Nagano
Japan
Nozawa Onsen
Natural snow at mid-mountain (1,108 m) is reliably skiable from 16 Dec to 15 Apr. At the peak of the season the village at 565 m is snow-sure (100% of days) and modelled snowfall at the summit averages 100 cm a fortnight.
How natural snow at Nozawa Onsen has changed
Days each winter (November to April) with 30 cm or more of natural snow, every winter since 1950. The lines are the averages for 1961/62 to 1990/91 and 1995/96 to 2024/25.
Village, 565 m
6 fewer days a winter with 30 cm or more than in 1961–1990.Mid-mountain, 1,108 m
8 fewer days a winter with 30 cm or more than in 1961–1990.Modelled from ERA5 weather (Copernicus Climate Change Service), one consistent record for every winter. Checked against measured snow, this model got the direction of change right at 18 of 19 Swiss weather stations and 22 of 25 US snow stations, but overstated its size: a typical loss of 26 days against 17 measured in Switzerland, and 12 against 6 in the US. Read the changes as upper estimates. See the measurements · All 104 resorts since 1950
Month by month
October
Natural snow at mid-mountain reached 30 cm on fewer than 5% of days.
November
Unreliable for natural snow. Mid-mountain reached 30 cm on 8% of days.
December
Usually skiable. Mid-mountain had 30 cm or more on 76% of days, typically 70 cm deep. In the worst of the thirty winters there was none. Modelled snowfall at the summit averages 277 cm in the month, before wind and settling.
January
Snow-sure. Mid-mountain (1,108 m) had 30 cm or more of natural snow on 100% of days, with a typical depth of 218 cm. The worst of the thirty winters managed 100%. Snow usually reaches the village too (91% of days). Modelled snowfall at the summit averages 307 cm in the month, before wind and settling.
February
Snow-sure. Mid-mountain (1,108 m) had 30 cm or more of natural snow on 100% of days, with a typical depth of 326 cm. The worst of the thirty winters managed 100%. Snow usually reaches the village too (100% of days). Modelled snowfall at the summit averages 232 cm in the month, before wind and settling.
March
Snow-sure. Mid-mountain (1,108 m) had 30 cm or more of natural snow on 100% of days, with a typical depth of 358 cm. The worst of the thirty winters managed 100%. Snow usually reaches the village too (96% of days). Modelled snowfall at the summit averages 210 cm in the month, before wind and settling.
April
Usually skiable. Mid-mountain had 30 cm or more on 86% of days, typically 210 cm deep. In the worst of the thirty winters there was none. Modelled snowfall at the summit averages 90 cm in the month, before wind and settling.
May
Unreliable for natural snow. Mid-mountain reached 30 cm on 8% of days.
June to September
Natural snow at mid-mountain reached 30 cm on fewer than 5% of days.
Questions
When is the best time to ski Nozawa Onsen?
For natural snow, 16 Dec to 15 Apr. In that window mid-mountain (1,108 m) had 30 cm or more of natural snow on at least 90% of days across thirty winters. March is the most reliable month.
Is there snow at Nozawa Onsen in December?
In December, mid-mountain had 30 cm or more of natural snow on 76% of days over thirty winters, typically 70 cm deep. One or more seasons had none at all.
Does the snow reach the village at Nozawa Onsen?
At its most reliable, in March, the village at 565 m had 30 cm or more of natural snow on 96% of days. You can usually ski back to the village.
How high is Nozawa Onsen?
The modelled village is at 565 m, mid-mountain at 1,108 m and the summit at 1,650 m. The ski area itself spans 565 m to 1,644 m.
How much does natural snow vary from winter to winter at Nozawa Onsen?
Across the thirty winters modelled, mid-mountain had 30 cm or more of natural snow on between 110 and 178 days per season, with a typical winter around 145. Thirty winters show how much one season can differ from the next. For how snow has changed since 1950, see the long record below.
What is the nearest airport to Nozawa Onsen?
Shinshu-Matsumoto (MMJ) is about 96 km away in a straight line. Toyama Kitokito (TOY) is 116 km away. Road distances are longer.