Nagano Prefecture, set in Japan's central mountains, transforms in winter into a serene world of snow-dusted temples and quiet valleys, a legacy from …
Category: Activities and Spots
A Full Day in Nagano: Temple, Samurai, and Snow Monkeys
Nagano City's Zenkoji Temple and samurai sword training offer a morning of deep cultural immersion into Japan's Buddhist and martial traditions. The 90-minute …
What to do in Zenkoji Temple Area at Night?
For centuries, Zenkoji Temple has drawn pilgrims from across Japan as Nagano's spiritual heart. After sunset, when daytime crowds disperse, the temple approach …
Things to Do with Family in Nagano City
Nagano Prefecture, Japan's "Roof of the Alps," offers families a mix of adventure and culture amid its peaks and valleys, from Olympic sites …
The Snow Monkeys of Jigokudani
The name Jigokudani translates literally as Hell Valley, and the ancient peoples who first gazed upon this landscape understood why. Steam rises from …
Jizo: Japan's Beloved Guardian Bodhisattva
Walking through Japan, you'll encounter small stone statues with gentle, childlike faces wearing red bibs and caps. These are Jizo statues, representing one …
The Shared Temple: Zenkoji's Unique Non-Sectarian Legacy
In the heart of Nagano City stands a temple with an unusual story. Zenkoji Temple operates under a management system that sets it …
Katana: The Blade That Defined a Warrior
Few objects are as instantly recognizable, or as deeply tied to Japan’s past, as the katana. With its gently curved blade, elegant simplicity, …
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