【Noshio Onsen Ski Resort】 Enjoy the large ski area of Japan in a day trip! The must-ski course when going to Noshio!

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Nagano Prefecture's "Nozawa Onsen Ski Resort" is a ski resort with convenient access, located about 25 minutes from Toyoda-Iiyan Station on the Jōshin'etsu Expressway and offering direct bus service from Iiyan Station on the Hokuriku Shinkansen. From Mount Hanami, which reaches an elevation of 1,650 meters and serves as the ski resort's highest point, skiers can enjoy long runs of up to 10 kilometers, and the resort features 43 courses, boasting one of Japan's largest scale ski areas. Among these large ski areas, I thoroughly enjoyed sliding down various famous courses.

■ Aim for the mountain top with the world's most advanced gondola lift

The vast ski area offers access to courses from three areas: Hiyori, Nagasaka, and Hamazawa. Among them, the Nagasaka area is a popular entrance with the world's most advanced "New Nagasaka Gondola Lift." It quickly takes you from Nagasaka Station at the foot of the mountain (627m) to Yamabiko Station (1,417m), allowing you to enjoy the scenery from the glass-enclosed gondola cabin.

By transferring to the "Yamabiko No. 2 Fureku" lift from the Gondola summit, you can reach the "Yamabiko Area" near the summit. Because the elevation increases significantly, this is a paradise of powder snow that is light and suitable for tree runs, even among ski resorts. Also, with abundant snowfall, it is possible to ski until early May.

The Yamabiko area has five courses from A to E, and the slope right after getting off the lift is "Course D." From here, you can ski down to the "Yamabiko For" lift station, which leads to the summit. This lift's summit is the peak of Hanamizaka, the highest point of Nozawa Onsen Ski Resort.

■ "Yamabiko Area" is a treasure trove of powder and terrain

Yuzawa Onsen Ski Area has several powder areas without snow compaction, but the "Yamabiko Area" located at the highest elevation offers excellent snow conditions. In addition to five courses, there is also "Self-Responsible Special..."AreaSome areas have this feature. Here, you can enjoy deep powder snow and rugged terrain, and you can return to the course directly, making it enjoyable for lift skiing. However, keep in mind that, as the name suggests, the responsibility for riding lies with yourself.

Even if it is an area managed by the ski resort, entering restricted areas marked by poles or ropes is absolutely prohibited because it is dangerous. Moreover, areas outside of the ski resort are considered "winter mountain climbing," which are places with no safety management at all. It is important to clearly understand this difference.

■Enjoy long runs as well

Having enjoyed the powder in the "Yamabiko Area," I decided to take a long run from the top of the ski area toward the "Higashikage Area." First, I skied down on the "Shin-Nagasaka Gondola Lift" towards the mountain top, where the "Kaminohira Ski Area" spreads out. This course, which features wide and gentle slopes extending over 2,000 meters, is one of the highlights of the ski resort. Although the slopes are generally suitable for beginners and families, there are halfpipes and snow parks along the way.

If you proceed straight from "Kaminohira Ski Area," you can glide into the wider "Paradise Ski Area." This open course of 1,200 meters offers excellent views. It's pleasant to ski freely while enjoying the mountain ranges of Koshin and Jōetsu areas. Additionally, it is known as a lunch spot with several independently operated restaurants along the course.

■Tackle one of the steepest slopes on the ski resort

Sliding from the lower part of "Paradise Slope" into the forest course and continuing all the way to "Himakaze Slope," you can complete the longest run of 10 km from the mountain summit. However, this time, the challenge is to tackle "Challenge 39 Degrees Wall," which features the steepest slope of 39 degrees. Since the slope is so steep that the end of the course is not visible at the start, you need to proceed carefully, and then a wide slope with a noticeable gradient will open up ahead.

After descending the steep slope, you meet the "Challenge Course" on the middle slope, and continue on to the "Utopia B Course," finally reaching the base of the Hiyori area. The Hiyori area is one of the ski resort entrances accessible via a long escalator called "Yūrōdō" from the hot spring town. It is a bustling place with ski schools, ski centers, restaurants, rental shops, and a kids' park.

■ Enjoy also the "Skyline Course"!

There is also a recommended route descending to the base area via a different path from the mountain summit area. The "Skyline Course" allows you to ski down from the "Yamabiko Area" to the "E Course," which is a long course of 4,500 meters running along the ridge. The course offers a variety of slopes, including wide open straight sections with great views along the ridge and curves surrounded by trees. Moreover, by taking a branch of the course, you can descend towards the bases of Nagasaka and Hamazawa. Depending on the route you choose, you can experience a wide range of courses, from gentle slopes, medium slopes, to steep powder areas.

■Of course, the cuisine is also worth trying

Being a large-scale resort, there are a wide variety of restaurants, from company-owned to individual shops, scattered throughout the ski area. Among them is "Shin-Nagasaki Gondola Lift," a gourmet spot located just below the mountain station of the gondola lift. Before the new gondola lift was built, this was the mountain station of the original gondola lift, which is why there are many restaurants with a wide selection of menus.

The popular and classic menu at "Rest House Yamabiko" on the second floor of the building is "Nawazawa Garlic Steak Rice." There are also hot oven dishes prepared on-site, such as "Braised Chicken with Earl Grey Tea, served with oven-baked baguette," offering a sophisticated menu that is hard to believe is a gourmand meal.

The "Kitchen Seabos" located on the first floor of the building is a restaurant where you can enjoy pizzas and pasta. The must-try menu here is the freshly baked pizza made in a dedicated oven. In Nagano Prefecture, there is an event called "Gere-shoku Battle," where people vote to determine the top ski resort meal. For the 2025-26 season, their confident entry is "Authentic Pizza with Fresh Basil." It is topped with shrimp and tomatoes on a Genova sauce fragrant with basil, and the dough is crispy yet chewy.

In addition, "Nashikawa Chicken Pizza," topped with grilled chicken and napa cabbage, is also very popular. It is a real luxury to be able to enjoy such authentic pizzas for lunch on the ski slope.

Nasu Onsen Ski Resort is appealing not only for its abundant snow and long season, but also for being integrated with the hot spring town. There is a day-use bath facility called "Nasu Onsen Spa Rina" in the village, where you can experience visiting 13 public baths. Accommodations with full bathing facilities, restaurants offering unique cuisine, and souvenir shops are also available, making it recommended to stay and fully enjoy the hot spring town. Shuttle buses run from the village to the ski resort, and it's pleasant that they can be used free of charge.

Swung along the local train "Ogisosen" in the nostalgic mountain scenery ~ Popular "Road Station" ~ Enjoying the winter "Otariburi" trip at the traditional hot spring "Himegawa Onsen" ~[Ogimura, Nagano Prefecture]~

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