Review Nozawa Onsen: Après-Ski

Nozawa Onsen is the only ski resort we visited in Japan that offers a little in the way of après-ski. Don’t expect anything akin to the umbrella bars and schlager hits of Ischgl, but there are a number of bars at the bottom of the hill that are popular with skiers after their final run. The Craft Room at the Nagasaka Station is the first port of call for most western visitors and it has a decent range of drinks available to suit just about every taste. The Stay Bar further into town has its happy hour between 4pm and 6pm, and is therefore ideal for a few cheap drinks (something that isn’t easy to come by in Japan!) after the mountain closes. The village itself has decent nightlife for such a small settlement, and boasts everything from a craft beer bar to a karaoke joint.