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Discover Nagano Prefecture
Always a popular side trip from Tokyo, Nagano is renowned as a spot for powdery soft snow for locals, foreigners and tourists to have a quick weekend gliding down the slopes as soon as snowfall begins, especially with it’s many onsen towns in easy reach to enjoy a relaxing soak after a day on the mountains.
Nagano has so much more to offer in all four seasons, so if you have the chance take an extra day or two off and go explore more of what this prefecture has to offer. Formerly known as Shinshu (or Shinano), Nagano belongs to the the Chubu region of Honshu and borders Niigata, Gunma, Saitama, Yamanashi, Shizuoka, Aichi, Gifu and Toyama prefectures.
In Mt Togakushi, Togakushi village is home to one of the “Three Great Soba Noodles” of Japan – Togakushi soba. The other two being Iwate’s Wanko soba and Shimane’s Izumo soba.
Midway between Hakuba and Nagano city lies Mt Togakushi, the site of one of Japan’s most sacred spiritual spots. The base of the mountain is home to Togakushi Five Shrines, of which travelers can hike the Togakushi Kodo trail to visit all five shrines; Hokosha, Hinomikosha, Chusha, Kuzuryusha and Okusha.
Where to Stay
Located in Nagano Prefecture is the stunning luxury Matsumoto Honbako, the onsen book hotel - a modern onsen ryokan where every room has it’s own private onsen. The ryokan is an advocate of bringing Asama Onsen town into the present, strengthening it for the future by giving new life to what was the former iconic Koyanagi ryokan under the Matsumoto Jujo project.
In Asama Onsen town in Nagano Prefecture, roughly 30mins drive from Matsumoto City - enjoy a luxe traditional onsen ryokan experience with Kai Matsumoto from the renown Hoshino Resorts portfolio. The onsen ryokan features traditional Japanese rooms with modern touches and several rooms have their own private onsen.
A perfect midway point to rest and recuperate after hiking the first half of the Togakushi Kodo, is to spend a night in a traditional shukubo (Japanese temple) surrounding the Chusha (middle shrine). Every shukubo is helmed by a Shinto priest of Togakushi Shrine