(Aired February 13, 2026)

A long line formed at the gondola station of Nozawa Onsen Ski Resort in Nagano Prefecture. Many of the people were foreign tourists.

The slopes were packed with skiers from various countries, including Australia and the United States.

A person from Australia:
"I was curious about the snow here, and I've traveled a lot this year, staying at various resorts in Nagano, but this is great. The snow is so soft and nice. Even if you fall, you won't get hurt."

There was a keyword that all the foreigners who came "for the snow of Nozawa Onsen Village" mentioned.

A person from America:
"JAPOW, JAPOW! Japanese powder snow, that's why we come here every year during 'JAPOW season.' It's so beautiful, fluffy, and wonderful."

A person from Australia:
"So much snow, JAPOW is great."

"JAPOW" is a coined word combining JAPAN and POWDER SNOW.

A visitor from America:
"Japan's amazing snow is perfect for skiing."

A visitor from Canada:
"The powder snow is incredible."

This phrase is said to have spread among overseas skiers who come to Japan seeking the powder snow that makes snow flutter with every turn.

On the 13th, the slopes were covered in soft, light powder snow, and the sheer number of foreigners surprised Japanese tourists, who commented, "There are so many Caucasians, hardly any Japanese," and "I was surprised. I was amazed by the number of foreigners."

Nozawa Onsen Ski Resort attracts skiers from approximately 40 countries, primarily Australia.

The number of visitors, especially on weekdays when there are many foreigners, is said to have surged by about 1,000 people per day compared to 2025.

In addition to the popularity of JAPOW, there was another reason why Nozawa Onsen Village is gaining popularity.

Nozawa Onsen President Mikio Katagiri:
"Australians really love the culture and history. When they come here, everything is packed into this compact village. I think that's the biggest charm of Nozawa." Nozawa Onsen Village's appeal lies not only in its powder snow but also in the fact that you can enjoy a historic Japanese hot spring town right next to the ski resort.

When our reporting team visited the hot spring town at the foot of the mountain, we saw many foreigners enjoying the traditional Japanese hot spring town atmosphere.

Nozawa Onsen isn't the only place that's using Japan's proud "JAPOW" as a weapon to attract foreign tourists, following in the footsteps of Niseko and Hakuba.

Gala Yuzawa Ski Resort in Yuzawa Town, Niigata Prefecture, has also seen an increase in tourists from Southeast Asia, particularly Thailand, in 2026, with visitor numbers up about 10% compared to 2025.

Hiroshi Nakadate, General Manager of the Management Strategy Department at Gala Yuzawa:
"Our ski resort has many customers from Southeast Asia, especially Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Taiwan.

Behind this success are steady attraction strategies, such as exhibiting at events held in Thailand and promoting the resort through social media accounts in various languages."

By highlighting its greatest advantage—a ski resort directly connected to the Joetsu Shinkansen—the resort is now seeing an increase in foreign visitors coming from Tokyo for day trips.

Hiroshi Nakadate, General Manager of the Management Strategy Department at Gala Yuzawa:
"Many of our overseas visitors don't even bring skis or snowboards; they just take the gondola up the mountain and enjoy the view from the observation deck."