Nagano

Nagano, Nagano ! So many times in Japan, at so many places, the received joy is almost unbelievable.  The kindness of the people, the fascinating shrines and temples, the many different trains, the beauty of the parks and gardens, the trees, hills etc.  The food ! 

It is a wonder, is Japan.  And Nagano and surrounds are simply beautiful. Walk around for a week with a smile on your face. Visit Nagano.


We went to Nagano in early April, 2016.

Nagano has a population of 380,000.

We flew to Tokyo, the bullet trained to Nagano.  The train time was about ninety minutes.

Many shops have wee ornaments out the front.

The front gate of Nagano's famous large temple.

A book / DVD shop.

In the temple grounds.

Around the temple grounds:

Not just cherry blossom in Japan!

TAKADA

To get to Takada, we changed to the local trains at Joetsu. The bullet train from Nagano took 25 minutes, and then the local train ride was only 5 minutes.  We caught a taxi from Takada station to the castle gardens. 

NAOETSU

Only another 8 minutes on the train from Takada gets you to Naoetsu.  Here you will find a war museum on the site of a prisoner of war camp in which Australians were housed during World War Two.

Link:  https://joetsu-stories.jp/2022/01/31/the-peace-memorial-park-naoetsu/

OBUSE

Obuse is about 35 minutes on train from Nagano.  The town has some of the most beautiful small temples and shrines.  There is a lovely flower garden, and most importantly, a Hokusai Museum.

It was Hokusai who is responsible for many famous Japanese prints.

Obuse has a couple of temples in which Hokusai has painted the ceilings. Beautiful.

You may wish to have a taxi company's telephone number on you whilst in this delightful town, as some of the sites are quite a walk away from each other.

Link: About Hokusai

UEDA

Ueda is an eleven minute trip from Nagano by bullet train. There is a beautiful castle gardens there. And a water wheel, and statues ... etc

MATSUSHIRO

The castle grounds at Matsushiro in cherry blossom season is stunning. To get there you catch a bus from Nagano Station.  The trip takes thirty five minutes. 

YUDANAKA

Yudenaka was a 45 minute train trip from Nagano. The attraction of Yudanaka was a twenty five metre high bronze Kannon Buddha statue.  Nearby was a wee shrine to smoking !

ONGAKUMURA

A whole hill side of flowers bloom in mid April.  We were a little early.  The train trip from Nagano to Oya takes about 45 minutes, then a taxi is required.

One night around 6  we walked into a shopping mall. Lo and behold there was a messy small sushi restaurant with two large men in it.

We popped in and ordered some of the most tasty, freshest sushi ever to be eaten. 

The two fellas were watching an old movie with a Judy Garland type actress.

When we got the bill, it was less than $40.

I smiled and said "beautiful food must cost more . This is too cheap."

They checked the bill, which included sake, and confirmed the total.

We thanked them, bowed, and left.

Such beautiful food in Japan can be found in the smallest out of the way restaurants.

Enjoy the miracle that is Japan.