Nozawa Onsen

The best snow and views are mid-mountain, but the descent is steep

Take the Nagasaka gondola to the top and you'll reach the Uenodaira and Yamabiko areas — this is where the best snow and views are. Yamabiko is my personal favorite: wide intermediate terrain with consistent snow quality. But be aware that the descent from the Yamabiko station area back to the base is intermediate-level or harder, so true beginners should stick to the Karasawa slope at the bottom of the mountain.

Traditional buildings, 13 free baths, but shops have gone fully inbound

Nozawa Onsen is one of Japan's most beautiful hot-spring villages, with traditional wooden buildings and 13 free public baths scattered through the streets. That said, the shops and restaurants inside the village have gone fully inbound — this is one of Japan's most international ski destinations right now. The upside: everything works in English. The downside: don't expect a hidden local gem. Accommodation is mostly small guesthouses and ryokan, prices run high, and peak-season rooms book out months ahead.

No parking inside the onsen town, and late nights can get rowdy

The onsen town doesn't have parking inside it — you'll park on the outskirts and walk everywhere. This means renting a car to hop between resorts from Nozawa as a base isn't practical. Commit to the village for your stay. One heads-up for families: since the village is walkable and full of bars, late nights can get rowdy with groups of tourists in the streets — not dangerous, but worth knowing if you have young kids.