Nozawa Onsen Restaurant Guide
One of the greatest things about coming to Nozawa Onsen is the number of great restaurants all within walking distance of this compact, traditional hot spring and ski village. From Yoji Nozawa you have everything from traditional Japanese restaurants, craft beer, homemade gyoza, ramen, pizza, Mexican, Italian, wine bars and more just minutes from the front door. Reservations are strongly advised for groups of four persons or more during the season as many places are small and fill up quickly. We do ask that our guests make sure they cancel any bookings at least 24-48 hours in advance so restaurants can fill seats if you are unable to go.
Nozawa's Original Taproom
The Craft Room
The Craft Room is Nozawa Onsen’s original taproom and cafe and the first place to serve All Press Coffee outside of Tokyo. The breakfast bagel is legendary and will fill you up until lunch. Grab a coffee for the gondola and slide in for a quick mid-pow beer or bite before heading out to shred more. We were the first place in Nozawa Onsen to have craft beer on tap and continue to have a great selection of craft beers and cider from the U.S. and Japan. We opened The Craft Room in 2011 after the great Tohoku Earthquake and are closing in on our 10-year anniversary. The Craft Room is the place to be for apres in Nozawa Onsen and is located right across from the new Nagasaka Gondola Station. Ski in ski out and the triple lift that takes over to Hikage is right out front or jump on the free village snowmobile taxi up the Kids Park.
Location: 10-minute (uphill) walk from Yoji Nozawa (900 meters). You can also take the Shinyu-Pair Lift or Yu Road up and ski down to The Craft Room.
Best Selection of Craft Beer and Cider
Winterland Taproom & Gyoza Bar
The other restaurant lodge we are partners in is right in front of Chuo Bus Terminal and just a 3- minute walk from Yoji Nozawa. We opened Winterland for the 2018-19 season and the taproom has Nozawa Onsen’s best selection of craft beer and cider with 12 taps and a bottle and can fridge with rotating domestic and international craft beers and ciders plus a full bar. Winterland’s specialty is gyoza with the original Nozawana gyoza, vegetarian gyoza as well as kimchi, shiso, curry, our big house Titan gyoza and others that pair perfectly with your favorite beer or cider. Winterland also has a great breakfast from 7-10 a.m. if you don’t feel like cooking and daily happy hours. Take out is available.
Location: 3-minute walk from Yoji Nozawa (250 meters)
Soba, Tempura and Rice Bowls
Yoshimi Soba
Great Japanese restaurant (soba, tempura, rice bowls) right around the corner from Yoji Nozawa. Yoshimi Soba is run by a friendly local family and some of our favorites include tendon (tempura bowl), niku suba (soba with slices of thin sliced pork) and katsudon (deep fried pork bowl)–most dishes served with a tasty miso soup and homemade Nozawana. We often find when other places are full you can sneak in here as they don’t take reservations.
Location: 1 minute walk from Yoji Nozawa (89 meters).
izakaya-style dishes
Jisaku 治作
One of our favorite family-run restaurants in the village, look for the red lanterns on the intersection across from the omiyage (souvenir shop) near Yoji Nozawa. This cozy, mom and pops shop has a few local specialities including an imo pancake (fried potato pancake in a teriyaki-like sauce) and all your favorite izakaya-style dishes.
Location: 1-minute walk from Yoji Nozawa (100 meters) .
Yakitori-don and Unagi Dishes
Atarashiya
Our neighbors run this great spot for lunch–the yakitori don (yakitori rice bowl) is one of our favorite dishes in the village. The hours can be tricky as they don’t open for dinner but make sure you have lunch here at least once during your stay in Nozawa Onsen. They also our know for their eel dishes.
Location: 2-minute walk from Yoji Nozawa (210 meters).
Traditional Yakitori and Sashimi
Minato
Nice traditional local Japanese restaurant with a traditional irori fireplace. Nice yakitori, sashimi and other Japanese dishes and popular year-round with locals. Minato is just up from Asagama Onsen toward Ogama (on your right ust across the street from Furusato no yu hot spring.)
Location: 2-minute walk from Yoji Nozawa (160 meters).
Fun Yakiniku
Banri
If you love Japanese barbecue be sure to check out Banri. Located just up the road and across the street from Winterland, this local favorite is a fun place to cook your own selection of meat and veggies on the grill at your table.
Location: 4-minute walk from Yoji Nozawa (280 meters).
Japanese Teishoku and Sushi
Wakagiri
Our got Japanese restaurant and sushi bar for lunch as their great teishoku (set meals) are reasonable and tasty and open year-round. Don’t miss the small sushi bar near the front when you arrive. It’s straight up the road from Winterland on Oyu-dori (Oyu Street). They do not take reservations after 5:30 p.m.
Location: 4-minute walk from Yoji Nozawa (300 meters).
Locals Favorite Izakaya
Tsukushimbo (つくしんぼ)
If you are looking for a traditional izakaya, one of our favorites in the village is Tsukushimbo. It is located just downstairs below Tokiwaya Ryokan and is open year-round and popular with locals. They do accept reservations and have a large tatami area that is good for groups.
Location: 4-minute walk from Yoji Nozawa (350 meters).
Coffee, Jam and Gelato
Haus St. Anton (Coffee and Jam Factory)
The Katagiri family run this nice coffee shop, jam factory and gelato shop. They also have some sandwiches and snacks and have a fine dining restaurant next door (reservations required) with five-course meals that is highly recommended.
Location: 4-minute walk from Yoji Nozawa (300 meters).
French/Japanese Fusion
Shichirohei Coffee
Shichirohei is a stylish, quiet place to enjoy a good coffee and some Japanese/French fusion dishes. The family that runs it are Nozawa locals and pro skiers who have created a cool space with some interesting dishes, locally-sourced food and a nice wine list.
Location: 3-minute walk from Yoji Nozawa (240 meters).
Funk, Fun Mexican Bar
Juntos Mexican Restaurant & Bar
Juntos is the place to get your Mexican fix with a selection of burritos, tacos, nachos and margaritas. Be sure to try the street corn. They do take out as well if you’d like to get some burritos to go. Reservations are advised as it is a cozy space, but there is seating at the bar if you are going solo or with a friend and want to try and squeeze in.
Location: 3-minute walk from Yoji Nozawa (230 meters).
Family-Run Okonomiyaki
akebitai (okonomiyaki)
If you haven’t tried okonomiyaki, this small, family-run okonomiyaki restaurant is a nice place to try this uniquely Japanese cuisine. They do not take reservations so best to go early if you have a group.
Location: 4-minute walk from Yoji Nozawa (300 meters)
Yatai-style Food Court
Kongo
Kongo is a huge food-court-like complex that is a great place to go with big groups as there is plenty of space. It’s an old metal factory run by our friend Yamazaki-san and he’s done a great job reinventing the space into a fun yatai-mura with a replica Dosojin shaden (the big wood structure used during the fire festival that goes up in flames) in the center. There are a few places that are open year round here such as our favorite Kua Thai (Thai food) and Japanese food with other booths rotating each season. Thai is available on weekend year round and every day in winter.
Location: 6-minute walk from Yoji Nozawa (550 meters).
Locals Snowboarder Bar
Neo Bar
If you are walking down from Nagasaka Gondola toward Sparena, be sure to visit our friends at Neo Bar. Run by local snowboarders, Neo Bar has a very cool interior, a great second floor lounge area and a nice selection of Japanese / Western dishes. They also do crepes and have an awesome snowboard collection. It’s a bit of a trek from Yoji Nozawa and the center of the village but worth checking out.
Location: 14-minutes walk from Yoji Nozawa (900 meters).
Fine Dining in Nozawa Onsen
Tanuki (Asian fine dining)
If fine dining is what you are after Tanuki is the place to go There is a popular teppanyaki restaurant on t. Their stylish interior and after with Asian dining and teppanyaki.
Brewed in Nozawa Onsen
Libushi
This is the taproom for Nozawa Onsen’s local craft brewery. The English brewer specializes in sours and English-style ales. They usually have some interesting seasonal beers and the small taproom is a cozy place to belly up to the bar for a beer while exploring the village.
Location: 4-minute walk from Yoji Nozawa (280 meters).
Japanese Hot Pot
Sooyu Restaurant
This small family-run restaurant specializes in hot pots and is located on the small street that heads up to Yuzawa Shrine from Oyu in the center of the village. If you book in advance (necessary for groups) you will need to order in advance with your hot pot selection.
Location: 5-minute walk from Yoji Nozawa (350 meters).
Nice Cafe Near the Footbaths
Nappa Cafe
If you are up by the market and foot baths be sure to stop by Nappa Cafe for a coffee or snack. It’s a little out of the way if you haven’t been there but they do great coffee and a nice quiet location with a nice view of the mountains across the valley and convenient for a coffee to go if you’d like to sip on a cup while soaking your feet on the footbaths in the green season or strolling through the Ogama cooking onsen on the way back to Yoji Nozawa.
Location: 6-minute walk from Yoji Nozawa (400 meters).
Be sure to save the link to Yoji Nozawa’s custom Nozawa Onsen Village Map while exploring the village.
Melbourne-Style Pizza and Cocktails
Gochiso Pizza and Cocktail Bar
Enjoy some Melbourne-style pizza salads and cocktails at Gochiso. Located just out the back of Yoji Nozawa (look out the back window) and they do take-out and delivery if you don’t feel like going out.
Location: 2-minute walk from Yoji Nozawa (210 meters)
Steaks and Burgers
The Corner Steakhouse
Not surprisingly, these guys specialize in steaks and this is the place to go if you are looking for a great steak in Nozawa Onsen. Not inexpensive but definitely tasty and they also do burgers. It’s located down a narrow street in the center of town just up from the taxi stand. .
Location: 3-minute walk from Yoji Nozawa (230 meters).
Nozawa's Burger Joint
Genki Burger
Sometimes you just need a burger and Genki Burger will fill the craving with a nice selection of burgers that include vegetarian (tofu), karaage (chicken) and more. Seating is limited and take out is available if you want a burger on the run.
Location: 4-minute walk from Yoji Nozawa (300 meters).
Local-run Italian Favorite
Kaze no ie
This Italian restaurant is an institution in Nozawa Onsen. The nice older Japanese couple that run it have been here for decades and visit Greece and Italy often in the off-season. And while it can take some time for orders to come out ( if you have hungry kids it might not be a great first option), but the food, wine, location and atmosphere are great. Enjoy pasta, pizza, salads and carafe of wine. We love the bruschetta.
Location: 3-minute walk from Yoji Nozawa (230 meters).
Family-Run Local Landmark
Sakai さかい
We’ve been going to Sakai since 199, it was one of the first izakaya we visited when we first came to Nozawa Onsen. It’s a nice family-run Japanese restaurant on the way down from The Craft Room to the center of the village spotted by the red lantern. You’ll want to get reservations here if you are more than a couple people as it does fill up and service can be slow when busy but it’s a great local place open year round. There is also a big tatami area in the back great for big groups but must book in advance.
Location: 6-minute walk from Yoji Nozawa (450 meters).
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