travelwith3bubs

Travel Tips, Family Friendly Holidays and Life in Hong Kong

Tag: traveljapan

  • Important Tips -Taking The Stress Out Of Japan’s Train Network

    Important Tips -Taking The Stress Out Of Japan’s Train Network

    The train system in Japan is truly fantastic. If you are visiting Japan you will be sure to make use of it. A wonderful way to explore the country and it is incredibly reliable. Here are a few tips we wished we knew before our first family train journey.

    3 Train Tips

    The biggest mistake travelers make is having too much luggage.

    The most stressful thing imaginable is standing on the platform as the bullet train (shinkansen) comes into the station. Getting yourself, your family and your luggage on the train should not of itself sound stressful. The exception to this is when you have all of 2 minutes to get on board along with everyone else!

    Tip 1 – The less luggage you have, the less stressful it will be.

    Apart from getting your luggage onboard in quick time, the other major issue is finding space on the train. There is very little storage space and often you will need to store your suitcase at your seat. There is usually space above your seat but this is only for smaller bags.

    Tip 2 – Buy your tickets in advance online.

    It is also worth collecting your tickets for the return journey at the same time. If you have booked Green or Gran Class you will get two tickets each way. So make sure you have four tickets (per person) in total. So long as you do not misplace your return tickets it saves queuing up later, especially after a ski trip. If you are collecting JR tickets make sure you show the email with your Member number in full.

    Tip 3 – Be super quick.

    Be ready to get on the train as soon as it arrives at the station. Give everyone in the family a task – whether it be holding a bag or just finding their seat. I am always shocked and impressed when the train leaves the station at the exact time it is scheduled. Usually this is within minutes of arrival.

    You will have a brilliant holiday in Japan and will make great use of the incredible train system. If you follow my tips I guarantee you will have a much less stressful experience.

    Happy commuting!

    Shareen

    travelwith3bubs

    © 2025. All content and photographs copyright (c) 2025 travelwith3bubs. All rights reserved.

  • Nozawa Onsen – The Best Japanese Ski Resort

    Nozawa Onsen – The Best Japanese Ski Resort

    Nozawa Onsen – the best Japanese Ski Resort and the worst Best Kept Secret

    Nozawa Onsen is a bit like Fight Club. Everyone who has been to Nozawa Onsen does not want to tell anyone else about Nozawa Onsen. Indeed any Instagram and TikTok posts are met with disdain, anger and abuse. But it’s too late. The cat is most definitely out of the bag.

    About Nozawa Onsen

    Nozawa Onsen is a quaint beautiful village in Nagano prefecture. It only requires a bullet train from Tokyo (under 2 hours). A short bus or taxi ride (20 minutes) will then take you to the village.

    shinkansen nozawa onsen

    The ski resort recently celebrated it’s 100 year anniversary. Foreigners have been going the last twenty years or so. But it has only been the last few years that it has become THE place to be.

    Nozawa Onsen - sledding

    Many newcomers are Niseko converts. Niseko is the upmarket resort in the North famous for its great powder but long queues and fully booked restaurants. Unlike Niseko which requires a flight to Hokkaido, Nozawa Onsen is accessible from Tokyo which offers many more flight options. It is also great to have the chance to spend days either side, exploring everything Tokyo has to offer. But that’s another blog entirely.

    The Famous Nozawa Onsens

    Nozawa Onsen is also famous for its public onsens (hot baths) dotted around the village. These waters are known for their medicinal properties but are not for the fainthearted. Coming to grips with the rules of Onsen etiquette is important. Getting used to being fully nude and managing the almost boiling temperatures are all part of the experience.

    Important Tips

    Accommodation

    There are a range of accommodations but if you do decide to go, do not leave it too late. Most returners tend to book a year in advance. Once they come off the slopes on their last day of skiing they sign up for the following year!

    Restaurants

    Now that Nozawa Onsen is more popular than ever, it is also worth booking some restaurants ahead of time. For the most part this only needs to be a few days or weeks rather than months. See my blog on 3 Unmissable Restaurants You Must Try in Nozawa Onsen. This also highlights the restaurants you must book early.

    Lunches are all walk in so you just need to queue. Best tip is to get there when they first open or slightly earlier. Most people do not linger over lunch so the wait times are not long.

    Nightlife in Nozawa

    Nightlife is very tame – think Whistler, but the opposite.

    There are a few bars but not a lot of rowdy yahooing. There is still enough for the younger crowd to enjoy great nights out after a long day on the slopes.

    Nozawa Onsen for Non Skiers

    For those who don’t ski there is enough to do for a week. One can visit the snow monkeys, go snow walking, take cooking classes and enjoy the village. There are yoga classes, a climbing wall and of course all the onsens to explore.

    snow monkeys

    Our family love Nozawa Onsen for its gorgeous village feel, hearty food offerings and fantastic skiing amongst a beautiful backdrop.

    I highly recommend a visit for your next ski holiday – despite the backlash I will receive!

    For more detailed information about the village.

    Thanks for reading and happy skiing.

    Shareen

    travelwith3bubs

    © 2025. All rights reserved.

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