What is Nagano known for?

Nagano Prefecture is one of the few prefectures in Japan that do not border the sea. It is famous for its mountains, in particular the Japan Alps, and popular for hiking in summer and skiing in winter. Nagano achieved international fame for hosting the Winter Olympics in 1998. There are many tourist spots in the prefecture, including Zenkoji Temple, Kamikochi, Matsumoto Castle, Lake Suwa and Karuizawa. Nagano is the top producer of wasabi (Japanese radish) and is also famous for Shinshu soba noo…

Nagano is an area in NAGANO, Japan.

What are the best places to visit in Nagano?

WOW U lists 27 spots in Nagano. Popular spots include Ougatou Summit, Shigakogen Highland Ski Area, Nozawa Onsen Snow Resort, Matsushiro Underground Imperial Headquarters, Utsukushigahara Kogen Highlands.

WOW U is a booking platform that connects travellers directly with local guides in Japan, called Locals. You book, message your Locals host and pay on WOW U, and every experience can be reviewed afterwards. More than 6,100 Locals are registered on WOW U. Reviews left by travellers average 4.7 out of 5.

Nagano

Spots in this area(27)

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Beautiful Scenery Outdoor Activities History Insta-worthy Entertainment Food & Drink Shopping Art & Architecture Culture Experience Trendy Places

Nagano

Ougatou Summit

41 alpine peaks ring the horizon — diamond dust glitters at dawn in winter.

Beautiful SceneryOutdoor Activities

Nagano

Shigakogen Highland Ski Area

Eighteen resorts, one pass — Japan's largest ski playground awaits.

Outdoor Activities

Nagano

Nozawa Onsen Snow Resort

36 runs of dry powder, dropping 1,650 m under open Nagano sky.

Beautiful SceneryEntertainmentOutdoor Activities

Nagano

Matsushiro Underground Imperial Headquarters

Tunnels carved in secret to hide an empire—80% done when Japan surrendered.

History

Nagano

Utsukushigahara Kogen Highlands

A 2,034 m plateau where alpine grass rolls to the edge of the sky.

Beautiful Scenery

Nagano

Suwako Lake BBQ Marina

Grill venison on a pier while the Alps fade into dusk.

Food & DrinkOutdoor Activities

Nagano

Shiga Kogen Highland

Ski slopes, sea of clouds, and hot springs at 1,500 m up.

Beautiful SceneryOutdoor Activities

Nagano

Kurohime Kogen

A million cosmos blooms turn ski slopes pink each autumn.

Beautiful SceneryInsta-worthyOutdoor Activities

Nagano

Daiwa Royal Hotel Nagano

Soak in an open-air bath as the Northern Alps turn gold at dusk.

Onsen(Hot Springs)Beautiful Scenery

Nagano

Aokiko Lake

Hakuba's peaks mirror on glassy water—fireflies drift at dusk.

Beautiful SceneryOutdoor Activities

Nagano

Hakuba Kamoshika Canyon

Zip into ice-cold alpine pools while July scorches the plains below.

Beautiful SceneryOutdoor Activities

Nagano

Tsumagojuku Post Town

A car-free Edo street frozen in the 1600s, alive and walkable.

Art & ArchitectureBeautiful SceneryFood & Drink+3

Nagano

Kaminari Daki Falls

Step behind a roaring 30m curtain of water in Nagano's gorge.

Beautiful SceneryInsta-worthyOutdoor Activities

Nagano

Suwako Lake

Four ancient shrines ring a lake where geysers still hiss at the shore.

Beautiful SceneryHistory

Nagano

Matsukawa Keikoku Valley

A 30m waterfall named Thunder — earned, not given.

Beautiful Scenery

Nagano

Nojiriko Lake

Mammoths once roamed here — now kayaks glide over their bones.

Beautiful SceneryOutdoor Activities

Nagano

Matsumotojo Castle

Black walls built for war, white walls built for peace — one castle, two eras.

History

Nagano

Daio Wasabi Farm

Kurosawa filmed 'Dreams' here, among rows of wasabi in glacial meltwater.

Food & DrinkOutdoor Activities

Nagano

Jigokudani Monkey Park

Wild snow monkeys soak in steaming springs at 850m.

EntertainmentTrendy Places

Nagano

Togakushi Folk Museum

Hidden doors, trap walls — crack the real ninja maze at Togakushi.

Culture ExperienceEntertainment

Nagano

Zenkoji Temple

Where warlords sought refuge and women prayed as equals, since 642 AD.

History

Nagano

Ueda Castle Koen Park

The Sanada clan beat the Tokugawa twice here — cherry trees mark the score.

History

Nagano

Nishinomiya Jinja Shrine

A 17th-century merchant's prayer, still alive in quiet cedar air.

History

Nagano

Kamikochi Kappabashi Bridge

A 1910 wooden bridge where the Alps mirror perfectly in still water.

Beautiful Scenery

Locals in NAGANO

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Licensed Guide

Japanese / English

NAGANO

Kouhei Nishida

MusicMoviesHistory+5

Frequently asked questions

What is Nagano known for?: Nagano Prefecture is one of the few prefectures in Japan that do not border the sea. It is famous for its mountains, in particular the Japan Alps, and popular for hiking in summer and skiing in winter. Nagano achieved international fame for hosting the Winter Olympics in 1998. There are many tourist spots in the prefecture, including Zenkoji Temple, Kamikochi, Matsumoto Castle, Lake Suwa and Karuizawa. Nagano is the top producer of wasabi (Japanese radish) and is also famous for Shinshu soba noo…
Where is Nagano?: Nagano is an area in NAGANO, Japan.
What are the best places to visit in Nagano?: WOW U lists 27 spots in Nagano. Popular spots include Ougatou Summit, Shigakogen Highland Ski Area, Nozawa Onsen Snow Resort, Matsushiro Underground Imperial Headquarters, Utsukushigahara Kogen Highlands.
What is WOW U?: WOW U is a booking platform that connects travellers directly with local guides in Japan, called Locals. You book, message your Locals host and pay on WOW U, and every experience can be reviewed afterwards. More than 6,100 Locals are registered on WOW U. Reviews left by travellers average 4.7 out of 5.