Family Skiing in Nozawa Onsen Japan

Family Skiing in Nozawa Onsen Japan

Japan is a great destination for skiing between late December and mid April, and large numbers of Australians already find their way to the slopes of Honshu and Hokkaido. European lovers of winter sports of course have their pick of great destinations for skiing and snowboarding around the Alps, but why not go for a ski trip in Japan so you can combine it with some amazing cultural sightseeing in cities like Tokyo and Kyoto and a relaxing onsen bath after each day on the slopes? We went for a trip of family skiing in Nozawa Onsen in January and loved it

Slopes for all levels

Snow was abundant with over 3 meters of fresh powder snow that was dropped over the weeks before. Conditions were great on all slopes including the long, winding ones. The longest single slope is 5 km of a gentle glide down through the forest with occasional far sights over the area which was one of our favorite runs. There is also a good beginners’ slope that is located quite high up and reachable via gondola and

Nozawa Onsen Village

One of the great things about Nozawa Onsen was its very compact size: a car is not necessary as everything is in short walking distance. We stayed at Matsuya Lodge, an inn run by a Japanese family that serves tasty food and has comfortable spacey rooms. One of the best parts was that for breakfast you can choose between a Japanese breakfast or a Western breakfast, this is quite a rare option for tradional inns in Japan. There was a communal bath that was usually empty even though the inn was full, so we could bathe alone.

It was a 2-minute walk to the central area of Nozawa Onsen which is packed with restaurants, bars and shops that all cater to the many local and foreign tourists that fill the town most of the year. Various public onsen can be found scattered all over the little town, all of which have their own health benefits. Most of the baths are very hot though, so you’d better be mentally prepared for that. It feels very good afterwards and muscle pain did not really stand a chance even after a lot of skiing.

The inn was located a 5-minute walk from the Yu Road, a kind of a conveyor belt that takes you up and down the ski resort so you don’t have to walk up and down the steep part of the hill so much. Once you get off the Yu Road, you are right at the information center where you can buy your lift pass. Rental shops are also available there and there are various cafes and simple restaurants for lunch.

Baby and Child Care in Nozawa Onsen

The main reason why we opted for Nozawa Onsen is its amazing day care center, Yumin. It is located conveniently in the information center where you also buy your lift tickets. You have to make a reservation ahead of time which can be done in English, and then you have access to very affordable day care services while you enjoy yourself on the slopes of Nozawa Onsen. They take care of babies from 6 months old and up, and there is a large soft playground where bigger kids can play and run around.

Yumin opens at 9 AM and closes at 4.15 PM, and there is a 1-hour break from 12 PM – 1 PM during which you have to pick up your child to have lunch together. There is a place for the kids to sleep if necessary and there are also breastfeeding rooms available.

The youngest age from which ski lessons are available is 3 years old, so Yumin is a great option for people traveling with babies and toddlers.