This is another area in which Nozawa Onsen really excels, offering no less than 29 eateries spread across the ski area. There is a lodge or restaurant at the bottom and top of many of the major runs on the mountain, meaning that you never have to look far to find some sustenance for refuelling during the day.
Typical Japanese food abounds
Most of the restaurants serve typical Japanese fare, with curry, pork cutlet and rice, ramen and stew all popular choices among the locals. We ate at Kashmir House at the bottom of the Challenge course and enjoyed the tasty and sizeable dinner sets. Lodge Hakugin in the Paradise area is also a great choice given their hefty bowls of miso ramen for just ¥ 900 (€ 7.20). If you are looking for something a little more western, then the Japanese burger chain Mos Burger also has an outlet down by the Hikage Station.
Culinary delights in the village
Down in the village, the Rest House St. Anton offers the rare opportunity of getting a great western-style coffee. We can also highly recommend the restaurants Sob-dokoro Daimon for incredible soba supper sets and Wakagiri for a mix of western-friendly Japanese specialities. No visit to Nozawa Onsen would be complete without trying the “onsen-boiled eggs” – eggs cooked in the hot spring water, leaving them with the unusual consistency of having a hard yolk and soft egg white. The Nozawana Oyaki stewed-veg dumplings are also available from a wide range of street food vendors and are incredibly tasty and filling.