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Nagano

30 places to visit, with what each one is and notes on getting there.

Planning a trip to Nagano

How the spots group

Matsumoto Castle and Kamikochi are both in the city of Matsumoto, about 30 km apart in a straight line. Zenko-ji Temple and Togakushi Shrine are in the city of Nagano. At Lake Suwa, Takashima Castle is 2.6 km from the Lake Suwa spot, and Suwa-taisha spans Chino, Suwa and Shimosuwa. Narai-juku is in Shiojiri and Tsumago-juku in Nagiso; Ueda Castle Park is in Ueda and Karuizawa in Karuizawa; Jigokudani Monkey Park and the Shiga Highlands are in Yamanouchi, about 70 km from Matsumoto Castle.

Where to start

The checked routes: Zenko-ji Temple by local bus from stand 1 at the Zenkōji-guchi rotary of JR Nagano Station to Zenkōji Daimon; Kamikochi by the Matsumoto Electric Railway from Matsumoto Station to Shin-Shimashima, then the route bus; and Hakuba Snow Resort by the Hokuriku Shinkansen to Nagano and an express bus, or by the limited express Azusa to Matsumoto and the JR Ōito Line to Hakuba. Other pages name the nearest station: Kita-Matsumoto on the Ōito Line for Matsumoto Castle, Kami-Suwa on the Chūō Main Line for Takashima Castle, Narai for Narai-juku, Ueda for Ueda Castle Park, and Karuizawa on the Hokuriku Shinkansen for Karuizawa.

Seasons and closures

The road to Kamikochi closes in winter. Happōone at Hakuba Snow Resort receives an average of 11 m of snow a season. At Matsumoto Castle, a timed e-ticket costs a little less than a paper ticket on the day and is worth booking on busy days, when entry may be limited. The pages for Togakushi Shrine and the Shiga Highlands note that seasonal access and season dates have not been checked.

Written by us from the spot pages on this site. Distances are straight lines; check each spot’s page for hours and routes before you go.

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