Nozawa Onsen

Thirteen free public baths and a ski area

Nozawa Onsen is a village in the mountains of northern Nagano Prefecture, known for its 13 free public bathhouses and a ski area that begins right beside the centre. Neighbourhood associations look after the baths and many are still used by residents for daily bathing, while Oyu is the largest and is on the main street. In winter the lanes fill with snow and skiers. The Dosojin Fire Festival takes place each year on 15 January. Buses from Iiyama station on the Hokuriku Shinkansen reach the village in about 20 minutes, which makes it a realistic short trip from Tokyo.

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Village in Japan

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Safety: 8.0

General Safety:	9
Health & medical:	7
Accessibility:	3
Tap water:	9

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3/5

English is moderately available, especially at hotels, ski resorts and tourist centres. Some restaurants and shops have English menus, but learning a few Japanese phrases will help and is appreciated by locals.

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Last update: 21 Oct 2026

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Nozawa Onsen Summary

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Excellent for hot springs and winter sports. Ski snowy slopes, soak in traditional public baths, walk charming village streets and enjoy local Japanese food.

Place score

8.3

Best at:

Snow

Spotless

Hot springs

Cosy towns

Traditional culture

Personal score

Suited for

👶 7

Families

🧓 4

Seniors

🛡️ 7

Travel Beginners

👩 7

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Japan – Quick facts

Guide Etiquette Holidays Other

Power Grid:	100 V, 50 Hz Plug: Type A Type A: Read about power adapters
Currency:	Japanese Yen (JPY) £1 ≈ JP¥210
Cashless info:	Rating 4/5 Cashless payments are becoming more common, especially in cities, with some shops still preferring cash. Be prepared for occasional cash-only situations in rural areas. Save with a travel credit card
eSIM providers:	Best value: Saily Flexibility: Airalo Read our in-depth comparison

Tipping:	Tipping is not customary in Japan and can be considered rude. Excellent service is the norm, and tipping is unnecessary in most places.
Public drinking:	Public drinking is legal and commonly accepted, particularly during festivals and events.
Public smoking:	Smoking is prohibited in indoor public places but allowed in designated outdoor areas. Some restaurants may have smoking sections.

New Year (January)	One of the most important holidays, expect crowded temples and high prices. Plan ahead.
Golden Week (April-May)	The busiest travel time, expect high demand for accommodation and transport.
Obon (August)	A time to honour ancestors, many businesses close, and transport can be crowded.

Emergency contact:	Emergency Number: 110 (Police), 119 (Fire & Ambulance)
Taxi apps:	Uber, JapanTaxi, DiDi
Other:	Japan is a country of respect, so understanding local customs and etiquette is important. Public transport is efficient, but can be crowded during peak hours.

Best times to travel

The best times to travel section shows how the months compare for a visit, so you can find the time of year that fits what you want to do.

Background colours of the months:
The colour shows the typical temperature: yellow (hot), green (mild) and blue (cold). How strong the colour is shows the travel season: full colour means high season, soft colour means shoulder season and soft-striped means off season.

Weather symbols:
Each month has one symbol showing what the weather is typically like, such as hot and sunny, freezing or a rainy or snowy season. Use them to quickly spot months that match the weather you want, or to avoid the ones that don't.

Crowdedness:
The people icon shows how busy the place usually is. The more people, the more crowded it gets.

Additional notes:
The grey info boxes point out special things worth knowing, like recurring weather issues or seasonal events.

for Nozawa Onsen, Japan

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Feb

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Mar

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Apr

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May

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Jun

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Jul

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Aug

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Oct

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Nov

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Dec

High season:	Jan. - March
Shoulder season:	Aug., Oct., Dec.
Crowdedness:	6 (Many tourists)

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Climate details

Ski season late December to early April, with the best powder January to February

Nozawa Onsen Fire Festival (Dosojin Matsuri) on 15 January, one of Japan's big fire festivals

Many ski lodges and restaurants close April to November, some also during the rainy season

Don't miss

♨️ Tour the 13 historic public hot spring bathhouses
🥾 Hike trails around the scenic Nozawa Onsen village
🔥 Experience the unique Ogama boiling hot spring kitchen
🎎 Participate in local festivals and cultural events
🍱 Taste traditional Japanese cuisine at village eateries

You've been here?

Why travel to Nozawa Onsen?

At Nozawa Onsen the baths are part of daily village life instead of an add-on. Thirteen public bathhouses (soto-yu) are scattered along the lanes and cost nothing to enter, though a donation at the door is appreciated. Each is looked after by a neighbourhood association and dedicated to a different Buddhist deity. The water is hot, so first-timers should step in slowly. At the Ogama spring the water is close to boiling and visitors can cook eggs and vegetables from nearby shops in prepared troughs. Winter is the busiest season because the ski area is beside the village centre and most lodging is within walking distance of the lifts. It's one of Japan's older ski resorts with gondolas and runs for most levels. The season usually runs from late November to early May depending on snow. On 15 January villagers at the Dosojin Fire Festival try to set fire to a wooden shrine with bundled reed torches while men defend it. The rite is tied to protecting men in their unlucky years. Outside ski season the village tends to be quieter but the baths and the lanes are the same. A stay of two or three days covers a bath tour and a day on the slopes or a walk around the village. Nozawana (a local pickled green) and oyaki dumplings are worth trying along the way.

🏯Places worth seeing

1 Jigokudani Monkey Park
2 Sparena
3 Japan Ski Museum

🎡Places for activities

1 Nozawa Sports Thanx
2 Nagasaka Gondola Link

🏞️Natural landmarks

1 Mt. Kenashi

🍽️Eat & Drink

1 Sobadokoro Daimon
Established in 1926, Daimon makes Shinshu soba from locally grown buckwheat, served cold or in hot broth with tempura and rice dishes. It is on Oyu-dori, Nozawa Onsen’s main street, near the public bathhouses.
2 Shohei Soba
Shohei Soba serves freshly made soba with dipping sauce or hot broth, plus tempura using seasonal vegetables. It is upstairs in the Ikemoto Building on the central shopping street, close to Oyu-dori and the village’s onsen route.
3 Wakagiri
Wakagiri is a Japanese restaurant serving sushi, soba, ramen and value set meals, with vegetarian and vegan choices available. It is just off Oyu Street beside Marumiya Stationery Shop, in the centre of the onsen village.
4 Billiken Shokudo
Billiken Shokudo is a relaxed local restaurant known for hearty Japanese home-style meals, pizzas and pasta. It is in the older part of Nozawa Onsen near Asagama public bathhouse, away from the busier main street.
5 Akebi-tei
Akebi-tei serves okonomiyaki cooked at the table, along with Japanese comfort dishes. It is in the central village dining area near Oyu-dori, within easy walking distance of the public bath circuit and local accommodation.
6 Hamacho Sushi
Hamacho Sushi serves sushi and sashimi in a small, traditional setting. It is in central Nozawa Onsen, among the compact lanes connecting Oyu-dori, the public baths and the main cluster of ryokan.
7 Izakaya Sakai
Izakaya Sakai serves yakitori and izakaya small plates with local sake and mountain vegetables. It is in the central village dining district, a short walk from Oyu-dori and the major public bathhouses.
8 Buna
Buna serves Japanese and Western-inspired meals, including homemade curry and oyaki, the filled steamed dumplings common in Nagano. It is a restaurant on the Nozawa Onsen Ski Resort mountain area, accessible from the lifts and slopes.
9 Tengu Sushi
Tengu Sushi serves sushi and Japanese seafood dishes in Nozawa Onsen’s village centre. It is within walking distance of Oyu-dori and the nearby ryokan, making it an evening option after visiting the public baths.
10 Residence Yasushi Cafe
Residence Yasushi Cafe serves coffee, ice cream and spiced oyaki filled with ingredients such as pumpkin and Nozawana greens. It is at 8955 Toyosato, on the downhill road from the village post office in central Nozawa Onsen.

🎈Events

Winter Light-up Events
Cherry Blossom Viewing
Autumn Foliage Festival
Ski Season Opening (December)
Seasonal Illuminations
Dosoujin Fire Festival (January 15)
Nozawa Onsen Lantern Festival (August)
Lake Fire Festival (August)
Nozawa Summer Festival
Nozawa Onsen Snow Festival
Onsen Tamago Festival
Nozawa Trail Run (Summer)
Nozawana Pickle Festival
Yuzawa Shrine Festival
Nozawa Onsen Stamp Rally

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Knowledge before you go

Bring your own towel and soap for the public baths.
Tubs often run between 45°C and 49°C, so enter slowly and ask before adding cold water.
The public baths open at 05:00 from April to November and 06:00 in winter.
Collect stamps at the checkpoints of the 13 baths, even if you only want to see the buildings.

How to travel to Nozawa Onsen

Most visitors reach Nozawa Onsen by train and bus from Tokyo. The Hokuriku Shinkansen takes about 1 hour 40 minutes from Tokyo Station to Iiyama. The Nozawa Onsen Liner bus then runs from the station concourse to the village in about 20 to 25 minutes. Timetables change, so check the current Liner schedule. From the East exit of Nagano Station a Nagaden bus runs to Nozawa Onsen. No airport is close, so Narita and Haneda are the main gateways. In ski season (December to March) the Nagano Snow Shuttle runs from both airports and takes about six hours. Direct winter buses also run from Osaka, Kyoto and Nagoya. You can hire a car in Iiyama or Nagano City but winter roads call for snow tyres.

Access summary

From Tokyo airports (NRT/HND): Train plus bus via Iiyama, around 3–5 hours.
From Tokyo city: Hokuriku Shinkansen to Iiyama, then bus, about 2.5–3 hours.
From Nagano city: Express bus or train plus bus, roughly 1.5–2 hours.

Check your route from anywhere

Where to stay in Nozawa Onsen

Most visitors stay in the village itself, where historic ryokan, simple minshuku, ski lodges and self-contained rental flats or houses are close to the baths and the lifts. Ryokan often have their own baths and serve dinner and breakfast. Minshuku are usually family-run guesthouses and flats suit groups who want a kitchen. Staying near the main street puts the largest bath and most restaurants a short walk away. Winter is the busiest season, so book early for December to February and for the Fire Festival on 15 January. Iiyama near the shinkansen station is an alternative base but it means a bus ride of 20 to 25 minutes each way to the baths and slopes.

Hotel recommendations

*by rating and popularity. Commissions have no influence on the rankings.

Nozawa Onsen Nozawa Grand Hotel

8.7

Nozawa Onsen Ryokan Sakaya

Nozawa Onsen Sennin Buro No Yado Tokiwaya Ryokan

Nozawa Onsen Kawaichiya Ryokan

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How to get around Nozawa Onsen

Nozawa Onsen is small enough to explore on foot. The bathhouses, shops and ryokan are on narrow lanes and the slopes begin right beside the village, so most lodging is a walk from the lifts. From the Nozawa Onsen Chuo bus terminal it's about a 10-minute walk to the ski base.

Walking:
The lanes between the bathhouses, shops and ryokan are narrow and often steep. In winter they're covered in snow and ice, so shoes with good grip matter more than anything else you pack.

Taxis and pickups:
A local taxi service covers late arrivals from Iiyama station when buses aren't running. Many ryokan will arrange a pickup.

Car:
A car isn't needed in the village and mostly adds winter driving to deal with. Skiers don't need one either, since the lifts are a short walk from most places to stay.

Food in Nozawa Onsen

Food here leans on the Shinshu mountain region, with ryokan dinners at the centre of most stays. Buckwheat noodles (soba) are common across Nagano. Beyond the ryokan the village has izakaya and Italian restaurants. Many ryokan and minshuku offer plans with dinner and breakfast, which is the easiest way to try the local dishes without hunting for a table. In ski season dinner places fill up, so book ahead for groups.

Nozawana and oyaki:
Nozawana, a leafy green pickled locally, turns up at breakfast tables and as a side dish. Oyaki are dumplings with savoury fillings such as winter squash.

Cooking at Ogama:
At Ogama you can cook eggs and vegetables bought from nearby shops in the hot spring water. It's a hands-on stop that fits easily into a bath tour.

Flats with kitchens make self-catering easy for longer stays.

Budget snapshot

Costs compared to home

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-45 %

Daily expenses in the region are around 45% lower than the average across United States. That means you'll spend a lot less on meals and getting around.

Exchange rate trend

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-20 %

Your exchange rate (GBP to JPY) is 20% better than in recent years. That means travelling now is considerably cheaper compared to the past.

Travel costs (Data for Myoko, Japan - 21 km away)

To help you plan your trip, we provide estimated daily costs per person (when travelling as a pair) for different travel styles. These numbers give you an idea of what you might spend each day at this destination, including accommodation, food, transport and activities.

Additionally, we also provide average hotel costs for different travel styles to give you an estimate for the accommodation only.

Please note that these are only estimates. The real costs depend on booking times, season and other factors.

Daily cost summary

Travel style categories explained:

Backpacker:
Staying in hostels or budget hotels, cooking your own meals or eating cheap and choosing low-cost activities.

Mid-range:
Staying in mid-range hotels, eating at a mix of restaurants and casual spots and enjoying a variety of activities.

Luxury:
Staying in luxury hotels, dining out at high-end restaurants and enjoying premium experiences without worrying about the price.

	Backpacker	Mid-range	Luxury
💵 Total costs per day, including accommodation	£67	£130	£324
🏨 Accommodation per night, per person	£45	£90	£188
🍝 Food per day	£17	£32	£99
🚕 Transportation per day	£5	£8	£37

Notable additional fees: Adult day pass about JP¥7,500 (£35.69). Ski, boot and pole hire runs roughly JP¥5,000 – 7,000 (£23.79 – 33.31) a day.

Food & Drink

🍽️ Restaurant Dinner, per person	£12
🍛 Lunch Set, per person	£5
🍟 Fast food combo	£3.80
🍝 Preparing your own food, per day	£7
☕ Cappuccino	£2.30
🍺 Beer in a restaurant, 0.5 l	£2.30

Transportation

🚌 Public transport ticket	£1.25
🚕 Taxi Ride, 10 km / 6 mi	£23
⛽ Petrol, 1 l	£0.85

Other

🎞️ Cinema ticket	£9
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's consult	£22
🤧 Cold medication	£7.50
💇 Basic haircut	£13

Safety information overview

General safety

Nozawa Onsen is a very safe village with little crime. The risks come from the setting, such as icy steep lanes in winter and very hot bath water. Conditions on slopes change quickly, especially off-piste outside patrolled runs where avalanche risk is real.

Health & Medical

The village has limited medical facilities, so larger hospitals are in Iiyama and Nagano City. English-speaking care is limited. Ski injuries are a common reason visitors need care. Very hot baths can strain people with heart or blood pressure problems.

Accessibility

Nozawa Onsen is challenging for wheelchair users and people with limited mobility. The lanes are narrow and steep and snow and ice cover them in winter. Many bathhouses and ryokan are traditional buildings with steps and thresholds.

Tap water

Tap water is safe to drink here, as across Japan, so there's no need to buy bottled water. A refillable bottle is handy for ski days and walks around the village. Bottled drinks are also easy to buy in shops.