Travel to Nozawa Onsen with ski insurance from Essential Travel

Located in northern Nagano, the snowboard-free ski resort of Nozawa Onsen was Japan’s first ski resort and remains one of the best in the country. Apart from the numerous runs over lengthy and varied terrain, the resort is the venue for many major tournaments and was host of the biathlon competitions at the Nagano Olympics. Nozawa also features several free hot springs that are dotted about the area, some of which date back 700 years.

Nozawa Onsen is a traditional resort with a wonderful atmosphere and it languishes in beautiful surroundings at the foot of Kenashi-yama. The village has about 5,000 residents and boasts a fair amount of history owing to its many hot springs and early skiing days, while a couple of museums, rental and repair facilities, many shops and childcare services make staying here a comfortable experience.

There are 20 slopes stretching for 33 miles at Nozawa Onsen ski resort, the longest of which is a massive six miles, making it one of the longest in Japan. Nozawa doesn’t boast a lofty altitude, but it does enjoy a 3,500-foot vertical and 25 efficient ski lifts that boast a 44,500 person per hour lift capacity.

Nozawa Onsen ski resort has an abundance of accommodation options with about 360 separate establishments, ranging from traditional Japanese-style pensions to Western-style hotels. Most Japanese hotels have a spa, while the après-ski here features 25 restaurants and loads of bars.

If you hanker for some snowboarding, there are numerous ski resorts in northern Nagano that welcome snowboarders, although several of them severely restrict snowboard activities. The 21 resorts of Shiga Kogen are open to both skiers and snowboarders, while Hakuba 47, Sun Alpina and Happo One offer alternative skiing. Nozawa town offers 13 free hot springs, while the museums here provide further entertainment.

Nozawa Onsen ski resort has a long ski season that stretches from November to May and the resort enjoys its best snow in February. A bullet train and bus combination transfer from Tokyo is the fastest way to get to Nozawa if you enter Japan at Narita International Airport.

Skiing in Nozawa Onsen

Nozawa Onsen is a traditional ski resort with a series of lovely hot springs dotted around the ski village and a range of high quality slopes suitable for all abilities. Beginners get some wide and well-groomed slopes, while expert skiers have a good supply of mogul routes. If you are on a budget and don’t like weekend crowds, Nozawa Onsen may not be the best resort for you.

The 20 slopes at Nozawa Onsen ski resort are split into 40 per cent as suitable for beginners, 30 per cent for intermediates and 30 per cent for expert skiers. The longest slope is a respectable six miles and 25 ski lifts operate over the 3,500-foot vertical to provide access to the slopes. There is also much off-piste and cross-country terrain at Nozawa.

Apart from skiing, alternative winter activities at Nozawa Onsen ski resort include snowshoeing, hiking, ski touring and helicopter sightseeing, while plentiful leisure facilities such as a sports centre, swimming pools and saunas will keep you busy in off-slope hours. Thirteen free hot springs are also there for your enjoyment and the après-ski is alive with two-dozen restaurants and many bars.

The ski resort extends from November to May at Nozawa Onsen ski resort and you will find the best snow conditions from late-January to early March. It you fly into Tokyo, regular high-speed bullet trains run to the town of Nagano, from where buses run on to Nozawa Onsen. You also have the option of taking a train from Nagano to Iiyama and then a bus or taxi from there.

Transportation to Nozawa Onsen

Nozawa Onsen ski resort is located in the ski-rich Nagano prefecture in Central Honshu, about 150 miles northwest of Tokyo. Options for getting here from Tokyo or Osaka include driving or by train and bus combination. Travelling by train to Nagano and taking a direct bus to Nozawa is the easiest option.

If you come by car from Tokyo, take the Joshinetsu expressway northwest as far as the Toyota-Iiyama interchange and then take route 117 to Nozawa Onsen ski resort. Alternatively, take the Kanetsu expressway and exit at the Shiozawa-Ishiuchi interchange. The Chuo and Nagano expressways provide access from Osaka.

By train from Tokyo, the Shinkansen bullet train frequently runs to and from Nagano in about 80 or 90 minutes on the Nagano Shinkansen line, from where another limited express service goes to Iiyama on the Iiyama line, with a journey time of 1 hour. Buses and taxis run to Nozawa Onsen ski resort from here, while direct buses leave from Nagano Station to the resort. Trains from Osaka go via Matsumoto and Nagoya.

Flying to Tokyo’s Narita International Airport will present you with the best and fastest transfer options for getting to Nozawa Onsen ski resort, whether by car or train. The Narita Express regularly runs to Tokyo’s main station, from where bullet trains run to Nagano.

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