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Last Nozawa Onsen Snow Report of the Season
Monday, April 09th, 2012 •

The weather in Nozawa Onsen is unreal – almost like February at times. Hardly anyone on the mountain this morning. Almost feels like a private ski resort at times. Still great snow conditions on and off the slopes. If you know the right spots you can even still find nice powder runs. After a few snowy days and a blue sky yesterday the temperatures are on the rise a bit today. But still good fun to carve down Skyline towards the village and get a few turns in at the slushy bottom part.

Fantastic day yesterday. Fresh powder and blue sky is a mix which is hard to beat. A lot of people did not want to miss out and made their way up to Nozawa to enjoy skiing once more this season. Temperatures stayed fairly cold up top and guaranteed good snow condition all day long. Got a bit slushy at the bottom in the afternoon. But all in all could not ask for a better day.

The forecast shows a blue sky tomorrow and some rain for Wednesday. Should not affect us too much, there is still plenty of snow on the mountain. Nozawa are keeping a really big area of the resort open, in fact most of the main runs really and you can still ski from top to bottom.

Apart from that we’ve decided to close the Nozawa Onsen Snow Report out today. Not that, as you can see above, that’s any reflection of the snow quality in Nozawa.  It’s been an awesome season but the weather is only getting warmer from here by the looks of it and the skiers much less.

We’ll be updating occasionally over the off season with videos and pics from this season so if you have one you’d like to contribute please do so on our Facebook page. Otherwise see you all next season in Nozawa Onsen!

*Special arigato gozaimasu to the Nozawa Holidays / Lodge Nagano crews for all their help this year – you guys rock! Do check out their great Nozawa Onsen accommodation options for the Nozawa Onsen ski season 2012/2013

Current Nozawa Onsen Weather

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Still snowing in Nozawa Onsen!
Saturday, April 07th, 2012 •

About another 10cm of the fresh stuff up high overnight after several days of regular falls. Winter temperatures have also returned (around -6) but starts warming up again tomorrow. Get that last burst of spring skiing in soon!

The current official snow depths in Nozawa Onsen are as follows:
Yamabiko: 380cm
Uenotaira: 340cm
Nagasaka: 180cm

Current ski lifts operating in Nozawa Onsen are:
Nagasaka Gondola, Yamabiko Four, Yamabiko Four No2, Uenotaira Four, Skyline Link, Paradise Four, Higake Triple (check our Nozawa Onsen maps page for more details).

Snowing right down into the village this morning. See the snowfall on our Nozawa Onsen webcams

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Slowing down in Nozawa / Discount lift tickets
Sunday, April 01st, 2012 •

Base up top: 370 cm
Temperature:  -1 Degrees
Base at bottom: 200 cm
New Snow: 17 cm
Weather: Overcast

It looked not very promising in Nozawa Onsen yesterday morning but the rain did not last very long before it turned into snow up top just before lunch time. By mid afternoon it was snowing heavy up at Yamabiko and even down in the village big snow flakes were falling from the sky. Fresh tracks all afternoon made up for a wet start in the day.

Great conditions today. The sun comes out every now and then with 20 cm fresh powder snow to enjoy on top. Good to see that the temperatures dropped into the minus again. Plenty of action on the mountain today with a halfpipe competition taking place up at Uenotaira. Great opportunity to look at some tricks from the Pros.

Forecast looks good. We are in for a nice blue sky tomorrow before another cold front rolls in. Temperatures are on the rise on Tuesday but not for long. Heavy snow on the radar Tuesday night.

This guy might get his car back soon…

Please note:

From tomorrow a number of lifts and lower courses will be closed for the season – yes, even with all the snow! – but upper slopes will be going strong until May 6th (and there’s always the chance they might move that to later with all the snow). So today is the last of the “whole mountain open” days this season. Still loads of riding to do though.

The following lifts are closing today (unless otherwise noted):

Hikage Gondola
Paradise Four (but re-opening for weekends and Golden Week)
Shinyu pair
Kandahar pair
Higake triple (open until 2nd)
Higake No2 pair AB
Nagasaka triple
Nagasaka four
Nagasaka gondola connecting pair
Karasawa pair
Mizunashi triple
Utopia pair
Challenge pair
Yunomine pair
‘Yu’ road (open until 2nd)

Good news for your pocket. There will be reduced lift Tickets available from Monday 2 of April.

1 day Ticket Adults 3500 Yen (was 4600 Yen)
1 day Ticket Kids 2500 Yen (was 3500 Yen

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Beautiful Spring Day in Nozawa Onsen
Friday, March 30th, 2012 •

Nozawa Onsen Snow Base up top: 365 cm
Current Nozawa Onsen Temperature: +3 Degrees
Nozawa Onsen Snow Base at bottom: 210 cm
New Snow in Nozawa Onsen: 0 cm
Nozawa Weather: Blue sky

After a nice dump earlier this week there’s been a couple of quite warm days in Nozawa with no snow to speak of. But as the end game looms here for the season there’s more snow forecast. Today temperatures are in the plus and climbed up to 3 degrees on the mountain this morning. Probably best to head up early, get a few runs in and take it easy in the afternoon. There are many great restaurants on the mountain where you can enjoy your lunch outside in the sun. There is a still a very good base and the snow varies between corn, groomed and a bit slushy. It will be still good fun to ride and it looks like the sun is just breaking through the clouds right now.

Great conditions yesterday. In the morning there were plenty of fresh powder lines on offer. Got a bit slushy in the afternoon, but over all a fantastic day. Not a single cloud in the sky all day long and again a stunning sunset in the evening.

As we said after the warm spring conditions from today it looks like temperatures will drop overnight and snow will start coming in tomorrow morning. Heavy snow on the forecast Saturday afternoon. Have a great weekend in Nozawa Onsen.

Here’s a great Nozawa Onsen ski video from this week. Enjoy!

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Even more snow in Nozawa Onsen!
Wednesday, March 28th, 2012 •

Snow base up top: 375 cm
Current temperature: -2 Degrees
Snow base at bottom: 220 cm
New Snow: 10 cm
Weather: Snowing

It just doesn’t let up with more fresh snow once again in Nozawa. After the warm spring temperatures yesterday afternoon it’s a bit hard to believe. It was bucketing here this morning and Nozawa Onsen village got more than five centimetres of fresh snow in under one hour. Looking out the window right now it is still snowing lightly, so it will be another good powder day up top.

It was a day like in a picture book here in Nozawa Onsen yesterday with a gorgeous blue sky all day long, good snow conditions up top and people actually sunbathing down in the village! The best thing about all this late season snow? The slopes are all yours with very few skiers on the mountain. A wonderful sunset was the perfect end to this fantastic day.

Today it will keep on snowing through out the day before we are back to a clear, cloudless sky tomorrow. Heavy snow on the forecast this weekend. The winter continues here in Nozawa Onsen.

The perfect setting. Looking at the Nozawa House from the free Shinju Pair Lift.

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More snow and blue sky in Nozawa Onsen
Monday, March 26th, 2012 •

Base up top: 385 cm Temperature: -1 Degrees

Base at bottom: 230 cm

New Snow: 20 cm Weather: Overcast then sun

It looks like that we can not put our snow shovels away just yet here in Nozawa. What a suprise with over 20cm of fresh snow overnight. It was heavy snowing all morning and even down in the village big snow flakes were falling from the sky.

Great conditions on and off the piste. Knee deep powder up top at Yamabiko and perfect conditions on the slopes with the sun out from just before lunch.

Yesterday was a bit of a mix. Visibility up top was limited but the slushy bottom runs were still good fun to ride. In the afternoon the sun came through before the snow front was rolling in.

The forecast looks pretty good for the next few days as well. Blue sky tomorrow, before we get some more snow moving in on Wednesday.

Late note! Unfortunately the Nozawa Guy has gone and broken his leg so that leaves the Nozawa Onsen Snow Report temporarily without a correspondent from the field. Hence reports will be winding down now between here and the end of the season. Don’t let a lack of reports stop you from coming. The snow and conditions are still tip top here!

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Spring Festival on this weekend
Saturday, March 24th, 2012 •

Air time by Scott Goodridge

Base up top: 355 cm        Temperature; -1 Degrees

Base at bottom; 215 cm

New Snow: 0 cm               Weather; Overcast

Not a lot happening on the weather front at this stage with mostly cloudy skies and some patches of blue poking through.

Up top is looking fairly foggy and some snow is expected to roll in later today getting heaviest tonight.

Bit of a hive of activity today with the Spring Festival going on up at Yamabiko. The resort has buried some treasure in the 350cm base up there and up to the guests to find it.

Yesterday was a mixed bag with some rain below but big flakes were falling from the sky up top at one stage and created a bit of fresh to enjoy. Visibility was not the best with a shifting fog bank up and down the resort. But all in all a better day than was expected.

Snow is still forecast for the next few days and the freezing level is dropping down to as low as sea level just briefly. Then sunshine expected Tuesday, may be a good day to wheel out the BBQ. Have a great weekend and enjoy the festivities and snow.

Singing proud and loud at Stay Bar

 

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Good time for touring
Friday, March 23rd, 2012 •

Heading off to Sake Mura

Base up top: 370 cm        Temperature; 2 Degrees

Base at bottom; 220 cm

New Snow: 0 cm               Weather; Overcast

Fairly grey warm morning in Nozawa and as expected we are getting hit with some rain in the village, but the resort is reporting snow up top.

With the freezing level up pretty high will be a bit of a tale of two mountains for the next two days with rain down low but snow up higher. Until Saturday night when the freezing level will drop and snow is expected in the village too.

The forecast is now for heavy snow tomorrow up top, which is great to see. With the temps on the way back down should be some pretty good powder about.

Yesterday was not a bad day in the mountains. March is always a good time to strap on the skins and head off into the beautiful surrounding terrain. Better weather and still plenty of snow making for some fun tours. Yesterday a few of the gang headed North all the way down to nearby Sakae Village nice ski, great outdoor onsen and a mountain picnic always enjoyable.

Bridge over icy water

 

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More snow on the menu
Wednesday, March 21st, 2012 •

On the straights!

Base up top: 380 cm        Temperature; -5 Degrees

Base at bottom; 235 cm

New Snow: 15 cm               Weather; Bluebird

Pretty insane conditions in Nozawa at the moment with another decent dump overnight and blue skies today. Life does not get much better!

We stumbled home from the Nakao concert last night and the snow was falling gracefully from the sky. Was beautiful with all the candles in the snow and the sake buzz added to the affect!

Woke up to a decent driveway clear and over boot deep powder on the slopes with zero crowds. The base is back up to near the 4-meter mark and conditions are sublime. Like every year always amazes me March is so good yet almost no one comes up. Even stranger this year with so much snow on offer. Not that we are complaining too much, more untracked runs for the keen.

Looks like we are in for a blue bird start to the day tomorrow then consistent snow falls up top for the foreseeable future! Like I said life is good in Nozawa..

Powder Time

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Crisp, Fresh start to the day
Tuesday, March 20th, 2012 •

Heading up Hachiman

Base up top: 370 cm        Temperature; -1 Degrees

Base at bottom; 235 cm

New Snow: 0 cm               Weather; Sunny

Stunning start to the day here in Nozawa and nice cold air when sat outside for a cup of tea this morning. Fairly blue skies with a bit of scattered cloud and the mercury is slowly rising with the sunshine.

Snow conditions still excellent with the fresh from the previous day. Yesterday was amazing up there with the foot of fresh over the whole resort and it snowed for a good part of the morning. Everyone was beaming when they tumbled down the hill late yesterday.

There is a bit of snow forecast for tonight then a couple of mostly sunny days. Looks like we will see quite a lot of snow over the weekend for the top at least. So anyone sitting behind their desk in Tokyo or where ever considering a mountain escape may want to start waxing the boards!

A fair bit going on in Nozawa this weekend too with the Spring Festival on the slopes of Yamabiko on Sunday and a Snowboard Cross contest on at Hikage should be fun.

Don’t forget Ma Chan and his Japanese Folk music tonight at the Nakao Community Centre always a mesmerizing evening with the local community.

 

 

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