Accommodation
Nozawa Onsen Accommodation
Rather than being a purpose built bubble era ski resort with towering hotel monstrosities,
Nozawa Onsen is an old town that happens to have a ski resort sitting above it. Nozawa Onsen is the size of a town but it has the feel of a village, with lots of buildings closely tucked into the narrow cobblestone streets, many of which are ryokans or other lodgings with traditional Japanese architecture. Just to keep things really interesting, there’s also the occasional Austrian hotel.
Nozawa Onsen has accommodation options suit a full range of budgets, from lodgings for those on a shoestring, up to first class ryokans that provide excellent service and exquisite meals.
Nozawa Onsen Accommodation Locations
In choosing your Nozawa Onsen accommodation, you probably want to be reasonably close to one of the three base areas of the ski resort. The central part of the town is closest to
Yu road, a moving escalator-type walkway that takes about 5 minutes to travel up to the Hikage gondola. Lodgings that are located really close to the
Nagasaka gondola are about a 5 minute walk above the main street of town, and those near the
Karasawa lift are a 10 minute walk into the heart of Nozawa Onsen. Have a look at the Nozawa Onsen map in the top right hand corner to get a perspective of the town.
The village and lodgings largely sit below the ski resort, so ski-in ski-out accommodation is a bit of a rarity at Nozawa Onsen. There are a few ski-in ski-out lodgings near the base of the Hikage gondola, such as Pension Tannenhof, Pension Schnee, and Lodge Denbei. Whilst these provide very convenient access to the slopes, they don’t provide easy access to the town in the evening when Yu road is closed. Alternatively there are a few lodgings near the Nagasaka gondola that are ski-in ski-out or very close to it.
All three base areas have beginners’ slopes so are probably equally suited to families with small children. Accommodations near the Yu road and Hikage gondola have the advantage of easy access to the childcare facilities at Hikage, but have the disadvantage of having to negotiate the steep hill to get to Yu road.
Nozawa Onsen Ryokan / Nozawa Onsen Hotel
Nozawa Onsen has lots of ryokans (traditional Japanese inns or hotels), many with their own onsens. So ryokans are a good choice for accommodation if you want to completely immerse yourself in the Japanese culture whilst in Nozawa Onsen.
Ryokan Sakaya is a first class property that is located centrally in the heart of the village. It’s located next to Oyu (the most famous onsen in Nozawa), but you probably don’t need to leave the ryokan for a soak because the property has three exquisite onsens. The ryokan provides a delightful example of Japanese heritage with a gorgeous garden and tatami dining rooms, and the owner, Akira Mori, is an institution of Nozawa Onsen, and can add further insight into the traditions of Nozawa Onsen. Ryokan Sakaya has various Japanese rooms as well as a few Western style rooms. The dining is a highlight of any stay and the hotel has some English speaking staff.
Nearby is Onsen Ryokan Jon Nobi which is a modern and chic yet traditional ryokan. This ryokan has a combination of Western and Japanese rooms and some self-contained rooms. The location is fantastic, and the restaurant and hot springs are also a highlight.
Nozawa Grand Hotel is also a popular choice. This Nozawa Onsen hotel has Western and Japanese rooms in twin, triple, quad, and five-person configurations.
Other Nozawa Onsen Accommodation
Many Westerners who don’t want to splurge choose to stay at either
Lodge Nagano or
Villa Nozawa. The hosts are bilingual and are a very handy resource to help you navigate your way around Nozawa Onsen. They can assist with ski lessons, ski hire, recommendations for restaurants, taxis, tours, and tips on the best spots to ski and snowboard.
Lodge Nagano provides economical yet good quality accommodation in western style tatami rooms, bunk rooms or share rooms. A couple of the rooms have a private bathroom, whilst the other rooms have a shared bathroom. This accommodation is well suited to single travellers, couples, families or groups. The lodge has common areas for breakfast or chilling out. See our Lodge Nagano review for more information.
Villa Nozawa is located on the outskirts of the village and only 3 minutes walk to the Karasawa ski area. The accommodation, dining area and communal areas are Japanese style, yet the lodge comes with all the convenience of having English speaking hosts to support your needs in a foreign land. This accommodation fits into the budget range with accommodation starting at 5,000 yen per person per night in mid season, but the quality of the accommodation is much greater than what you’d expect for those prices. The large tatami rooms with comfortable futons come in the configurations of double/twin with share or private room, or triple with shared bathroom. Keep in mind that in Nozawa Onsen you probably won’t ever have a shower when there are so many public bathhouses to try out! This accommodation is also popular with groups or families because of the communal areas in which to relax.
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Lodge Nagano, Nozawa Onsen
Warm & friendly western lodge located about 10 mins walk to the Gondola and 5 mins walk to the centre of the village. Western & traditional tatami beds. Ideal for singles, couples, families & groups.
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Villa Nozawa, Nozawa Onsen
A traditional Japanese lodge run by westerners located 8 mins from the village centre and 100 metres from the slopes. Choose from tatami rooms or western beds.
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Self Contained Accommodation Nozawa Onsen
Nozawa House is really well located in a tranquil setting. Ski to the front door and it’s only a quick meander into the centre of the village. This three bedroom house has one double room, one room with bunks to sleep four, and another room with futons to sleep 2 or 3 people. The house has two bathrooms, a fully contained kitchen, dining area, and living room.
Another option is
Nozawa Cottage near the base of the Nagasaka gondola. The accommodation is virtually ski-in ski-out, sleeps up to 8 people.
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Nozawa House - 3 bedroom house
Self-contained 3 br house ideal for up to 8 guests. One of the best locations around; only 3 mins walk from travelator & even less into town. Free wifi, flat screen TV, laundry & more...
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Nozawa Cottage - 3 bedroom house
Self-contained 3 br cottage ideal for 6 - 8 people. Almost ski-in/out located at the base of the Nagasaka Gondola. Free wifi, ipod doc, laundry & more...
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Address Nozawa - Studio Apartments
Self-contained studio apartments ideal for 2 - 6 people. Featuring western beds, sofa beds, high definition TV, iPod dock, tea and coffee making facilities& more...
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