Zenkō-ji temple has drawn pilgrims for 1,400 years. Snow monkeys soak in hot springs nearby. In winter, some of the best powder in Japan falls on Hakuba and Nozawa. Nagano is where spiritual Japan meets adventure Japan.
What Nagano is known for
Top-rated in Nagano
Yamakawa’s Apple Orchard
4.9restaurant
Pick sun-ripened Shinshu apples directly from the orchard, tasting varieties unavailable elsewhere in Nagano.
Happo pond
4.7nature
Small lake on the ridge trail to Mt. Karamatsu, with reflections of surrounding peaks on clear days.
Mt. Yarigatake
4.7nature
At 3,180 meters, Mt. Yarigatake is the fifth highest peak in Japan, named for its spear-shaped summit.
The Hotaka Mountain Range
4.7nature
The Hotaka mountain range includes 8 of the 21 mountains in Japan with elevations of over 3,000 meters.
Mt. Jyonen
4.7nature
Mt. Jyonen stands at 2,857 meters in Chubusangaku National Park, its pyramid outline visible from both Matsumoto and Azumino on clear days.
Dakesawa
4.7nature
Dakesawa is a gently sloping glacial valley with marshy swampland as its base.
Tashiro Pond and Wetland
4.7nature
Tashiro Pond is one of Kamikōchi’s most picturesque spots, located approximately midway on the hiking trail between Kappa Bridge and Taishō Pond.
Shimizu River
4.7nature
The Shimizu, a 300-meter-long tributary of the Azusa River, splits from the Azusa just upstream of the iconic Kappa Bridge.
