Nozawa Onsen: A Traditional Japanese Experience
Nozawa Onsen is a village in the Nagano Prefecture of Japan. Originally an uneventful town known only locally for its natural hot springs, Nozawa Onsen is known today as the home of the Nozawa Onsen Ski Resort, one of the most popular in Japan. But more than its powder and its hot springs, Nozawa Onsen is an authentic experience of traditional Japan - shining through its architecture, its temples and its cuisine, among other things.
Best Time to Visit
The busiest season in Nozawa Onsen is the ski season, typically from months of November to May. Make sure to book your Nozawa Onsen accommodations in advance. If it’s not the ski experience you are after, then any time of the year is ideal. One of the many Nozawa Onsen events worth your while is the Nozawa Fire Festival in January, a tradition where villagers light up an 18-meter shrine they have built specifically just for the event.
What to Do & Area Attractions
Take the whole family on a trip to the Nagano Chausuyama Zoo where you can see more than 700 animals roaming freely in a spacious and safe enclosure. Visit the Hachiman-para Historic Park and relax amidst grassy fields and a small river while the kids enjoy the playground. Fall in love with the quiet but impressively beautiful Kenmei-ji Temple and its many shrines. Stay at one of the Japanese-style rooms or get one with a western bed at Fureai No Yado Yasuragi, highly rated for its owners and location. Lodge Matsuya is also known for its location, cozy rooms and its own hot spring.