Ryokan in Nozawa Onsen
野沢温泉A hot-spring and ski village in northern Nagano with thirteen free public bathhouses (soto-yu) kept by the villagers. The village is compact, with the ski slopes, ryokan and baths all within walking distance. From Tokyo it is 100 to 120 minutes by Hokuriku Shinkansen to Iiyama, then 25 minutes by bus.
Nozawa Onsen through the year
Spring春
March to May
As the snow melts, the village's own nozawana greens bolt and flower, and in May the fields turn yellow.
Summer夏
June to August
On 14 and 15 August villagers and visitors dance the Bon odori in the grounds of Yuzawa Shrine.
Autumn秋
September to November
The beeches of the Kaminotaira highland, above the village, turn from early to late October.
Winter冬
December to February
The ski resort above the village hosted the biathlon at the 1998 Olympics. On 15 January the Dosojin fire festival, held since 1863, is open only to villagers and overnight guests.
The ryokan
Listed stays
23 approved listings · 23 total in Nozawa Onsen
Photo credits
ccfarmer, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Koda6029, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Hideyuki KAMON, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons