A travelog about Nagano's four seasons: Winter | The ALPICO GROUP Official Website offers useful travel information on Nagano Prefecture

Wonderful places in Nagano to visit during winter for non-skiers

Winter is a season of celebration and snow fun. Many are looking forward to this freezing season to enjoy skiing and snowboarding. But not everyone is the same. If skiing is not your thing, this is the perfect article for you!

Feb 21, 2023

Things to Do and Eat in Matsumoto – Ultimate Guide to Visiting Matsumoto in 2023

Matsumoto city is known for its most famous landmark, Matsumoto Castle. But what you might not know is that there are plenty of fun and interesting things to do in Matsumoto. Let’s see what this city has to offer!

Aug 03, 2022

5 Best Places to Visit in the North Japanese Alps

Tokyo tower, Kiyomizu Temple, Mt Fuji, Hiroshima’ Atomic Bomb Dome, Hakone… Been there, done that? How about diving deep into Japan’s natural wonders in the Japanese Alps?

May 12, 2022

Hakuba Iwatake Mountain Resort: A Truly Winter Wonderland

Different people have different ways of enjoying winter life. What we found interesting in Hakuba Iwatake is the variety of things and activities to do. You will surely find a way to enjoy yourself here even if you don’t ski or snowboard!

Feb 04, 2021

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

Enjoy the Best Food, Drinks and Onsen – Après-Ski (After Ski) in Hakuba

A huge part of any winter vacation is the après-ski (literally “after ski”) part of the trip and we know that some find it even more exciting than the skiing itself. Compared to other popular winter destinations, Japan has a pretty unique après-ski culture. Rather than going to a bar, most Japanese prefer relaxing their bodies at an onsen (hot spring). While you’re here, we highly recommend you try it out yourself! But first, let’s introduce you to some places to eat and drink.

Feb 25, 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

Take a Trip Back in Time to the Age of Samurai in Matsushiro

Samurai – Japanese warriors who were skilled in military strategy and swordsmanship. They were known for their mastery of the sword, their fearlessness in battle and their code of honor called “bushido” which dictated their way of life. Although everyone in the world has probably heard of them, many may not be able to imagine what a samurai’s house is like.

Jan 24, 2020

Matsumoto’s New National Treasure! The Former Kaichi School

Matsumoto is arguably most famous for its castle of the same name, which has been designated as a National Treasure of Japan over 80 years ago. For a long time, this was the only National Treasure in Matsumoto, but all of that changed in September of 2019 with the designation of another National Treasure: The Former Kaichi School.

Jan 17, 2020