RETREAT WITH TAHL RINSKYSnow & Steam
Five nights in a snowbound mountain village in Japan
Nozawa Onsen, Japan
16–21 March 2027
First Access: $1300
Save $650 by booking before September 1st
Payment plans available
Five nights in a snowbound mountain village in Japan.
The week is built around two practices a day, with plenty of space to explore or rest. We return to the simplicity and depth of yoga and meditation in the silence that snow and mountains bring. In between, there is plenty to do and plenty to leave undone; soaking in hot springs the village has kept for centuries, wandering into the simple beauty of Japanese mountain life, resting deeply. For those who ski, the slopes sit a few minutes from the door.
Depth does not have to be solemn.
Nozawa Onsen
Nozawa Onsen is a traditional Japanese mountain village in northern Nagano, known for deep powder snow, its ski slopes, and its free, natural hot springs.
The onsen are the heart of the village. Thirteen public bathhouses, owned and tended by the community since the Edo period, free and open to all; the same hot water the village has soaked in for generations. Bathing here is daily life and quiet ritual at once, woven through the streets. Soaking is its own kind of practice.
The ski slopes begin at the edge of town. Nozawa is a forgiving, well-loved mountain; a fine place for seasoned skiers, and a safe, easy place to try skiing for the first time. The studio, the baths, the slopes and the cafés all sit within a ten-minute walk.
DETAILS
16–21 March 2027
Nozawa Onsen, Japan
Investment:
First Access: $1300
$1950 Full Price
Save $650 by booking before September 1st
Payment plans available
WHO IS THIS RETREAT FOR?
This retreat is for lovers of yoga and meditation; for anyone ready to return to their practice with depth, and without heaviness.
All levels welcome. The asana is rooted in the classics, both strengthening and restorative; no experience is needed.
Those drawn to winter, to snow and stillness and the joy of bathing in natural springs.
Skiers and non-skiers alike; ski if the mountain calls, or spend the afternoons in the onsen.
Solo travellers and couples; an intimate group, with shared outings for those seeking time together, and space to explore alone for those who prefer their own adventuring.
Anyone curious about Japan, first-timers included, with liaison and support through the whole experience.
THE DETAILS:
Dates. 16–21 March 2027, five nights.
Where. Nozawa Onsen, Nagano.
Included.
Two daily yoga and meditation practices with Tahl each day at Shizen Yoga Centre
Daily shared healthy, locally made, delicious brunch served at Shinzen Cafe
Welcome and farewell communal dinners at our favourite local spots.
Two shared adventures, such as an onsen crawl and a guided snowshoe
Use of the studio, mats and props during the day.
Guidance on where to stay, and support with planning extra activities for those interested.
Not included.
Accommodation: you book your own room in the village (see below)
Flights, and travel from Tokyo to Nozawa
Lift passes and ski hire
Some meals
Travel insurance
Extra activities (at additional cost): for anyone wishing to ski or explore other activities, we'll help you find, book and coordinate. You can view them here.
Price (AUD). $1950 per person full price.
First Access: $1300. Save $650 by booking before September 1st
Payment plan available
A non-refundable deposit of $500 secures a place; the balance can be paid in instalments, in full by 90 days before the retreat begins.
WHERE YOU CAN STAY
Book your own room, at the price and comfort that suit; a simple traditional guesthouse, a warm family-run lodge, or somewhere to be properly looked after.
Dates. Book 16 to 21 March 2027, the same nights as the retreat; the schedule is built around check-in and check-out on those days. The links below open on these dates. March 2027 sits far enough ahead that some places may not have opened availability online yet; if so, write to them directly, or to us, and we will support you.
The places we know and trust.
Budget · Yamane House
A simple village house on the lower side of Nozawa, a five-minute walk uphill to the studio and the centre of town—traditional rooms with Japanese futon or western beds, singles and twins, with shared or private bathrooms.
Best for: solo travellers, anyone who would rather spend on the days than the nights.
Mid Range · Toemu
In a quieter corner of the village, set between the gondola and the studio; a ten-minute walk to the studio and five to the lifts. A range of room types, from $900 AUD total for the retreat nights.
Best for: anyone who wants a calm, well-priced base within easy reach of both the practice and the snow.
Best for: solo travellers, anyone who would rather spend on the days than the nights.
Premium · Residence Yasushi
A residence built for settling in; spacious twins, deluxe rooms and family suites, with breakfast and afternoon tea each day.
Best for: couples and families, and anyone who wants room to spread out at the end of a day in the snow.
Apartments · Tanuki
In the centre of the village, a short walk from everything; the studio, the gondola, the baths and the cafés are all close by. The one-bedroom with loft and the superior quad rooms hold a family or a group of friends with room to spread out.
Best for: families and friends sharing, and anyone who wants to be in the middle of it all.
Apartments · Kawamotoya
An apart-hotel in the oldest part of the village; apartment-style rooms with plenty of private space, reservable private (kashikiri) hot spring baths, and a morning shuttle to the Nagasaka gondola.
Best for: anyone who wants a calm, well-priced base within easy reach of both the practice and the snow.
Best for: families and groups who want their own space, a quiet traditional corner, and a private soak at the end of the day.
Boutique · Mont
A hundred-year-old village inn, restored into ten rooms around a theme of fire and water; the name means mountain in French, and gate in Japanese. Western rooms with a living area and ensuite, a Japanese breakfast drawn from Nozawa and Shinshu produce, and a wood-fired course dinner that changes with the season.
Best for: couples, and anyone who loves attention to detail and good design.
Rooms are limited, and Nozawa fills early in March; book as soon as your place is held.
You prefer to find your own
For a wider choice of houses and apartments across the village, browse Nozawa Holidays and Stay Nozawa. If a place shows no availability online, write to them directly, or to us, and we will support you; they often hold rooms that the booking pages don't show.
Rooms are limited, and Nozawa fills early in March; book as soon as your place is held.
Dates: the same as the retreat dates, 16–21 March; the retreat aligns with check-in and check-out times for these dates.
A SAMPLE DAY
A sample only; the rhythm shifts a little day to day.
Each holds two practices with long open hours in between, time to soak in the onsen, rest, explore the snow, or ski.
6:30–8:30 am
Yoga and meditation
8:30–2:00 pm
Free time; breakfast, ski, activities, onsen, massage, rest
2:00–4:00 pm
Group onsen crawl
4:30–6:00 pm
Restorative yin yoga
6:30 pm
Communal dinner
The two shared adventures, each fall on one afternoon of the week; the other afternoons are yours.
YOUR INSTRUCTOR
Tahl Rinsky has taught yoga for over twenty-five years. She is the founder of Haum Space in Byron Bay; a studio, an online platform, and a yoga school, and she teaches and mentors around the world.
Her teaching is strong and soulful, grounded in tradition and alive to modern life; moving between vinyasa, slow flow, meditation and restorative practice. It tends to begin with the body on the mat and open out into something larger, the way a person moves, thinks, and lives.
Tahl leads retreats across the globe and guides teachers through Haum's trainings and mentorship. She is a writer and an artist, and a mother of three. Snow & Steam grows from a place she fell for, and a practice she has spent a life refining.
GETTING THERE
Japan is easier to travel than most imagine, and Nozawa is a simple journey from Tokyo. On a separate page we've gathered how to reach the village, a few notes on travelling in Japan, and a short suggested itinerary for Tokyo, for anyone who'd like to add a day or two at either end. We're glad to help you plan the trip around the retreat.
KIND WORDS
FROM OUR RETREATS
NEED HELP?
For anyone travelling to Japan for the first time, or who finds navigation online complicated, add a one-to-one support call.
Please email hello@haum.space with your list of questions and phone number.
