Snow Country - Day by Day

Day 1 – Nozawa - Minshuku (Japanese Style Room)
Meet in Tokyo and transfer by train to Nozawa Onsen hot spring in Nagano prefecture. Nozawa Onsen is a hot spring village with an adjoining ski resort, one of the oldest in Japan. There are thirteen free natural hot springs baths around the village, as well as in our accommodation, a friendly Japanese-style lodge. After lunch there will be a choice of skiing on the slopes or a guided snowshoe trek through the surrounding hills. Overnight stay at a hot spring lodge.

Day 2 – Nozawa - Minshuku (Japanese Style Room)
We will spend a full day in Nozawa Onsen today. Again, there will be a choice of spending a day on the ski slopes or a guided snow shoe trek. In the evening we will visit the hot spring baths.

Day 3 – Obuse - Ryokan Lodging (Japanese Style Room)
We will board a train this morning for the short journey to Obuse, two hours to the south. The small, attractive town of Obuse was where the artist Hokusai, famous for his ukiyo-e woodblock prints lived towards the end of his life. We will visit the Hokusai-kan, a museum where many of his works are on display. Later, we will visit Masuichi-Ichimura Sake Brewery, where we will have a lunch of kaiseki-ryori style cuisine prepared from fresh local ingredients. Overnight stay in a traditional Japanese ryokan.

Day 4 – Yudanaka - Minshuku (Japanese Style Room)
We will make a short journey this morning to Yudanaka Onsen, a hot spring village famous for its ‘snow monkeys’. The Japanese long-tail monkeys come here to warm themselves in the outdoor hot spring bath, getting some respite from the deep snow and cold in winter. There will be time in the afternoon for another session of skiing or perhaps snow-shoeing in the surrounding mountains. Overnight stay in a traditional hot spring lodge.

Day 5 – Takayama - Ryokan Lodging (Japanese Style Room)
After an early breakfast, we will transfer to Takayama in Gifu Prefecture. Takayama was formally an enclave for skilled carpenters working for the imperial courts in Kyoto and Nara. It has retained much of its traditional architecture, and we will explore the San-machi area with its rows of old merchant’s houses, some open as museums. The town is also well-known
for its crafts, particularly lacquer ware, pottery, and furniture. In the evening we will try the local Hida beef, and perhaps some locally-brewed sake.

Day 6 - Shirakawa-go - Minshuku (Japanese Style Room)
North-west of Takayama is the village of Ogimachi, within the Shirakawa-go area of the Shokawa valley. The village is home to a large number of gassho-zukuri houses, and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1995. These large wooden houses have steep thatched roofs, designed to withstand heavy snow, and the term gassho-zukuri refers to the shape of praying hands formed by the roof. Inside, the houses could accommodate large extended families of up to sixty people. Our accommodation here will be in one of these traditional houses, and dinner will be served around the irori (sunken hearth).

Day 7 - Tour Ends
On our last day, we will travel back by bus to Takayama. After lunch we will board a train to Nagoya, from where we will catch the bullet train to Tokyo (or Kyoto). Onward travel elsewhere in Japan is also possible.

Tour schedules are subject to change. If any changes should be made it will be done in the best interest of the travelers. Japan Roads will at all times aim to offer you the most interesting tour possible.

Ski and Snow-shoeing Program
This tour has been designed so you can choose between skiing or snow-shoeing. On days 1 and 2 you will be able to choose between a day on the slopes or a snowshoe trek, which will be lead by your tour leader. Rental of ski and snow-shoe equipment is included. English-speaking ski instructors are also available but are not included in the tour cost.

Nozawa Onsen Ski Resort Data
Number of courses: 20
Number of lifts: 21
Beginner courses: 40%
Intermediate courses: 30%
Advanced courses: 30%
Steepest slope: 39 degrees
Longest course: 10,000 meters
Ski and board rental: OK

Average monthly snowfall:
Jan: 390cm February: 390cm March: 300cm

Nozawa Onsen Ski School provides instruction in English

More About Snow-shoeing
Snow-shoes are clipped-on to your boots and make it easy to walk through deep snow and off the beaten track. They are an excellent way to explore the beautifully pristine winter landscape of the Japanese mountains, away from the downhill skiers. We’ll make our own tracks as we move through the silent forests and get stunning views of the surrounding snowy peaks. Japanese winters are generally dry and sunny, so don’t forget to pack your sunscreen!