Nagano

Nagano is a beautiful city located in the heart of Japan’s Honshu Island, surrounded by the Japanese Alps. Known for its breath-taking landscapes, the city is a year-round destination for outdoor lovers. In winter, it becomes a hub for skiing and snowboarding, with famous resorts like Hakuba, Shiga Kogen, and Nozawa Onsen offering some of the best slopes in the country. These areas also played a significant role in the 1998 Winter Olympics, and they continue to attract winter sports enthusiasts from all over the world. When the weather warms up, Nagano transforms into a paradise for hikers and nature lovers, with numerous trails offering stunning views of mountains, lakes, and lush forests.

The city’s history is deeply intertwined with the Zenkoji Temple, one of Japan’s oldest and most revered Buddhist temples. Established in the 7th century, Zenkoji is a major cultural and religious site, attracting pilgrims and tourists alike. The temple enshrines a Buddha statue that is believed to be the first one brought to Japan, although it remains hidden from public view. Every seven years, a replica of the statue is displayed, allowing people to connect with this sacred artifact. This rare event draws many visitors, offering a unique spiritual experience. Zenkoji Temple is also famous for a fascinating feature known as “the key to paradise.” Visitors can venture into an underground tunnel, pitch dark, where they must search for a key attached to the wall. Finding and touching it is said to bring enlightenment, making it a deeply symbolic and spiritual journey for many.

Nagano is not just a place for outdoor adventure or spiritual reflection—it also offers a rich cultural heritage. The city is home to many traditional festivals, including the Nagano Lantern Festival, where beautiful paper lanterns illuminate the streets, creating a magical atmosphere. In addition, the region is known for its excellent local food, such as soba noodles, made from the region’s high-quality buckwheat, and nozawana pickles, a local specialty. Whether you’re visiting for its natural beauty, historical landmarks, or cultural experiences, Nagano provides a memorable and enriching journey for travellers.

Experiences in Nagano

Hiking with a Yamabushi Monk

Discover Immerse yourself in the mystic world of Japanese mountain monks or yamabushi in this unique activity - hiking a pilgrimage trail through the lush forests in the mountains of Nagano. Deeply tied with religion, Iiyama’s Mt. Kosuge is one...

Suwa – Onbashira Festival

Onbashira is a festival held only once every six years in the Lake Suwa area of Nagano, Japan. The purpose of the festival is to symbolically renew the Suwa Taisha or Suwa Grand Shrine. "Onbashira" can be literally translated as...

Skiing & Snowboarding in Honshu

Not far from Tokyo and Kyoto on Japan's main island of Honshu, the steep slopes of the Japan Alps are blessed with heavy snow falls due to the wet air moving off the Sea of Japan. Although Hokkaido's ski slopes...

Accommodation in Nagano

Tonari no Ie

Tonari no Ie is a delightfully bucolic property, close to The Kura. Downstream of the fresh alpine waters and locked in the gaze of the immense Iiyama mountains, this lovingly renovated minka gives you the sense of what life could...

The Kura, Togari Onsen

Following a visit to Togari Onsen in northern Nagano, David Lee discovered the ancient and long empty storehouse that would become The Kura. The property was purchased for Into Japan Specialist Tours and a lengthy but loving restoration project began....