Overview
Breathtaking alpine panoramas, steep and dramatic landscapes and a healthy dose of powder snow. The resorts of the Hakuba valley are the heart of the Japan Alps.
Hakuba has English speaking season staff, English language road signs and restaurant menus to compliment the traditional Japanese eateries, Ryokans (Inns) and natural onsen.
Combining a trip to Nozawa Onsen with a few days in Hakuba or Myoko or both are popular options.
The transfer time from Hakuba to Nozawa Onsen is 2 to 5 hours depending on your choice of transfer.
Bus, private taxi transfer, train and self-drive are all possible options for transport from Hakuba to Nozawa Onsen.
Hakuba to Nozawa Onsen Taxi
- Price: ¥7,500 to ¥60,000 per person - depending on the number of passengers
- Transfer Time: 2 to 2.5 hours
Private Taxi Transfers are the most convenient and fastest option for transfer from Hakuba to Nozawa Onsen 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 Hakuba 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
Hakuba to Nozawa Onsen Bus via Nagano Station
- Price: ¥5,500 to ¥6,000 per person - depending on where you are staying in Hakuba
- Transfer Time: 3.5 to 4 hours (including 30 mins waiting time)
Taking the bus from Hakuba to Nozawa Onsen is another popular method of travel.
A change of vehicle is required at Nagano Station.
Bus services have multiple pick up / drop off locations throughout the Hakuba Valley.
If you let your accommodation provider know which bus you have booked, most drop you off at the bus pick-up location in Hakuba.
The transfer time varies between 3.5 and 4 hours depending on road and weather conditions and where you are coming from in Hakuba.
Pros
- Well priced
Cons
- Not a door-to-door service
- Change of vehicle required at Nagano Station
Train from Hakuba to Nozawa Onsen
- Price: Approximately ¥6,000 per person
- Transfer Time: Up to 5 hours due to potentially long waiting time between local trains
Japan has a world-class network of trains that famously run on time to the second!
Tickets can be purchased on the day of travel from ticket machines or a sales counter.
However, the rail route from Hakuba to Nozawa Onsen is indirect, requires multiple changes of train and has the longest total transfer time.
For this reason, it is not recommended unless you have a JR Pass and want to make full use of it.
What is the closest Train Station in Hakuba?
The closest station to your accommodation depends on where you are staying in the Hakuba Valley:
- Kamishiro Station for Goryu village
- Hakuba Station for Echoland area, Happo One village or Wadano village
- Shinano-Moriue Station for Iwatake village
- Hakuba Oike Station for Tsugaike village
- Chikuni Station for Norikura
- Minami Otari Station for Cortina
Hakuba Transport Map
What is the closest Train Station to Nozawa Onsen?
Technically, the closest Train Station to Nozawa Onsen is Togari-Nozawa-Onsen (12 mins drive) but Iiyama Station (20 mins drive), which is not quite as close, is a Shinkansen (bullet train) Station and so is better connected.
Hakuba to Nozawa Onsen train route
The route from Hakuba Station takes place in three stages to Togari-Nozawa-Onsen Station or four stages to Iiyama Station:
- Stage 1: JR Oita Line: Hakuba Station -> Minami Otari Station (20 minutes)
- Stage 2: JR Oita Line: Minami Otari Station -> Itoigawa Station (56 minutes)
- Stage 3: Shinkansen Hakutaka: Itoigawa Station -> Iiyama Station (24 minutes)
- Stage 4: JR Iiyama Line: Iiyama Station -> Togari-Nozawa-Onsen Station (11 minutes)
Iiyama to Nozawa Onsen
From Iiyama to Nozawa Onsen, you can take the Nozawa Onsen Liner Bus, which drops off at the centrally located Chuo Bus Terminal in Nozawa Onsen or you can book a taxi to meet you off the train.
Alternatively, you can take a local taxi from Iiyama Station to Nozawa Onsen. Please ensure you have your destination written out in Japanese as most taxi drivers in Japan do not speak conversational level English.
Togari-Nozaw-Onsen Station to Nozawa Onsen
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.
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: Togari-Nozawa-Onsen train station is listed as “TOGARINOZAWA-ONSEN” in this system
Pros
- Free if you hold a JR Rail Pass
Cons
- A little complex if not familiar with trains in Japan
- Not ideal for passengers with ski / snowboard bags
- Longest transfer time
- Indirect - 3x to 4x changes of train required
Driving from Hakuba to Nozawa Onsen
- Price: Varies by vehicle type and hire duration
- Transfer Time: 2 to 2.5 hours
The route from Hakuba 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 in Hakuba opens up the possibility of exploring all of the ski resorts that the Hakuba Valley has to offer or venturing to off-the-beaten-path Onsen hot springs in the area. This is becoming increasingly popular, so book as early as you can.
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 ski wherever you like in the Hakuba Valley and visit Hakuba different villages.
Cons
- Can be challenging driving conditions – 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.
Hakuba Valley
Breathtaking alpine panoramas, steep and dramatic landscapes and a healthy dose of powder snow. The resorts of the Hakuba valley are the heart of the Japan Alps.
Hakuba Accommodation
The Hakuba Valley is spread out and offers a wide range of accommodation options from luxury 5-star hotels, self contained apartments and houses to pensions, lodges and cabins.
All information is correct to the best of our knowledge at the time of writing.