Snow Weekend in Nozawa Onsen (Nagano)

Note: Japan is not yet open for tourism. We currently reside in Japan. I hope this trip report is helpful for future planning or others currently in Japan.

# Overview
We spent three days skiing and snowboarding over a long weekend in this cool onsen village. We even got to eat dinner in a Kamakura igloo (Jan-Feb only). The snow season at Nozawa runs from Mid-December until early May so plenty of time to plan a trip in winter. If you like Japow this is a great spot as it gets heaps of snow. For more info on the slopes and rental gear options check out the links below.

– [Nozawa Onsen](https://en.nozawaski.com/)
– [Nozawa Onsen Guide](https://nozawa-onsen.com/)
– [11 Things To Do in Nozawa](https://nozawa-onsen.com/11-must-see-things-in-nozawa-onsen/)
– [JapanGuide: Nozawa](https://www.japan-guide.com/destinations/nozawa-onsen/nozawa-ski-resort.html)

It snowed almost non-stop the entire weekend we were in Nozawa. Not surprising as the [2021-2022 winter has had record breaking snowfall.](https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2022/02/25/japan-snow-record-depth-tsunan-hokkaido/) Hopefully next year’s snowfall will be heavy too.

# Getting There
If you drive here in winter you will need snow tires and chains. It’s deep snow country. You could also take the Shinkansen to Iiyama station and then a bus to Nozawa. During winter, there’s a free ski shuttle bus that will take you to the various main stops but if you stay in the main village you’ll likely be walkable to the [Yu Road Moving Walkway](https://www.nozawaholidays.com/news/yu-road-nozawa-onsen/) that will take you up to the Hikage Gondola, Kids Snow Park, and Zipline area. It runs during the day until
4:30 pm.

– [JapanGuide: Nozawa – Getting There and Around](https://www.japan-guide.com/destinations/nozawa-onsen/how-to-get-there-and-around.html)

# [Winterland Lodge and Taproom](https://goo.gl/maps/Fmg89C6g5v8Z8Y9HA)
We stayed here for 3 nights with a group of friends and it was a great spot! The location is right in the center of town and about a 10-15 minute walk to the Yu Moving Road to take you up to a lift or just hop on the free shuttle bus to the lifts from the parking lot across the street. Dry room is right at ground entrance so easy to stash your gear. The rooms were bigger than we thought from the pictures. We were just a couple so only used the bottom large bed, but if friends are sharing the room or for families there is a top bunk and a pull out trundle bed too. The heater works well and you can control the temperature in your room which is nice. Small, in room bathroom and nice size fridge too. There is a shared microwave in the hall.

The best part was the Cafe and Taproom here though! Great coffee and pastries in the morning/day and starting at 3 pm they serve excellent Gyoza. Our group ate here for dinner one night and devoured almost everything on the menu. It gets crowded though so best to make a reservation as this is a popular spot – especially during their happy hour. Great selection of craft beer on tap too. We spent a lot of our down time here. On Sat/Sun the cafe serves a full breakfast and I highly recommend the breakfast burrito.

Only cons are that the walls in the rooms are thin. You will hear your neighbors. This is not uncommon in Japan though so we pack a travel-sized white noise machine which really helps. There’s also not any lobby/hang out spot other than the taproom. No parking, but it’s right next to here the bus drops off if coming by public transit. If driving, message Winterland to enquire about where to park. Overall, had a great stay at Winterland and would definitely stay here again.

There are ski in/out lodging options near the lifts but the con is at night you have to walk down/up the hills in the snow if you want to eat at the restaurants.

# Onsen
Nozawa has a series of [13 free public onsen](https://madaraokogen.com/nozawa-onsen/nozawa-onsen-hot-springs/) you can use. No one seemed to care about tattoos and there were no signs saying tattoos not allowed so I would say the free ones are tattoo-friendly onsen. Beware though, the waters here are very, very hot. There is a cold water tap you can turn on to cool down the water slightly if you are lucky enough to have the onsen to yourself or if the other people using the onsen agree to turn on the cold water. While free, there is a donation box outside to drop in a 100 yen coin to help with maintenance. These are basic onsen and you must bring your own towel and soap/shampoo. To bathe before going in the onsen, use the small buckets to dip out hot water from the onsen bath. This will help acclimate you to the heat a bit but be prepared that you may only be able to stay in for a couple minutes. These are some of the hottest onsen I’ve tried during my time in Japan.

I tried:
– [Oyu Bath House](https://goo.gl/maps/YmyBSUTaryJXxrok9)
– [Shinden-no-yu](https://goo.gl/maps/3NJLjoksY9qxBqEK7)
– [Sotoyu Kawaharayu](https://goo.gl/maps/EFpSWHtNhGzZBuaG7)
– [Yokochi-no-yu (Across the street from Winterland Lodge)](https://goo.gl/maps/HKqyKKEutXC8iCMKA)

## Day-Use/Paid Onsen

If you’d like to take an onsen in water that is a more normal temperature, head to [Furusato no Yu. ](https://goo.gl/maps/TdDMSbSLVc1zvLnm7)It’s 500 yen for adults, there are showers stalls with soap/shampoo provided, hairdryers in the changing room, and you can rent a towel at the front desk. I would go try out one or two of the free super hot public onsen then come here last to take a nice shower/wash hair and relax looking out at the snow from their outdoor bath. Three of us used the onsen here with tattoos and had no issues. If you are unsure about your tattoos, ask at your lodging for their advice.

We didn’t visit here, but there is also an onsen where you can wear swimsuits in the outdoor area so it’s mixed gender. I don’t know whether they allow tattoos or not though. Ask at your lodging for their advice. See [https://en.nozawaski.com/the-village/activities/nozawa-onsen-sparena/](https://en.nozawaski.com/the-village/activities/nozawa-onsen-sparena/)

## [Onsen Egg](https://en.nozawaski.com/the-village/welcome/hotspring-cooking-and-bathing/)
If you like hard boiled eggs, one fun thing to try is boiling your own onsen tamago (egg) in the super hot waters of [Ogama Park.](https://goo.gl/maps/DwDNTMkkpNjuic557)

## [Nozawa Stamp Rally/Trail](https://japanjourneys.jp/nagano/nozawa-onsen/japan-journeys-style/stamp-trail/)
As you visit various onsen and spots around the village you’ll spot wooden poles with rubbing plates on them. This is Nozawa’s stamp rally. You’ll need to buy a special packet of paper first from the [Tourist Info Center,](https://goo.gl/maps/57wcGa3psvvRjiVD8) a great place to get English brochures too. Then take a rubbing at all the places you visit. Unfortunately, in winter the poles get covered by snow drifts so this is a better activity when it’s not snowing heavily. I only managed to get two rubbings before all the poles were covered as it snowed non-stop the entire weekend we were there.

# Restaurants
There are numerous good restaurants in the village and due to its compact size it’s easy to walk to them if you’re staying in the village area. If you’re staying in one of the ski in/out places up the hill be prepared to walk down/up to the village each night. Everywhere we went had English menus and lots of staff at shops/restaurants in town speak some English (often perfect English).

– [Winterland Taproom:](https://goo.gl/maps/Fmg89C6g5v8Z8Y9HA) Great coffee and pastries during day, full breakfast on Sat/Sun, large selection of craft beer on tap, and from 3 pm til closing excellent Gyoza and Izakaya favorites. Best to make a reservation for dinner.
– [Tanuki Cafe:](https://goo.gl/maps/DKutfXv7fVFeskBG6) Food served all day. Highly recommend the wagyu cheeseburger, French toast, and flat whites.
– [Ivy Tapas Wine and Cheese:](https://goo.gl/maps/eSCCiupw3ZfmsqP28) The wine recommendations and the custom charcuterie boards they prepared for us were excellent. Make a reservation as it’s a small and popular spot. I messaged them on FB.

## Kamakura Igloo Dinner
We also got to have dinner in an igloo! You can only do this from late January to late February, and it was a fun experience. They also serve lunch or you can just visit freely during the day to check out the igloo village. You must make reservations if you want to eat lunch or dinner in the igloo and they have an English website. The hot pot was excellent and it was fun to explore the little igloo village before/after dinner. You sit in little benches inside the igloo. Dress warm though so you can enjoy the full time you are eating. Bring your own beverages or purchase them before dinner at the little stand. We made a reservation on their English website and it was quite easy. Free parking if driving your own car. We reserved a taxi there and back through our lodge but you can get there by public transit too. Ask your lodging for their advice.

– [Kamakura No Sato Booking Site](https://www.iiyama-ouendan.net/en/special/kamakura/)
– [Tokyo Weekender: Iiyama Kamakura](https://www.tokyoweekender.com/2022/02/iiyama-village-nagano)
– [Google Map: Kamakura no Sato](https://goo.gl/maps/1zg1iArcF58MxkXd8)

I hope this trip report helps with your future planning. 🙂