In the Edo period, as the era of peace continued, many people started to make a once in a lifetime pilgrimage to Zenkoji …
Category: Activities and Spots
Oyaki in Nagano: The Bun That Became a Local Icon
Nagano Prefecture is a place where geography once shaped everyday meals. In many mountain districts, rice cultivation was difficult, so households leaned on …
Obuse in Nagano : A Town Built for Walking
Obuse sits on the Nagano plain with orchards at its edges and low mountains in the distance. Arriving by train, the first impression …
Winter Walks in Nagano Area
In late November when the snow starts to dust Nagano's peaks and the valleys sparkle with morning frost, the prefecture transforms into terrain …
Gondo ‘Shotengai’ Covered Pedestrian Street
Gondo Shopping Arcade, shotengai, is a covered pedestrian street in central Nagano City, Shotengai are traditional Japanese shopping streets, often covered, where small …
The Samurai and the Tea Ceremony: Warriors in Pursuit of Tranquillity
Tea arrived in Japan from China in the eighth century, carried by Buddhist monks who valued the beverage for its medicinal properties and …
Things to Do in Nagano City in Winter on a Day When Not Skiing
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 …
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 …
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