Tag: nagano
A Day at Daio Wasabi Farm: The Biggest in Japan
If you’d told me five years ago that one day I'd be pairing my steak with soy sauce and wasabi, rather than gravy and mustard, I would have called you crazy. But here we are and I simply can’t get enough. Although...
Things To Do (And Eat) in Nagano City
The main hall of Zenkoji Temple
As a mountainous prefecture dotted with small towns, an internet search for “things to do in Nagano” can bring up quite a geographical spread. And with ski resorts, onsen towns, historic districts...
Fossil Hunting at Nojiriko Naumann Elephant Museum
Outdoorsy types know Lake Nojiri as a tranquil nature escape. A place to kayak, hike or fish, high in the northern Nagano mountains. And while there is plenty to do outside, there’s one great indoor attraction that visitors should see: The Nojiriko...
Things to do in Japan in Winter: Ice Fishing
It is not widely known, but one of the coldest places in Honshu, Japan’s main island, is the Kaida Plateau in the Kiso Valley, Nagano. Here, locals experience the kind of winters where lakes will freeze over completely. While this extreme cold...
Forests, Lakes and Ancient Trails: Day trips in the Kiso-Valley
Deep in the mountains of Nagano prefecture, sidling the Japanese Central Alps, lies the pristine Kiso Valley. The clear and cool Kiso River snakes its way through the landscape, flanked by wooded peaks that house rushing waterfalls and ancient trees. Each season...
The Nakasendo Trail: 1 day hike from Magome to Tsumago
Picture this: you're a feudal lord (daimyo) with land, money and power within your community. You live hundreds of kilometres from the Nation’s capital and presumably fly under the radar. In your opinion, they’ve been in charge long enough and you could...
Japanese Country Town Profile: One Day In Kiso Fukushima
If you’re planning a trip to the Kiso Valley, perhaps to walk the Nakasendo Trail, you will likely arrive in Kiso-Fukushima, the main access point to the region. This town, imbued with Nakasendo history, is not only a great base for exploring...
The Edo-era remains of Tsumago juku
Nagano is famous for its world-class ski fields but this prefecture's history runs deeper than a few feet of snow. Take a sharp U-turn from the chairlift to find storybook villages like Tsumago in Nakasendo which can transport visitors centuries back in...
Kayaking in Japan: Nagano’s Serene Otaki Village
Nagano’s Kiso Valley, with its wooded hills and pristine waters, is the perfect nature escape. From my base in Kiso-Fukushima, I had already explored the charming town, hiked the ancient Nakasendo trail and visited the Akasawa Natural Recreational Forest. Keen to spend...
Forest Bathing in Japan’s First National Forest: Akasawa Natural Recreational Forest
There’s nothing more soothing than spending a day in nature; I’ve always thought so. On a quest to unwind, I paid a visit to Akasawa Natural Recreational Forest, Japan’s first-ever National Park. Located in Agematsu (in Nagano’s Kiso Valley) it is considered...
