Nozawa Onsen claims to be the birthplace of Japanese skiing since it is one of the oldest resorts in Japan. Featuring a difference in elevation of 1,085 meters, 36 ski courses and 297 hectares of skiing surface, Nozawa has the area, history and snow accumulation to make it one of Japan's top class ski resorts. The resort was also the host of the biathlon events at the 1998 Nagano Olympics.

While there is only the one large ski field in Nozawa Onsen, there is definitely no shortage of choice. The far right of the mountain has some of the easier gently sloping runs, with Grand Prix, Jumping, and Kurojura rounding things out at the more challenging end of the spectrum. The best powder runs can usually be found at the very top of the mountain, around the 'Yamabiko' piste. There is also a terrain park for snowboarders and skiers looking to get some air with the usual jumps, rails, and boxes plus an impressive 80 metre pipe. On clear days the view from the top runs on Kenashi-yama mountain are amazing.

View trail maps for Nozawa Onsen, or see the resort's webcams.