NozawaOnsen, that cute little village in Nagano

Have you heard about this small village in Nagano prefecture?

When I first came to Nozawa Onsen, I remember being greeted by these wooden statues. I didn’t know what it was, but it was all over the place. These are the Dosojin of Nozawa Onsen, the local deities of the village. It is enshrined in the border of the village and in front of most houses and buildings, to prevent misfortune or any bad things from entering.  

It also has a long local tradition of the Dosojin Matsuri Festival held on the 15^th of January as a celebration for good fortune (children and marriage) and warding off evil. The preparation for the festival takes months, from going to the mountains, cutting down the trees, chopping the wood and building wooden structures, all this leading up to the day of the festival. If you do watch it in person, it’ll take a long time, which lasts all night long. If you’re curious but can’t join in the festivities, I think you can now stream it live.

Of course, I have to talk about the onsens. You’ll find different public onsens that run throughout the village. Some have different operating times, so make sure to check it before going. Also, some don’t have changing rooms and the shelves for your clothes are sometimes in the bathing area. Most of them also don’t have bath soaps or amenities and you need to bring your own stuff including towels. Well, it is a public onsen and locals mostly use these facilities.  

When you decide to dip in, try to use a basin to splash yourself with the water to check the temperature. Then, you’ll realize how hot the water is! It’s not like you would at a spa where you relax and fully dip inside for hours. No. The water is hot enough to melt your muscles away and replace it with new prickling sensation on your skin. It might be an acquired taste, which I for one have grown accustomed to. You’ve been warned though. Be careful in dipping too long or you’ll get dizzy and its not good.

There are a lot of hotels and accommodation around the village. One I am particularly fond of are the ryokans. If you’re all for the authentic Japanese experience, try staying in one of the ryokans in the village. Most of them have their own onsen water running in their baths and serve course meals and wonderful Japanese style rooms. The ryokans come in different price ranges, and all are quite competitive when it comes to the experience. Here are some dinner options we were able to try. Even the affordable packages were amazing.  

Nozawa Onsen has a very long history and they’ve managed to preserve the traditions as much as they could. Some buildings are new, and the heart of the village is pretty much alive. If you have the time to explore the village, I suggest joining one of the walking tours in the area. I sure did appreciate getting to know some trivia and stories about the village straight from a local.