THE GREEN SEASON
Nestled into the mountain and blanketed in snow Nozawa Onsen is incredibly beautiful and a perfect ski destination in the winter season. However the summer (The Green Season), offers a mountainside and village transformed by lush greenery with locals growing flowers, vegetables and rice at the bottom of the ski slopes as well as every available space of ground in the village.
It is well worth the visit. The village is gorgeous just to walk through and sight see and the onsens are still fully operational of course. If you're looking for a greater adventure you could try mountain biking around the fire trails and down the ski slopes in July and August.
There are heaps of great hiking trails also taking you up into the beautiful cool of the mountains.