No snow in Nozawa

Dear Jim,

How are you? I enjoyed the Christmas holiday.

It was a fantastic time, although the weather wasn't so good. I went to Nozawa Onsen for skiing and hot spring with my family. It was raining and sometimes snowing. There wasn't enough snow for skiing, so we didn't buy a one day ticket, got some single tickets because some lifts didn't work. Anyway, we didn't really enjoy skiing. However, we enjoyed hot spring.

Did you know Nozawa Onsen is free? There are several free places, although the spaces are small. That spring is famous for making the skin beautiful.

By the way, did you enjoy the Christmas & New Year's holiday? Write soon, and tell me about it!

from Kazumi

Kazumi's local (Matsumoto) restaurant reviews

Aburaya

You won't find Chinese food as good as this in town. It's always busy, so the service isn't as quick as some people would like. However, every dish is tasty. I recommend going there late lunch time, as it won't be too busy. You won't be able to have some options (coffee, dessert) but it's as cheap as anywhere else in town.

Reviewed by Kazumi

Find it on Trip Advisor

Maruyasu

Nowhere serves as much salad, rice & miso soup as Maruyasu. You can take advantage of the 'all you can eat' option. This tiny restaurant is always full. You can't book, so I recommend going as early as you can before the restaurant opens. It isn't as expensive as you'd expect.

Reviewed by Kazumi

Find it in Google maps: 7-43 Takamiyaminami, Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture 390-0843