A travelog about other topics | The ALPICO GROUP Official Website offers useful travel information on Nagano Prefecture

9 Beautiful Cherry Blossoms Spots in Nagano (2023 Forecast and Access)

Here is our list of the places to go for cherry blossom viewing in Nagano. We know you all want to know how to get there and what’s the best time to visit. Don’t worry! We’ve got you covered.

Feb 21, 2023

Nakasendo Hiking Tour & Narai-juku Post Town Sightseeing Bus

This sightseeing bus will bring you to discover “Narai-juku”, Japan’s longest post town, which has a 1 km-long townscape that looks as if you’ve slipped back in time to the Edo period. There are inns, souvenir shops, restaurants and more that make you feel the good old days, as well as museums, temples and other historic sights. It is a perfect one-day trip from Matsumoto!

Jun 09, 2020

Top 5 Cherry Blossom Sightseeing Spots in Nagano Prefecture

Spring is here! The temperature is picking up, the birds are singing, and lots of flowers are blooming. That also goes for the sakura or cherry blossoms, a Japanese icon that’s loved by people all over the world. The blooming of the cherry blossoms is a special event that many people look forward to and is celebrated nationwide with a so-called hanami or cherry blossom viewing party and by indulging in some of the many cherry-blossom-flavored foods and drinks that are available during this period. The transient beauty of these pink flowers is certainly the biggest reason why the cherry blossom season is one of the most popular times to visit Japan.

Apr 30, 2020

A Must-Visit World Heritage Site! The Historical Village of Shirakawa-go

Hidden amid the mountains and forests of Nagano’s neighboring prefectures Gifu and Toyama, you will find a unique remnant of Japanese history: The Historical Villages of Shirakawa-go and Gokayama. Designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, these villages should definitely be on your must-visit list when travelling through Japan!

Mar 06, 2020

The Ultimate Bucket List Trip – A Visit to Nagano’s Snow Monkeys

Buried within the mountains of Nagano, there is a natural hot spring that has some very peculiar visitors. Instead of humans, you can find red-faced monkeys bathing and relaxing in the warm spring water. This behavior is what makes them so unique as it’s something that has never been seen with any other monkeys. Thanks to this, the Japanese macaques in this area have become world-famous and are commonly known as the snow monkeys of Nagano.

Jan 31, 2020

Reliving the time of samurai and warlords on the Nakasendo Road

Within the forested Kiso Valley in Nagano Prefecture lies part of an historical route that dates back to a time when samurai and geisha walked the streets and Japan was ruled by a fearsome shogun (military dictator). This route is called the Nakasendo or literally “Central Mountain Road”.

Aug 22, 2019