With a maximum altitude of 1650m, the resort provides great snow quality, with powder runs as good as anywhere else in Japan. If its powder snow you are looking for we strongly recommend this resort, along with Kagura/Naeba and Hakuba.

The best powder runs are to be found at the very top of the mountain, around the 'Yamabiko' piste.

Nozawa Onsen offers more than just powder snow. For a resort of this size, there are a lot of courses for beginners and families.

Quite unusually in Japan, some beginners' green runs can be found high up the mountain. For example, from the top of the "Nagasaka gondola" station, by constantly keeping to the right skiers and boarders can find their way to the 'rinkan' course.

This course is gentle slope which snakes its way to the foot of the mountain.

Nozawa Onsen also offers a terrain park, with an 80 metre pipe set among the usual jumps, rails and boxes.

The snow park facilities are a great diversion if there is a break in the powder snow conditions. There are also plenty of opportunities for jibbing around the resort, especially around the courses that lead directly into the town below.