Nagano
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Nagano City is located in central Japan. The prefecture is surrounded by 3000 meter-tall mountains, making it famous for having some of the best snow and winter sports resorts in the country that people flock to throughout the winter months. Other than winter sports, there is rich culture and history to be explored in the city, as well as delicious food to sample.
Travel tip #1: Nagano is bursting with natural hot springs, making it a great place to experience Japan’s special hot spring culture. Some popular places are nestled in the mountains and are best appreciated during the snowy winter months.
Places of Interest
Zenkoji Temple: One of Japan’s oldest wooden temples and the home of the first Buddhist icon brought from India to Japan. The icon is hidden in the back of the temple, so you must buy a ticket and take the stairs down into the dark passage to receive good luck from it. Even if you don’t wander into the darkness, Zenkoji is still a beautiful place to visit.
Motozen-machi; Niomon and Sannomon Gates: Explore this traditional, charming area with its cobbled streets and beautiful temple lodges as you make your way to Zenkoji. To access the temple, you’ll have to pass through these two giant gates, as well.
Chuo-Dori: This is the main street which leads from Nagano Station to Zenkoji Temple. As a central street, it’s the perfect spot to shop and snack to your desire whilst strolling to and from the temple. It’s a great area to sample local speciality foods, so going with a small group would be best.
Buddhist shrines and Shinto temples: There are plenty of Buddhist shrines and Shinto temples, like Saishon Temple, sprinkled throughout the city, with Chuo-Dori having a number to admire. Stop by and pay your respects while appreciating the pretty walkways and buildings.
Patio Daimon Kuraniwa: From the outside, this enclosed space doesn’t look like much. However, take a stroll inside the patio grounds to see some beautiful, traditional-style buildings, as well as to poke around the various shops. If you’re there before the crowds, it’s a great place to take photos.
Midori Mall: Midori Nagano is a shopping center in Nagano Station. It can be accessed from outside and inside the station. There are plenty of restaurants to choose from if you’re limited on time or don’t feel like venturing far from the station.
Olympics Facilities: The 1998 Winter Olympics and Paralympics Games were held in Nagano, and remnants of the international competition can be found throughout the city. One place to get a glimpse of the past is at memorial off of Chuo Dori. Additionally, M-WAVE was the location of the opening and closing ceremonies, as well as the speed skating and ice sledge venue.
Travel tip #2: Zenkoji is a major temple in Nagano that many people visit throughout the year. A popular times to visit is during the annual nighttime illumination festival in February. The lanterns on display are designed by community members, and there are special events happening on different nights of the festival.
Food
Oyaki: Oyaki is a traditional Nagano food that’s made of a buckwheat or wheat flour dumpling skin stuffed with vegetables that are typically seasoned with miso and soy sauce. The type of vegetables vary by region, with each area having its own local specialty. Eggplant oyaki and nozawana oyaki are very popular options.
Shichimi: This seven spice (shichi = seven in Japanese) mixture is a famous Nagano product. The northwest part of Nagano city, known as “Nishiyama,” was famous for the production of hemp and Japanese paper. Merchants carried these products to Edo, which is now called Tokyo, and to other regions of Japan. On their journeys, merchants also bought food and daily necessities, one of which being shichimi. Yawataya Isogoro is a historic company that began selling the product in the 1700s and is still popular today.
Menchi-katsu: One of Japan’s popular deep-fried foods! Similar to croquette, menchi-katsu is a breaded and deep-fried. The meat inside is usually ground beef, ground pork, or a mixture of the two. This was the first time I tried menchi-katsu and completely fell in love with its savory, fried goodness.
Tororo soba: Soba is a popular dish throughout Japan, especially in areas where the soil is good for growing buckwheat. Nagano Prefecture is one of the top producing regions of buckwheat, so you will find many restaurants specializing in soba. Tororo is a white and sticky cream made of grated “nagaimo” (yam). This cream is then placed on top of the soba.
Pork wrapped rice: Along Chuo-Dori leading up to Zenkoji, you will find lots of food vendors and stalls. On the left side near as you approach the gates, you can get a skewer of rice wrapped in a thin piece of grilled, savory pork. A great food to enjoy if you have limited hands or if you prefer to snack without utensils.
Apples: Nagano Prefecture’s seasonal climate and high elevation aids in growing delicious, sweet, and crisp apples. The prefecture is the number two producer of apples in Japan (Aomori in Northern Japan is the first), and its Fuji apple has become its most popular. Definitely enjoy some fresh apples and apple-flavored products while in Nagano!
Nozawana: Nozawana is local speciality. It’s a leafy green mustard plant which is pickled in salt. The product is raised in a cool climate, has a fresh taste, and doesn’t have much smell for being pickled. It is famous as one of Japan’s three great pickles and should definitely be tried when in Nagano!
Miso: Nagano Prefecture produces the most miso of any prefecture in Japan—about 40%! The headquarters of Marukome Miso is in Nagano city. Small-scale miso makers in Nagano help contribute to Japan’s miso supply, too. Try miso soft serve ice cream and other miso products while visiting.
Soba manju: This sweet red bean paste wrapped in a thin buckwheat skin is a popular treat in Nagano. The water used to steam the manju typically comes from the mineral-rich onsen waters found throughout Nagano, giving the sweet treat a fresh flavor.
Chocolate Shichimi Soft Cream: Shichimi is so popular in Nagano that one of the shops along the street leading to Zenkoji added it into chocolate soft serve ice cream. At first, I couldn’t taste the spiciness. Then, I felt the spicy in the back of my throat. It wasn’t overpowering and didn’t disrupt the ice cream’s flavor, but did give it a unique kick.
Apple and cream taiyaki: One of the best taiyakis I’ve had while in Japan—super crispy on the outside with the perfect balance of sweet and salty filling. The light apple cinnamon mixture paired incredibly well with the creamy custard. This was from a vendor on the left-hand side of the street while walking toward Zenkoji.
Shinshu Ringo Kashi Kobo Beni-Beni: You can smell these apple tarts being baked as you walk by. After strolling around Zenkoji, you should try Beni-Beni’s apple tarts to taste one of the region’s many apple products. Although a tad pricey for a single tart, they’re made fresh and served warm. You can even watch them being made in the front window.
Travel tip #3: Stop by a produce market for incredibly fresh fruit, veggies, and locally produced specialities—fruit juices, nozawana, miso—to stock up on souvenirs. They can be found off main roads, so it’s best to access these types of shops using a car.
Transportation and Accommodation
There are various Local JR lines that connect different parts of Nagano Prefecture. One the Local JR lines, IC Cards (SUICA, TOICA, etc.) can be freely used. However, there are some private railways—such as the Nagano Dentetsu Line—which require separate tickets. If you’re using public transportation, it’s best to check how to get to your destination by using either Google Maps or Hyperdia so you’re aware of rates, transfers, and general prices.
Different tickets and day passes can be purchased to make journeying around the main tourist spots more efficient. These include the: Snow Monkey 1-Day Pass; 2-Day Free Passport Kamikochi/Norikura/Matsumoto; and Zenkoji-Matsushiro 1-Day Pass. More information with links can be found by clicking here.
It is far more convenient to use a car to get around Nagano Prefecture during the winter, as the cold, snowy weather can make it difficult to get from place to place. If you choose to drive, be sure to have proper tires!
Toyoko Inn is a popular hotel chain throughout Japan and they recently have began expanding their brand abroad. In Japan alone, there are over 200 locations. Their Nagano-eki Zenkoji-guchi location is conveniently located next to Nagano Station, which makes it easy to find. Additionally, they offer continental breakfast. At this location, they had local apple cider vinegar samples and soba as part of the spread.
Travel tip #4: Although there are buses that connect the main areas of Nagano City, try walking around to see what the city has to offer. There are small shrines, traditional buildings, and local businesses that can be better appreciated on foot.
Climate
The prefecture boasts a sunny, dry climate with an average temperature of about 53 degrees Fahrenheit (~12 degrees Celsius). Due to its mountainous terrain, Nagano’s climate typically has a large span between daily high temperatures and daily lows. The best time to ski is usually around mid-December, when the snow is freshest, but seasonal snow amounts are likely to be at their highest throughout the month of February. The hottest months are July, August, and September and the driest months are September, October, and November. The time of year you choose to visit will vary based on your plans, so no time is technically “best” as each season offers something different. Yet, spring tends to be the busiest tourism-wise and crowds may be higher during this time.