Obuse sits on the Nagano plain with orchards at its edges and low mountains in the distance. Arriving by train, the first impression …
Category: Activities and Spots
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 …
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 …
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