MUST GO PLACE IN NAGANO

When you visit Nagano prefecture where is a center of Japanese map, we strongly recommend 10 places. Maybe you think “I don’t want to visit famous sightseeing place”. However, if you don’t want to visit below 10 places, you certainly regret after finish NAGANO TRIP! Please find out why popular sightseeing places are popular !? Don’t worry, you will have a valuable and special experience.

SNOW MONKEY PARK

Snow Monkey Park (地獄谷野猿公苑) is only one spot in the world that we can look at monkeys who take an Onsen (hot spring). There is the park in Yamanouchi town in north area in Nagano prefecture.

Recently, the park is well known most popular destination for foreign tourists in winter season’s Nagano. A lot of monkeys in the onsen may wait that you come!

snow monkey at winter in yamanoushi town in nagano

ADDRESS	Shimotakai District, Yamanochi, Hirao, 6845
CATEGORY	Onsen and Animal
BEST SEASON	Winter
HOURS	8:30 ~ 17:30 (April ~ October) 9:30 ~ 16:00 (November ~ March)
CLOSED	Every day open!
ACCESS	About 1 hour from Yudanaka Station.
PARKING	Free

TOGAKUSHI SHRINE

Togakushi(戸隠) is visited about 1.5 million tourists every year, so popular destination in Nagano. The temperature in summer season is lower than metropolitan. Togakushi is well known as a cool place in the summer season. Togakusshi is at high elevation, so UV light is higher than it is at a lower elevation.

There is 5 shrines are called Togakushi Shine (Togakushi jinja) (戸隠神社). These shrines were constructed for 2000 years ago. This place is famous as a power spot. If you can all shrines, probably you will get good things.

ADDRESS	3506, Togakushi, Nagano City, Nagano prefecture
CATEGORY	Historic Place
SEASON	Summer ~ Autumn
PARKING	There are both free and paid parking.
ACCESS	The city center of Nagano to Togakushi about 40 minutes by car.

ZENKOJI TEMPLE

Zenko-ji temple (善光寺) is one of the most famous temples in Japan. This temple’s Honzon (principal image of Buddha) is Amida Nyorai statue from China. However, this culture originally came from India. The main shrine of Zenko-ji that was built in 1707, has registered a national treasure. There are many hospices and eating establishments and souvenir shops aside from the main street to the main shrine. It is exposed to the public once every 7 years. This event is called “Gokai-Cho (御開帳)”

ADDRESS	491 Naganomotoyoshicho, Nagano, 380-0851
CATEGORY	Historic Place
SEASON	All Season
PARKING	There are a lot of pay parking
ACCESS

BESSHO ONSEN (HOT SPRING)

Situated in Ueda city. A short train ride from Ueda Station is Bessho Onsen (別所温泉). This onsen is one of the oldest hot spring in Nagano. In addition, there are some historical important monument “Anraku-Ji Temple” “Kitamuki-Kannon” and much more…

ADDRESS	Bessho Onsen1853-3, Ueda City, Nagano Prefecture
CATEGORY	Onsen (Hot Spring)
BEST SEASON	All
HOURS	Bessho Onsen Area－All day Kitamuki Kannon―All day Anrakuji Temple 8:00~17:00 (March~October) 8:00~16:00 (November~February)
PARKING	There is a pay parking lot.
PRICE	Kitamuki-Kannon－Free Anrakuji Temple－Adult:300 yen Under 15 years old:100 yen

SHIRAKOMA LAKE

Shirakoma Lake (Shirakoma Pond) (白駒池) is located in the east area in Nagano prefecture. Recently, Shirakoma lake is well known as a represent photogenic place in Nagano. Visitor can look a sea of clouds and daylight at morning from Takami Ishi where is 40 minutes by walk from Shirakoma lake. By the way, a lot of moss grow in colonies around Shirakoma Pond. Unfortunately, access is not good from near the city center, but Shirakoma lake has a value that you drive about 1 hour from the city center of Chino town.

ADDRESS	Yakori, Sakuho, Minamisaku District, Nagano 384-0704
CATEGORY	Nature
BEST SEASON	Summer ~ Autumn
PARKING	500 yen / 1h　200 cars
ACCESS	1 hour by car from the city center of Chino city

KARUIZAWA RESORT

Karuizawa (軽井沢) is one of the most popular resorts located only one hour from Tokyo. Karuizawa has been known as a somewhere cool to stay and relax since about 1886. In the present day, the new places, such as a Karuizawa Prince Shopping Plaza outlet mall, Hoshino resort, and the Church Street Karuizawa have come to be known.

ADDRESS	Karuizawa, Kitasaku District, Nagano 389-0102
CATEGORY	A historic site, Resort place
SEASON	All
PARKING	There are a lot of parking

HAKUBA MOUNTAIN RESORT

Come on a green season! Iwatake mountain is well known as a winter season resort. Today, we will report Hakuba Iwatake Mountain Resort (白馬岩岳) that is opened while spring to autumn.

Visitor can look a panorama view by only one gondola. There are some must-see sights! We recommend a couple and family spot!

ADDRESS	Hokujo, Hakuba, Kitaazumi District, Nagano 399-9301
CATEGORY	Nature
OPEN HOURS	8:30 ~ 17:00
OPEN PERIOD	2019 April 27th to November 10th
PARKING	1,300 cars
GONDOLA FEE	Adult: 1,800 yen Child: 1.000 yen Pet: 600 yen
GONDOLA (LAST TIME GO TO DOWN)	16: 50

MATSUMOTO CASTLE

Matsumoto-jo Castle（松本城） is a Japanese-style castle built about 400 years ago. You can take a beautiful pictures Matsumoto-jo Castle with cherry blossoms and the Northern Alps.

ADDRESS	4-1 Marunouchi, Matsumoto, Nagano
CATEGORY	Historic site
BEST SEASON	All
PERKING	City parking (not free)

NARAI-JUKU POST TOWN

Narai-Juku (奈良井宿) is a Japanese traditional townscape. Samurai period(Edo (Tokyo〕 era 1603-1868), this area was one of the main ways (this way was called Nakasendo) to transport from Kyoto to Edo（Tokyo）. We can look a state of remaining Japanese traditional townscape and feel a historical atmosphere.

If you buy a souvenir at Narai-Juku, you should buy ”Kiso lacquerware (木曽漆器)” which is a Japanese craft. There are a lot of repertories. For example, Chopsticks, Souupbowl, and much more.

ADDRESS	Shiojiri City
CATEGORY	Historic townscape
BEST SEASON	All
PERKING	Free parking (91 cars)

TSUMAGO-JUKU POST TOWN

Tsumago-juku post town (妻籠宿) is located in Nagiso town in Nagano. During the Edo period, traveler, merchant, administrator used transport Edo (now Tokyo) with Kyoto. We can look a state of remaining Japanese traditional townscape and feel a historical atmosphere.

ADDRESS	2159-2 Azuma Nagiso-machi,Kiso-gun, Nagano-ken
CATEGORY	Historic townscape
BEST SEASON	All
PARKING	There is a pay parking lot (500 yen).
PRICE	Free

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WELCOME TO NAGANO

The characteristic points of Nagano prefecture are a fusion between affluent nature and Japanese traditional lifestyle. Nagano is constructed in many town and village, where have originality. These regions have a different history, different culture, different nature, we can feel a side of Nagano as a treasure box.