Nozawa Onsen

Nozawa is a village of steep narrow lanes with a ski area above it, and its distinguishing institution is the soto-yu: thirteen public bathhouses fed by the local springs, free to enter, maintained not by the municipality but by the neighbourhood associations whose members clean them and keep them running under a system that has operated for generations. Visitors are welcome and expected to observe the etiquette. The water in several is extremely hot. The Dosojin fire festival on 15 January is the other thing: men aged twenty-five and forty-two defend a large wooden shrine structure, the forty-two-year-olds on top and the twenty-five-year-olds at the base, against villagers attacking with burning torches, and it goes on for hours before the whole thing is burned. It is not choreographed and injuries happen. It is registered as an important intangible folk cultural property.

What you actually see

• Thirteen free bathhouses - maintained by neighbourhood associations, not the town.
• Very hot water - several of the baths run near the limit of what is bearable.
• The Dosojin fire festival - a defended shrine attacked with torches on 15 January.
• A steep lane village - narrow streets under a ski area, walked on foot.

When to go

December to March for snow; 15 January for the fire festival. Two to three days.

Honest expectations

Some public baths are near-scalding and there is no cold tap - dilution buckets only. The fire festival is genuinely dangerous to be close to and sparks reach the crowd. Accommodation on festival night sells out a year ahead. The village lanes are steep and icy in winter.

Nearby

Iiyama is south; the Shiga Kogen ski area is east.