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Nozawa Onsen
Nozawa Onsen ski resort has 44 courses of 100% natural powder above one of Japan's oldest onsen villages — with 13 free hot springs in Nozawa Onsen village to soak in when you're done.
Buy Shinkansen ticket to Iiyama →About the resort
A ski town built around its onsen
Nozawa Onsen has been a hot-spring village for over a thousand years and a Nozawa Onsen ski resort since the 1920s — one of Japan's oldest. Three ridgelines fan out from Mt. Kenashi's 1,650 m summit, all on 100% natural snow, with the village's narrow, steaming streets waiting at the bottom for post-Nozawa ski soaking.
♨️ 13 free hot springs
Soto-yu scattered through Nozawa Onsen village, free to enter, open to everyone — the classic Nozawa après.
❄️ 100% natural snow
No snowmaking needed: three storm-facing ridgelines keep the Nozawa Onsen ski powder deep and reliable all season.
🏔 1,085 m vertical
One of the biggest vertical drops in Nagano, from three connected ridgelines above the village.
🎋 A century of ski history
Lifts since the 1950s, a gondola since 1979, and the Japan Ski Museum still standing in the village.
Terrain by level
Getting there
Tokyo to Nozawa Onsen, step by step
Book your Shinkansen ticket online
Choose your date and train, pay online, and receive your QR voucher by email.
Hokuriku Shinkansen: Tokyo → Iiyama
Print your tickets from your QR voucher at a station ticket machine, then board.
approx. 100 minNozawa Onsen Liner: Iiyama Station → village
The direct Nozawa Onsen bus runs from bus stop No. 4 at Iiyama Station's Chikumagawa (main) exit to the Chuo Terminal in the village center. No reservation needed. See the full timetable ↓
approx. 25 min · ¥600Free shuttle to the lifts
A free village shuttle loops between the onsen streets and the Nagasaka and Hikage gondola stations.
approx. 10 minResort info
The mountain, by the numbers
A big, old-school resort with an even older village at its feet.
| Courses | 44 across three ridgelines: Nagasaka, Kandatsu, and Uenotaira |
|---|---|
| Longest run | 10 km (Skyline Course) |
| Vertical drop | 1,085 m |
| Top elevation | 1,650 m (Mt. Kenashi) |
| Snow | 100% natural — no snowmaking |
| Terrain mix | 40% beginner · 35% intermediate · 25% advanced |
| Season | Late November – early May |
| Getting around | Nozawa Onsen Liner bus from Iiyama Station (approx. 25 min, ¥600); free shuttle loops the village to all lift stations |
Winter services
An onsen village, sorted for visitors
Decades of international skiers have left Nozawa well set up in English.
🎿 Rentals
Village shops rent all-mountain and powder gear; book ahead for peak weeks.
🎓 Ski & snowboard schools
English-language lessons and first-timer packages run daily.
👶 Kids park & childcare
A dedicated kids' park and childcare options sit near the Hikage base.
📦 Luggage delivery
Takkyubin courier delivers ski bags to your Nozawa Onsen lodge or ryokan.
Village info
One of Japan's original onsen villages
Nozawa Onsen village predates the ski resort by centuries — narrow lanes, steaming soto-yu on every corner, and ryokan and lodges built around the hot springs.
- Soto-yu — 13 free public bathhouses dot the village — bring a small towel and soap; locals maintain them as a community tradition.
- Ryokan, lodges & minshuku — Traditional inns and Nozawa Onsen lodges with home cooking and their own baths cluster along the main street.
- Dosojin Fire Festival — Held every January 15th — one of Japan's great fire festivals, right in the village.
- Japan Ski Museum — A small museum tracing Nozawa's century of ski history, walkable from the village center.
Restaurant & nightlife
Soba, sake, and soaking
Après in Nozawa means moving between onsen and izakaya along the same steaming streets.
- Local specialties — Nozawana pickled greens, buckwheat soba, and hearty nabe hotpot are village staples.
- Izakaya & bars — A handful of cozy, English-friendly izakaya and bars cluster near the village center.
- Ryokan dinners — Many inns serve elaborate multi-course dinners — reserve when you book your room.
- Good to know — Bring small change (and a towel) for the soto-yu — most are unstaffed and run on trust.
When to go
Nozawa Onsen season at a glance
Getting here
Iiyama Station → Nozawa Onsen Bus
The Nozawa Onsen Liner runs year-round between Iiyama Shinkansen Station and the Chuo Terminal in the village, taking about 25 minutes. No reservation is required. Times below are the schedule published for March 30 – November 30, 2026; a separate winter timetable is issued for the ski season, so please confirm with the operator before your trip.
| Depart Iiyama Stn. | Arrive Nozawa Onsen |
|---|---|
| 8:45 | 9:10 |
| 10:00 | 10:25 |
| 10:45 | 11:10 |
| 12:30 | 12:55 |
| 13:40 | 14:05 |
| 15:15 | 15:40 |
| 17:30 | 17:55 |
| 18:55 | 19:20 |
| 20:15 | 20:40 |
| 21:20 | 21:45 |
From Kanazawa: 7:32 / 8:35 / 9:34 / 10:33 / 12:13 / 14:13 / 16:07 / 18:12 / 19:28 / 20:24
| Depart Nozawa Onsen | Arrive Iiyama Stn. |
|---|---|
| 6:30 | 6:55 |
| 7:40 | 8:05 |
| 8:30 | 8:55 |
| 9:30 | 9:55 |
| 11:15 | 11:40 |
| 13:00 | 13:25 |
| 14:20 | 14:45 |
| 16:50 | 17:15 |
| 18:15 | 18:40 |
| 19:35 | 20:05 |
To Kanazawa: 8:16 / 9:43 / 10:28 / 12:17 / 13:02 / 15:02 / 17:03 / 18:20 / 20:01 / 21:00
| Fare (one way) | ¥600 adult · ¥300 child (age 7–12) |
|---|---|
| Journey time | approx. 25 min |
| Payment | Suica (one passenger only), or buy a ticket at the machine before boarding |
| Boarding point | Iiyama Station, Chikumagawa (main) exit — bus stop No. 4 |
| Reservation | Not required · operates year-round |
ℹ Intermediate stops (Kita-Iiyama, Maezaka, Nakao, Shinden) are cash-only. Check the latest schedule at Nozawa Onsen Kotsu.
Good to know
Nozawa Onsen FAQ
Do I go via Nagano or Iiyama Station?
Do I need to book the Nozawa Onsen bus in advance?
Is there a Nozawa Onsen Station?
Are the hot springs really free?
Is Nozawa good for beginners?
How does the Shinkansen ticket work?