NAGANO TRIP 
Tateshina area is surrounded by three sightseeing spots in Nagano Prefecture: Suwa, Karuizawa and Ueda City. This area is rich in nature and has a long history.
During the Edo period, Nakasendo was frequently traveled along by many people, and old townscapes still remain in certain areas. You can enjoy Nakasendo and the world of Ukiyo-e in half a day or two when you take this tour.
If you have come from Tokyo to Karuizawa for a day and want to go to the countryside for a day of sightseeing, please join us!
Tateshina Area Tour Information
| Required time | 5-6 hours |
| Meeting place | Karuizawa Station 3F Community Plaza Sawayaka Hall |
| Contact | sksa@sas.janis.or.jp |
Tour Schedule
The tour is a half-day plan located around Tateshina‘s Ukiyo-e Nakasendo area. We can also prepare some optional content for you to enjoy!
9:00 Karuizawa Station｜The Meeting place
The start point of the tour is Karuizawa station in Nagano prefecture. Karuizawa is one of the most famous summer resorts in Japan.
In the morning, your guide will greet you in front of Karuizawa station and provide you with the information that you will need to enjoy your tour, such as knowledge about Nakasendo, Ukiyo-E, and Tateshina.
| Address | 〒389-0102 761, Karuizawa, Karuizawa-machi, Kitasaku-gun, Nagano prefecture |
| Web-site | EAST JAPAN RAILWAY COMPANY: KARUIZAWA STATION |
10:00 Megami no Sato Roadside Station｜The Start Point
The tour’s start point is Megami no Sato Roadside Station in Tateshina where you will take an easy e-bike lesson from your guide. You will return to the roadside station at the end of the tour, so you can buy souvenirs then if you like.
In Megami no Sato Tateshina, you can eat ice cream made from apples that were picked in the region.
→What is Roadside Rest Station in Japan？
10:00~ Motai Juku Post Town｜Nakasendo Post Town
Motai post town (茂田井宿) is not a well-known sightseeing spot, so there are only a few tourists. There are lots of attractions such as old, big, traditional Japanese houses, cafes and a Japanese sake brewery. It’s a great place to experience harmony between daily life and traditional culture.
→More detail of Old town on Nakasendo
10:20 Ashida Juku Post Town｜Nakasendo Post Town Headquarters
Ashida post town (芦田宿) is located in the center of Tateshina town. We recommend looking at the Honjin (本陣) which was an inn for government officials in the Edo period. Visitors can see an excellent gate and field.
Ashida-Juku post town is depicted in Utagawa Hiroshige’s Ukiyo-e “69 Kiso Kaido”. It was known as a post-town near the Kasatori Pine Tree Pass which was a difficult place to navigate during the Edo period.
11:20 Kasatori Pine Tree Pass｜Utagawa Hiroshige’s Ukiyo-e World
In 1604, Japan was in the Edo period (Samurai period). The second shogun of the Tokugawa Shogunate, Hidetada Tokugawa, made the row of pine trees at Kasatori mountain pass (笠取峠のマツ並木).
This place was famous in the past and was also depicted in famous Japanese paintings by Hiroshige Utagawa who was a famous Ukiyo-e painter. It‘s fun to take a photo whilst walking along the old street and imagining how people spent their lives there during the Edo period.
→Japanese Ukiyo-e Print (Floating World)-Katsushika Hokusai and Utagawa Hiroshige-
12:00 Megami no Sato Roadside Station｜The Final Destination
Finish the tour at Megami no Sato Roadside Station which is the same place as the start. There are many souvenirs sold at Megami no Sato. We recommend that you buy them as memories of your trip and if you’re feeling hungry, there is delicious apple ice cream available. Your tired body should relax!
→More information Magami no Sato Roadside Station
Tour OptionA｜Eating Tatrshina Beef at Restaurant Ittou
Ittou is a beef restaurant where the beef is bought as a whole cattle by the owner’s son directly from a ranch. The cattle are bred by the owner’s father in Tateshina, where Nakasendo route goes through the town.
The beef is a local brand, ‘Tateshina Beef’ which is based in the Yatsugatake mountains. Participants can eat the tour’s special course.
→Ittou(いっとう)｜Nakasendo, Tateshina Town
Tour OptionB｜Homestay in local residents’ family!
We can arrange a homestay in a local residents’ family home as an extra tour option. For example, if you would like to take part in other Nakasendo tours and enjoy other sightseeing places along Nakasendo, you should choose to stay for one night in Tateshina. Please contact us for details.
Click here for the tour application
For an application, visit the below page!
