Nozawa Onsen, in fact, is not that far away.
First, let's talk about access to Nozawa Onsen. This time we used public transportation. We took the Hokuriku Shinkansen from Tokyo Station to Iiyama Station, and then took a direct bus called the Nozawa Onsen Liner to the site. The bullet train takes about 1 hour and 50 minutes and the direct bus takes about 25 minutes. Some people may have an image that Nozawa Onsen is far from Tokyo, but actually it is not that far.
And so we arrived at Nozawa Onsen. Here are the three members of this year's group. From left, HOUYHNHNM's deputy editor, Hiroshi Yamamoto, artist Frankie Suhy, and writer Issey Enomoto.
Frankie has been skiing since he was a child and seems to be quite good at it, so we asked him to join us this time. He has visited various ski resorts in Japan and abroad, including Whistler in Canada, but this was his first visit to Nozawa Onsen.
The weather was clear and sunny. The Nozawa Onsen area had a pleasant blue sky. It had been snowing the day before, so the slopes were sure to be in good condition. With great anticipation, we headed for the ski slopes on foot from the bus stop.
Rent the latest gear at the Salomon Station!
After arriving at Nozawa Onsen Ski Resort, you will go to Nagasaka Center House, which has just undergone a full renovation. This building, the gateway to the slopes, houses all the services needed to enjoy the slopes, including an information counter, meeting and rest areas, luggage storage, lockers, and stores.
The rental store "Salomon Station" is also located at the Nagasaka Center House. Here you can rent the latest models of Salomon skis and snowboards, as well as clothing and other items. In other words, you can enjoy skiing and snowboarding even if you come empty-handed.
The renovated Salomon Station features a state-of-the-art online check-in system. By making a reservation with your smartphone in advance, you can smoothly pick up your rental items. This is amazingly convenient and easy. You can also pay in advance with your smartphone, so there is no need to pay on-site. It's a good time.
After changing clothes and renting a set of gear at the "Salomon Station," it's time to head to the slopes.
The state-of-the-art gondola lift offers a spectacular 360° view!
The Shin-Nagasaka Gondola Lift is used to get from the foot of the slopes to the middle of the slopes. From Nagasaka Station (627 meters above sea level) to Yamabiko Station (1,417 meters above sea level) is a 3,129-meter ride.
This new Nagasaka gondola lift has just started operation this season. It is clean and shiny.
The first thing that surprised us when we boarded the gondola lift was that all four sides of the lift were made of glass! The three of us were excited to see the spectacular 360° view as we climbed higher.
The gondola lift is surprisingly quiet and smooth. The gondola lift is surprisingly quiet and smooth.
The three of us gasped at the beauty of the view. Incidentally, the new Nagasaka gondola lift is equipped with the world's most advanced automatic ventilation system, which allows air to be changed in a short time.
It takes about 8 minutes to arrive at Yamabiko Station after departing from Nagasaka Station. The ride is comfortable and faster than the previous gondola lift, and the boarding time has been reduced by about half. The ride on the new Nagasaka gondola alone may be worth coming to Nozawa Onsen Ski Resort. It was such a wonderful experience.
