Nozawa Onsen

Nozawa Onsen (野沢温泉) is a sleepy hot spring and ski town in northern Nagano Prefecture. Its hot spring baths include 13 traditional style public baths (sotoyu) which have been maintained by the local community since the Edo Period and are freely open to the public.

The town really comes alive in winter when visitors arrive to enjoy the town's excellent ski resort. The resort hosted the biathlon events during the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics and is rather foreigner friendly with English menus, maps and signs available. It is one of the best places in Japan to combine good skiing with a traditional onsen town experience.