Nozawa Onsen, located in Japan’s Nagano prefecture, is a stunning ski resort with bountiful groomed trails, tree skiing, and backcountry access. Its village features several restaurants, rental shops, and more, but what makes Nozawa Onsen truly stand out is its dog friendliness. While ski areas in the United States might allow dogs in the parking lots or even on the trails before and after lift hours, Nozawa Onsen sells gondola tickets just for the pups.
A full day lift ticket at Nozawa Onsen costs ￥7,500, or just around $47 USD, for adults. For an additional ￥600, or just under $4 USD, visitors can get their hands on a Nagasaka Gondola boarding pass for their dog. The ticket is valid for just one dog and just one ride up, and it must be purchased before riding the gondola.
As an important note, pets can only ride the Nagasaka Gondola and must be on a leash or in a crate while doing so. Once they’ve made it up the lift, the dogs get to enjoy a run back down the slopes. There aren’t many places in the world that allow such an adventure.
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Nolan Deck is a writer for Unofficial Networks, covering skiing and outdoor adventure. After growing up and skiing in Maine, he moved to the Denver area for college where he continues to live and work…
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