Overview
An authentic Japanese ski town with uncrowded slopes, Myoko is powder and park heaven, combining modern facilities and true Japanese charm.
The transfer time to Nozawa Onsen is 1 hour to 2hrs45 minutes depending on your choice of transfer.
Combining a trip to Nozawa Onsen with a few days in Hakuba or Myoko are popular options.
Bus, private taxi transfer, train and self-drive are all possible options for transport from Myoko to Nozawa Onsen.
Myoko to Nozawa Onsen Taxi
- Price: ¥6,300 to ¥50,000 per person - depending on the number of passengers
- Transfer Time: 1 hour
Private Taxi Transfers are the most convenient and fastest option for transfer between Myoko and Nozawa and must be booked in advance.
This door-to-door transfer option is the most flexible and convenient option, allowing you to not lose a day on the slopes when transferring from Myoko to Nozawa Onsen.
Vehicles are jumbo-sized, can take ski and snowboard bags and up to 8x people.
Tip
- You can book a stop-off at a supermarket to buy groceries for an additional charge. If you are staying in self-catering accommodation in Nozawa Onsen and plan to cook some of your own meals, this can be really useful.
Pros
- Available 24 hours a day
- Most convenient
- Faster than bus services
Cons
- More expensive than other options
Myoko to Nozawa Onsen Bus via Nagano Station
- Price: ¥5,000 per person
- Transfer Time: 2hrs45 minutes (includes 30 mins waiting time)
Taking the bus from Myoko to Nozawa Onsen is another popular method of travel.
The service picks up from Myoko Akakura village and drops off at Nagano Station, where a change of vehicle is required to board the bus to Nozawa Onsen.
The bus drops off at the centrally located Chuo Bus Terminal in Nozawa Onse.
The total transfer time, including 30 minutes waiting time between buses at Nagano Station is 2 hours and 45 minutes.
Pros
- Reasonably well priced
Cons
- Change of vehicle required at Nagano Station
- Not a door-to-door service
Train from Myoko to Nozawa Onsen
- Price: Approximately ¥1,200 per person
- Transfer Time: Up to 2 hours (including waiting time between trains)
Japan has a world-class network of trains that famously run on time to the second!
Myoko Kogen is the closest Train Station to Myoko ski resort (10 mins drive) and Togari-Nozawa-Onsen is the closest Train Station to Nozawa Onsen (12 mins drive).
The rail route from Myoko to Nozawa Onsen requires one change of train.
- Stage 1: Shinano Railway Kitashinano Line*: Myoko Kogen Station -> Toyono Station (30 minutes)
- Stage 2: JR Iiyama Line: Toyono Station -> Togari-Nozawa-Onsen Station (45 minutes)
* The Shinano Railway Kitashinano Line is a private railway line and JR Passes are not valid on this service
Tickets can be purchased on the day of travel from ticket machines or a sales counter.
If you plan which train you plan to get in advance, most accommodations in Nozawa Onsen will provide a pick up and drop service to / from your accommodation from Togari-Nozawa-Onsen, if you book it with them in advance with a couple of weeks’ notice.
Alternatively, you can take a local taxi from Togari-Nozawa-Onsen Station. Please ensure you have your destination written out in Japanese as most taxi drivers in Japan do not speak conversational level English.
Japan Rail Pass: For guests visiting Nozawa Onsen as part of a longer itinerary of travel elsewhere in Japan, either side of their ski experience, a Japan Rail Pass can be a fantastic investment, allowing unlimited train travel on most Japan Rail trains, for periods of 7, 14 or 21 days to suit your travel schedule.
- Look up winter season train timetables on JR East
- Search Japan's train schedules using the Japan Transit Planner.
Note: Myoko Kogen train station is listed as “MYOKO-KOGEN” and Togari-Nozawa-Onsen train station is listed as “TOGARINOZAWA-ONSEN” in this system
Pros
- One stage is free if you hold a JR Rail Pass
Cons
- Indirect - one change of train required
- Not ideal for passengers with ski / snowboard bags
Driving from Myoko to Nozawa Onsen
- Price: Varies by vehicle type and hire duration
- Transfer Time: 1 hour
Myoko ski resort does not have any car hire options in the village itself. So, if you are planning on visiting Myoko before Nozawa Onsen and would like to drive the 1 hours drive to Nozawa Onsen, you can hire a car from Nagano, Tokyo, Tokyo Narita Airport or Tokyo Haneda Airport.
The route from Myoko to Nozawa Onsen is pretty straightforward with road signs in English but driving in January and February can be a little tricky for those without experience of driving in challenging winter conditions. Snow & ice covered roads are possible and visibility can be poor when snow is falling.
If you are comfortable driving in these conditions, hiring a car and driving yourself to Nozawa Onsen opens up the possibility of visiting Nozawa Onsen as part of a larger itinerary vising multiple ski resorts or doing day trips from Nozawa Onsen.
Nozawa Onsen is an old village with narrow windy streets, so we do not recommend driving around Nozawa Onsen village during your stay. Parking at your accommodation in Nozawa Onsen can be a little tricky. Some hotels & apartment buildings may have one or two parking spaces but you will most likely have to pay. There are free car parking options on the outskirts of the village.
Hire vehicles are four-wheel drive, come with winter tyres fitted (so no snow chains required) and English language GPS can be booked.
All drivers must bring their own national driver's license and a valid International Drivers Permit to legally drive in Japan. Car hire companies will not hand over the keys without these documents.
Pros
- Flexibility to do day trips or visit multiple ski resorts
Cons
- Can be challenging driving conditions in the Nagano region – snowy / icy roads & poor visibility are possible
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Nozawa Transfers
Whether you are coming from Tokyo or one of the other Ski Resorts in the Nagano area, there are numerous options for the transfer to Nozawa.
Book now through our Pre-Trip Concierge Service
Available for guests that have booked accommodation with us.
Nozawa Accommodation
Nozawa has a fantastic mix of hotels and traditional Japanese Ryokans to cater for travellers of all budgets.
Myoko Ski Resort
A traditionally Japanese ski town with uncrowded slopes, Myoko is powder and park heaven, combining modern facilities and true Japanese charm. Myoko is a well kept secret and a powder gem.
Myoko Accommodation
Myoko Kogen is made up of several resorts each with their own base area: Akakura Kanko, Akakura Onsen, Ikenotaira and Suginohara.
Akakura Onsen base area has the most facilities, restaurants, bars and accomodation options.
It is here that all of our accommodation options can be found.
All information is correct to the best of our knowledge at the time of writing.