Ski and Snowboard rentals Nozawa Onsen

Nozawa Sports Thanx and Olive rental are our recommended rental stores in Nozawa Onsen.

Convenience: Both stores have locations in the village and on the mountain, making it easy to rent, return, or exchange gear.

Nozawa Sports Thanx

• More budget friendly (Nozawa Sports Thanx rates)
• Location: 5-minute walk from Nozawa Peaks, next to ski resort chairlifts. A second, larger store at the Nagasaka gondola.
• A broader selection of ski and snowboard brands, ideal for advanced skiers and snowboarders.
• Offers free exchanges of gear throughout the day.
• Online reservations recommended for advanced gear (they arrange for ski's/boards to be delivered to the nearest rental shop to your accommodation). 
  

Olive Rental:

• Location: 1-minute from Nozawa Peaks and another store at the Hikage gondola (ski school area).
• Reservations only needed for large groups and/or 12+ boot sizes.
• Olive have a second rental store next to the ski school which is great for first time skiers/boarders who can travel easily to ski school without carrying their gear. 
• More expensive than Nozawa Sports Thanx, although their gear often seems new (Olive rental rates)

Comparison: Nozawa Sports Thanx has a wider range of advanced equipment and is more cost effective. For someone who just wants basic rentals, Sports Thanx has lower prices. Sports Thanx is also the best choice for those who want advanced rental gear such as powder skis or powder boards. Olive Rental is more conveniently located for guests at Nozawa Peaks and for first-time skiers who have lessons at the Nozawa Onsen ski school. 

Below we will go more in depth of what each rental shop offers. 

There are other great ski and snowboard rental options in Nozawa. We recommend rental stores which have a shop in the village AND on the snow at the ski resort. These rental shops allow guests to easily rent and return gear in the village near to accommodation, yet also have the option to easily change equipment up at the ski resort without having to return to the village (eg. a broken ski, painful boot). 

1. Nozawa Sports Thanx 

Sports Thanx "Karasawa" rental store is located within 5 minutes walk from Nozawa Peaks (next to the ski resort chairlifts). We recommend booking online if guests would like to rent specific gear from this conveniently located store (for example, powder skis/board). They will have the gear ready for guests upon arrival. If guests just want entry level / standard rental gear, a reservation is not necessary.

The "Karasawa" location is also convenient if a guest prefers not to walk in ski boots. Guests can change into boots in the rental shop and only need to cross the road to access the ski resort chairlifts.

The rental ski brands are K2, Black Crows, Icelantic Head, DPS, Rossignol, Volkl, Ogasaka and Elan. The snowboard brands are Jones, Libtech, GNU, Moss, Ogasaka, Yes, K2, Nidecker, Allian and Head. They also rent ski jackets and pants.

Nozawa Sports Thanx also has a rental store which is located at the Nagasaka gondola. This location is convenient if a guest would like to change skis or boards during the day (Nozawa Sports Thanx offer free exchange of items, so you can try different skis or boards depending on snow conditions or mood).

Nozawa Sports Thanx offer online rental reservations. Opening hours: 8am - 4.30pm. We recommend online reservations if a guests picking up premium gear from the Karasawa store.

The main difference between Olive rental and Nozawa Sports thanx is the prices and brands of ski and snowboard they have. Nozawa Sports Thanx is more cost effective and has a larger range of brands including a wider range of advanced gear. This will benefit those who are very specific about the kind of equipment they want (for example, experienced skiers and snowboarders). Olive rental is easier for guests from Nozawa Peaks as the store is within 1 minute walk. Their gear often feels brand new. Both stores receive fantastic reviews from our guests. 

Click here to see the Nozawa Sports Thanx rental rates.

2. Olive rental

Olive rental is located one minute walk from Nozawa Peaks ("Nakao" branch, 4 minute walk from to the ski lifts).

They offer great beginner to advanced Salomon and Atomic ski and snowboard gear. They also rent helmets, jackets, pants etc.

Olive rental have another rental store is located at the Hikage gondola area of the ski resort which is also where the ski school is. This store is convenient if a guest is taking lessons, or would like to change skis or boards during the day without the need to return to the village. They also have a cafe/restaurant on site with some of the best kid options (Waffles!). This store also suits those who will access the ski resort on the "Yu-road" escalator, Olive rental shop is located at the top of the escalator.

Reservations are only needed for big groups. Small groups can just turn up on the day. If guests require boot US12+, please make reservation as they have limited large sizes. You can leave your rentals at the store, however we recommend bringing the gear back to Nozawa Peaks as we have large ski storage and drying room.

There are other ski and snowboard rental options in Nozawa Onsen such as: Nozawa Ski rental / Nozawa Central Rentals (run by Nozawa Holidays), Shirakaba, Salomon station & more. These options could work better for those whose accommodation is located close to these locations. When deciding where to rent skis and snowboards, we recommend to check if companies have at least one rental store up on the snow at the ski resort, so there is customer service to assist you if you need assistance. You do not want to have to return to the village to sort out a problem as this will take quite a lot of time out of your day.