ChillTripCity guide — Japan
Nagano travel guide · Asia
Nagano is the capital of Nagano Prefecture, renowned as a temple city centered around the ancient Zenkō-ji pilgrimage site. It gained international fame as the host of the 1998 Winter Olympic Games and remains a hub for sports, culture, and mountain adventures. Nestled near the Japanese Alps, it serves as a gateway to world-class ski resorts and hot spring retreats.
Nagano's proximity to the Japanese Alps makes winter ideal for skiing and snowboarding at nearby resorts like Shiga Kogen, and for witnessing the famous snow-bathing monkeys at Jigokudani.
ChillTripA major 7th-century Buddhist pilgrimage site famous for its hidden Buddha statue, displayed to the public only once every six years. Features a grand inner gate and a charming approach street lined with traditional houses and shops.
ChillTripReopened in a new building in 2021, this is the prefecture's premier art museum. It houses the Higashiyama Kaii Gallery, showcasing tranquil nihon-ga (traditional Japanese-style painting) landscapes.
Address1 Chome-4-4 Hakoshimizu, Nagano, 380-0801, Japan
4.2/5 on Google
ChillTripA large underground bunker complex built during World War II, intended to protect the Emperor and central government. Japan surrendered before its completion, leaving it as a haunting historical site.
Address479-11 Matsushiromachi Nishijo, Nagano, 381-1232, Japan
4.2/5 on Google
ChillTripA traditional sake brewery southwest of Zenkōji's main gate, housed in historic buildings with an attached restaurant, shops, and a small free museum featuring historic photographs and a view of the brewing equipment.
Address〒381-0000 長野 県 長野 市 長野 西 之 門 町 ５００, 500 Nagano, 380-0857, Japan
4.2/5 on Google
ChillTripThe iconic speedskating arena built for the 1998 Winter Olympics, still open to visitors and sports enthusiasts for skating and events.
ChillTripA well-known spot famous for its oyaki, traditional Japanese dumplings filled with a variety of sweet and savory fillings.
AddressJapan, 〒380-0823 Nagano, 南千歳１丁目１−１ながの東急百貨店 B1F
4.4/5 on Google
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An unusual onsen featuring separate long narrow indoor baths with distinctive brown mineral water for men and women, plus two outdoor mixed baths. A relaxing and authentic hot spring experience.
A hot spring facility with a large outdoor rotenburo bath offering magnificent views across the Zenkouji Plain to the Northern Alps. Especially atmospheric in winter.
A 200-year-old sake brewery in Yudanaka that has opened a microbrewery. Offers free sake and beer tasting on site with excellent locally crafted beers.
Nagano's major summer festival held on the first Saturday in August. Over 200 groups dance and walk through Chuo-dori with wooden shamoji scoops, ending at Zenkōji temple where participants rub the Binzuru statue for luck.
Famous for wild snow monkeys bathing in natural hot springs, a uniquely Japanese wildlife experience.
Home to Shiga Kogen, Japan's largest ski resort, offering world-class winter sports and stunning alpine scenery.
A small city straddling the picturesque Chikuma River, offering onsens, mountain scenery, and temples accessible via the Shinano Railway.
A charming small town near Nagano known for its chestnut sweets, sake breweries, and the Hokusai Museum.
A renowned ski resort village in the Japanese Alps, popular for winter sports and outdoor activities year-round.
A historic castle town near Nagano, famous for Ueda Castle and its samurai heritage.
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