FAQ
Akari House / Tamanegi House / Shinden and Yubaba House
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How do we get to Nozawa Onsen and Akari House?
Please visit our Home and howtogetthere page for directions, maps and timetables.
Our address is:
Akari House Swiss Bakery
6666-2 Toyosato, Shimotakai District
389-2502 Nozawaonsen mura
Nagano - ken, Japan
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What time is check-in / check-out?
Check-in: 3:00pm
Check-out: 10:00am
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Is there car parking available?
Yes there is. We have undercover car parks available for our guests. Please be aware that car spots are limited and have to be reserved in advanced. Whenever our spots are full there is paid car parking available at the Karasawa ski lift for as less as 1000 Yen a day.
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Do you have wifi?
Yes, complimentary wifi is accessible throughout our properties.
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Do you provide a pick up service?
We do not provide a pickup service from bus or train stations as we are within 5 minutes walk from the Shinden bus stop (if coming from Iiyama bullet train station) and a 10 minute walk from the Chuo bus stop (if coming on the Nagano snow shuttle bus from Tokyo or other ski resorts and arriving in the day time).
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Can we send my luggage in advanced?
Yes you can and you should. You can send any type of luggage directly from Narita or Haneda airport to Nozawa Onsen for as little as 3000 Yen and a snowboard bag will be around 4000 Yen.
Check out our link here for further details: Black cat / Takyubin
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Is there Laundry on site?
Yes. At Akari House we have laundry facilities either included in your apartment or on the floor. Shinden and Tamanegi House have their own washing machines included in the space. At Yubaba House the laundry facilities are shared on the second floor.
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Do you have a minimum stay?
During the winter month and during peak season our apartments usually have a minimum stay of 7 days. (Jan-Feb) Whenever we have gaps we can offer you a shorter stay. Please get in touch via email admin@akarihouse.jp and contact us so we can send you a quote.
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Where should we rent our ski / snowboard gear?
Having your own ski equipment can be expensive and logging around the ski bags on flights and trains can be painful. Why not rent for the time you are on the mountain and benefit from new ski models and the perfect choice depending on snow conditions every year.
Nozawa Holidays Central Rental Shop
Great ski and snowboard range for a fair price. Check out the Nozawa Holidays Central Rental Shop just up the road from us. You get some good weekly discounts and can organise the gear conveniently the day before you hit the slopes. For more details prebook your gear look at the link above.
Olive Ski Rental
Another great option especially for our customers at Yubaba House is the Olive Ski Rental at Hikage Ski Center. You can leave your skis there overnight and no need to carry skis and boots up and down the escalator. Olive Rental has also a branch just around the Corner from Akari House close to the Karasawa ski lift.
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Liftpasses. Can I buy lift passes in advanced?
You can purchase lift passes online and best through our friends at Nozawa Holidays. Check out the link here.
Liftpasses Nozawa Holidays
There is also the option of buying tickets on arrival. Sometimes there are special priced tickets available and we can inform you on arrival on all the options. Prices are not cheaper if purchasing in advanced and you can buy single or multiple day tickets at one of the ski ticket offices at either Nagasaka, Hikage or Karasawa.
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Is there night skiing in Nozawa Onsen?
Night ski is available on Saturdays only and starts at 5pm.
There is one green slope at the Nagasaka station for night ski, the chairlift runs until 8pm.
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What time does the ski resort open?
Nozawa Onsen ski resort opens its doors from November or December depending on snow conditions. The majority of ski lifts are usually operating by mid December. Snow making facilities are in place. Ski resort hours are usually: 8.30am - 4.30pm.
Sometimes during the Christmas and New Year period the resorts starts operating at 8.15 am already.
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Is Nozawa Onsen good with kids?
Great things to do with your kids
Nozawa Spa Arena (outside and inside pool) Great for the whole family
Hikage Kids Park. No matter what age. Everyone will love the Nasuki kid's park. Enjoy the slides or simply a nice meal in one of the many restaurants there too.
Onsen public bathhouses are a great way to meet other local kids who go there on a daily basis.
Local restaurants. Many locals love kids and may even have some running around in the evening when you go and have your meal. So get out there and enjoy the wonderful Japanese food
Dojo climbing gym run by Sam. The kids can play while the parents enjoy a drink at the Bar. Perfect for a rainy afternoon or day off the slopes.
Yumin Daycare
Yumin is a safe and secure daycare centre with fully qualified nursery staff always in attendance.
Located on the 2nd floor of the Hikage Information Center. Please call them well in advance to reserve a spot for your toddlers and free you up for skiing.
Yumin Day care contact
Call them directly on TEL: 080-2088-0932 for inquiries and reservations (Japanese only).
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When is the best time to visit Nozawa Onsen?
November December – Experience a white Christmas and New Year. Sometimes you can get lucky and score the first few powder days on empty slopes. Depending on snow the resorts opens its doors at the end of November. By mid December usually the resort is definitely up and running but December can still be a little bit hit and miss depending on the year.
January – Big snowfall and our biggest month overall here in town with lots of foreign visitors coming in and usually lots of snow .
February – Still lots of snow but a little less of a crowd. Can still get busy on weekends but less families on the mountain. Definitely the preferred month of all the powder junkies.
March – Nice sunny days on a big snow base. Very relaxed atmosphere and no crowds. You still can get lucky with the occasional snowfall. Great month for families and beginners who will enjoy the wide open spaces on the mountain.
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Is there a supermarket or convenience store in Nozawa Onsen?
Nozawa Onsen has two supermarkets, a butcher, convenience store and liquor stores. You can find all you need to prepare western or Japanese meals including breakfast and dinner.
Check out our welcome guide here for more information on it all. Page 7
Nozawa Onsen Welcome Guide
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Can we book Shinkansen tickets in Advanced?
Japan train tickets you usually purchase at the train station once in Japan. Traveling from Tokyo station you can hop on an non-reserved train which is the cheapest option. Alternatively if you would like to purchase a reserved seat you can do that at the station too which is recommendable during public holidays and rush hour.
Train tickets, including seat reservation can be purchased online here. Online tickets still need to be converted to physical tickets once in Japan. To pick up reserved and non-reserved tickets (incl. seats with oversized baggage spaces), you can go to several stations with your credit card, reservation, and identification number.
The local bus and the Nozawa Onsen Liner bus between Iiyama station and Nozawa Onsen cannot be booked in advance. They run up to 4 buses at each departure time and tickets are available from a vending machine (cash only) outside Iiyama station where the bus departs from. There are also taxi's available.
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What is the best way to get around Nozawa Onsen village?
The best way to get around the village is by foot. Everything is walking distance and you can get from one end of town to the other in 20 minutes easily.
There is a free ski shuttle bus which runs throughout the day time from the village centre to the Nagasaka gondola at the ski resort. But in many cases its much faster to walk directly to the ski resort and take the connecting chair lifts to get to the Nagasaka Gondola.
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Do we pay for the hot springs in Nozawa Onsen?
Nozawa Onsen is ver unique in that way and visitors are lucky enough to have free access to 13 public Onsens. A donation box is at the entrance of the buildings if you would like to support the local Onsen community.
By using the local bath houses for your daily clean you are not only getting to know the local tradition and meeting local people you are also helping us save energy and water. There is a reason why this town is not called Nozawa Shower so please make the most out of it and relax your muscles in the hot springs. Once you get used to it you will love it.
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Do we need to make restaurant reservations in Nozawa Onsen?
We recommend making reservations in advance especially during peak season. Most restaurants are fairly small and its hard to get in with bigger groups. You can pop into any restaurant and make a reservation for another night, or call them up in advanced. Most restaurants take bookings 7 days prior to arrival. See our restaurant recommendations page for more info.
Nozawa Onsen Restaurant Recommendations
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Are there vegetarian or vegan restaurants in Nozawa Onsen?
Yes there are restaurants which have vegetarian options. In most Izakaya’s you will find meals without meat. Vegetables, Tofu, Rice are always available there.
Other good options are Shizen Cafe and Yoga studio, Neo Bar, Tsukushinbo, Sakai, Genki burger, Juntos, Soba Diamond and others.
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Are Credit Card accepted in Nozawa Onsen?
Cash is still widely used and some restaurants do not accept credit cards at all. More and more restaurants do but by paying Cash all the money stays with the small businesses so most shops will be happy to see you paying cash. Also the bus from Iiyama to Nozawa Onsen is cash only (please withdraw cash if coming directly from the the Airport to Nozawa Onsen as you will need it at some point of your holiday.)
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Is there an ATM or currency exchange in Nozawa Onsen?
Yes, there are two ATM's which accept foreign cards. The most convenient and accepting most foreign cards is at the post office. Please note the ATM is only open from 9am-6pm. The other ATM is located next door to the tourist information centre at Kura cafe which is open 24 hours.
Currency exchange is located at the ticket counter at Nagasaka Gondola Station. You need to bring your passport. Currency exchange rates are pretty bad so we recommend exchanging your money before you get here.
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How do we get to the snow monkeys?
A highlight for many visitors to Nozawa Onsen is a trip to see the famous snow monkeys of Jogokudani Monkey Park, part of the Joshinetsu National Park. The entrance to the park is located about 50 minutes drive from Nozawa Onsen just above Yudanaka town and below the Shiga Kogen plateau.
There are multiple ways to get to the park from Nozawa, including public transport or hiring a car but by far the simplest is to join one of the transfers or tours operated by the local Taxi company. Check out the link here for pricing, times and meeting points.
Nozawa Onsen Snow Monkey Tour
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What day trips do you recommend?
There is lots to do in and around Nozawa Onsen. We have put together some other fun things and day trips you can do during your stay in Nozawa Onsen.
Other ski resorts:
Madarao: The closest day-trip option from Nozawa Onsen (23km) with buses departing daily during January - early March from Nozawa Onsen Chuo Terminal. Bus information and schedule is subject to change.
Other options include: Togari (small family resort), Myoko, Kijimadaira, Ryuoo Ski Park, Shiga Kogen and others. Renting a car is probably the best option to get there.
Check out the rental car details here NISSAN RENTAL CAR
Some ski resorts are accessible via the Nagano snow shuttle 'Inter resort shuttles'.
Other destinations (listed in order of distance from Nozawa Onsen)
Iiyama (14km from Nozawa Onsen) - Some great local restaurants. You can also visit the fun “kappa-sushi” sushi train. Also good for large supermarkets / department stores like Beisha, Tsuruya etc. Museums and cultural attractions. Bullet train station.
Obuse (30km from Nozawa Onsen) - A small little town with great food, art galleries and more. Home of the famous Hokusai museum with his incredible 36 views painted of Mt Fuji. From Nagano there is a very scenic local train connecting Obuse and Onsen town Yudanaka.
Nagano city (40km from Nozawa Onsen) - Great for a day out and only 10 minutes on the bullet train from Iiyama station. Lots of good food, restaurants and one of the nicest temples in the country Zenkoji-Temple.
Matsumoto (110km from Nozawa Onsen) - Famous for its historic 'Crow Castle'. Train access via Iiyama. Nice to walk around and scenic train to get there.
Kanazawa (350km from Nozawa Onsen) - One of our favorite cities in Japan. A beautiful city and only over an hour by Shinkansen. Go and see the local fish market and try some of the best sushi you can get in the area.
Tokyo (250km from Nozawa Onsen) - Under 2 hours and by bullet train from Iiyama station.