Nozawaonsen Mineral Spa

Nozawa Onsen, a traditional onsen village in the northern Nagano highlands set at the foot of the Kenashi mountain, is one of Japan's most beloved and authentic ski resort hot spring villages, where steep historic alleyways, shared communal soto-yu bathhouses, and the famous Dosojin fire festival combine with excellent mountain snow to create an archetypal Japanese ski and spa culture. Nozawaonsen Mineral Spa draws on sodium and sulfate-rich thermal waters from the volcanic geology of the Nagano northern mountains, flowing from over a hundred natural spring sources throughout the village to feed the thirteen shared public bathhouses open free of charge to all visitors as a living expression of the communal thermal bathing culture that has sustained Nozawa Onsen for over a thousand years. The dramatic Dosojin Matsuri fire festival held each January 15th, the Nozawa Onsen Ski Area whose tree-lined runs and powder snow rival any resort in Nagano, and the traditional soba noodle and wild mountain vegetable cuisine of this remarkably well-preserved Nagano highland village make Nozawa Onsen one of the most complete and authentic onsen ski resort experiences in all of Japan.