you) can go a long way. Bonus points for using gochisousama deshita after a meal.
If you have any questions about this Nozawa Onsen guide be sure to leave a comment down below or reach out to us on Instagram.
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Hi! We’re Mark & Sarah.
We’ve been travelling the world together for the past 4 years. Exploring destinations such as Europe, South America, South East Asia, Japan and Australia. Now we’re sharing everything we’ve learned on our travels, to help you get out there and have your own adventures!
