Nozawa Onsen

🏔️ History
Located in Nagano Prefecture, Nozawa Onsen is widely considered the birthplace of skiing in Japan (introduced by an Austrian in the early 20th century). It is one of the rare places globally that perfectly blends a world-class ski resort (which hosted events during the 1998 Olympics) with an ancient, picturesque hot spring ("onsen") village. Its narrow, cobblestone streets flow with volcanic hot water that locals have used for centuries.

☀️ Best days
Deep storm days in January ("Japanuary"). Nozawa catches brutal amounts of light, dry powder as freezing Siberian winds sweep across the Sea of Japan, picking up moisture and dumping it directly onto these specific mountain faces.

🚫 Days to avoid
Sunday afternoons during domestic holiday periods. The narrow, traditional streets of the village become highly congested. Additionally, because the lower runs funnelling back to the village face south/southwest, a strong sun in late March can quickly turn the snow there into heavy slush.

💡 Community tip
The skiing is fantastic, but the cultural après-ski is unmatched. The village features 13 free "soto-yu" (public hot spring baths), housed in traditional wooden buildings and maintained by the local community. Plunging into one (be warned, the water is blisteringly hot!) is mandatory after a long powder day. Don't miss eating "oyaki" (steamed stuffed buns) sold along the steaming streets.