Nagano Top 5 travel guide: Discover beautiful Japan!
Welcome to Nagano! A beautiful region surrounded
by mountains, with lovely places, and amazing food. Just a direct Shinkansen away from Tokyo,
it’s convenient to get to, and really worth the trip. If this is your first time visiting,
here are some useful tips of what you can do. This video is brought to you by Jovi goes Japan.
For more useful tips to slow travel Japan, please subscribe to support my channel! Let’s talk about Nagano city. From the first moment, it felt so much more local than touristy here. Drop a visit to this lovely square
of preserved buildings that now house several restaurants and stores, while also
being just a really nice venue to relax. Closeby Zenkoji temple is probably
the biggest attraction of Nagano city. Founded in the 7th century, this temple town
was a major factor in Nagano’s growth and houses what people believe was the first
Buddhist statue ever brought into Japan. Surrounded by serene gardens, you are free to explore the temple grounds,
or view certain buildings inside for a fee. You can get to Zenkoji by bus, or take a
20-30 minutes stroll from the train station. Leading up to the temple, is the Zenkoji
Omotesando, a street lined with shops selling food and souvenirs. There are lots of interesting
things here, so take time to explore the area. If you’re a fan of Macca House matcha tiramisu, there’s a lovely spot right at the temple’s
entrance with a gorgeous view outside. Speaking of food, here’s a true hidden
gem to taste some amazing Shinshu Wagyu, a slightly sweeter wagyu specialty of
Nagano. Ajigen is a shop frequented by locals, with affordable prices and friendly staff. Nagano city is also a great base to explore
other parts of the region. If you’re looking for other things to do, here are my Top 5.
Keep watching for a bonus tip at the end! Number one Matsumoto city Where you’ll find Matsumoto Castle, a great chance to see one of Japan’s original
12 castles and it’s beautiful castle grounds. Shopping and eating in Matsumoto is a fun activity to do in Nakamachi Dori, where preserved
merchant warehouses line the streets with their white walls. You can find lots
of unique local specialties here. Right next to that is Nawate Dori, another street where you’ll also find a variety
of interesting shops selling local souvenirs. Generally uncrowded, this is a really nice
and unique place to visit in Matsumoto. Number 2 Obuse Obuse is definitely on the top of
my list of cute towns in Nagano. Not only can you visit people’s gardens and yes, these are open to all, the Hokusai museum
also offers a really interesting view into the Japanese art of woodblock
prints, and the famous artist Hokusai. While you’re here, be sure to try the local
specialty: Chestnuts! More popular in Autumn, you can find them in meal sets,
desserts, or local sweets. If you want to learn more about
Obuse, check out my other video! Number 3 Kamikochi A beautiful valley with several walking trails
around, Kamikochi is definitely worth the visit. But be sure to take time to explore
beyond the popular Kappabashi bridge, where you can find lovely lakes and
views, like the Taisho-ike pond. And if the walk is too much for you,
there’s even a loop bus that goes around. Overall, Kamikochi is a great place to take a stroll or sit by the river bank and
just enjoy the nature around you. Number 4 Togakushi A hugely underrated place in Nagano, Togakushi
is a really quiet retreat into the mountains. Known mainly for its series of shrines, the top one being met by a row
of beautiful Japanese cedar trees My favorite visit here though, is to the
Togakure Ninpo Museum. Dedicated to the Togakure school of ninja, this open museum has several
attractions where you can get your ninja on. Try getting out of the trick house, or
testing your skills at shuriken throwing. All in all, you can spend a fun few hours here. Togakushi is also known for making
some of the best soba in Japan, which you can try in several restaurants here. For more information, check out my previous video! Number 5 Onsen town My favourite hidden gem of all is the quiet
countryside town of Togura Kamiyamada Onsen. Inns like Kamesei Ryokan, offer traditional
Japanese rooms, warm hospitality, and beautiful hot springs, which
I absolutely recommend visiting. The town itself is quiet, has a few interesting
sights to see, and so many good local restaurants. And the food? Well, for that price
and value, I’d come back anytime! And finally my Bonus Tip: Hirayu Onsen Though not technically located
in Nagano prefecture, Hirayu Onsen town is a direct bus from Matsutomo city. The reason I loved coming here, was
because of the Hirayu no Mori hotel, which has 16 open air baths
surrounded by gorgeous mountain views. Besides that, there are several
interesting sites not far from the hotel, like the Hirayu Grand Waterfall, which is
also one of Japan’s top 100 waterfalls. Just nearby the hotel, is the Hirayu shrine, where you’ll find a folk museum, as
well as a public men and women bath. Not only is it peaceful to just walk around, you can also discover some
nice local restaurants here. I’ve been twice to Nagano now, and would love
to return. From landscapes to food to people, there are so many amazing things to discover. If you’d like to see more travel guides like this, please support me by subscribing
to my channel! Till next time!
Enter the mystical realm of the Japanese Alps in Nagano! If you’re a first-timer here, this travel guide is for you. Discover what you can see, do & eat with these Top 5 must-dos in Nagano.
All the places mentioned can be accessed easily via train from Nagano city, aside from the bonus tip 🙂 Keep watching to find out what it is!
From temples to nature walks (and food obviously), Nagano is a region I’ll always want to return to!
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Key moments:
00:00 Nagano city
02:10 Matsumoto city & castle
02:50 Cute town Obuse
03:28 Kamikochi valley
03:58 Ninja time in Togakushi
04:46 Quiet Countryside Onsen
05:16 Bonus Onsen town
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Disclaimer:
All opinions expressed are my own and contain no paid promotions or reviews. Any places and prices mentioned in the video were from the end of 2023 and 2024.
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Thanks for watching! If you want more travel guides that bring together underrated places & good food spots in Japan, please subscribe to support me!
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