Nagano (長野) is the capital of Nagano prefecture, in the Chubu district of Japan. It flourished as a temple city of Zenkō-ji, a famous temple.
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Nagano hosted the 1998 Winter Olympic Games. Many of the Olympic facilities remain open - like the M-Wave speedskating arena and the Aqua-Wing arena - making Nagano a popular destination for indoor and outdoor sports enthusiasts. It's also a key launching point for trips to onsen and ski resorts in the nearby mountains, which are often referred to as "the Japanese Alps".
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- Zenkōji (善光寺). This temple, first built in the 7th century, is a major pilgrimage site. Its major draw is the hibutsu (秘仏), or hidden buddha, a statue that is displayed to the public only every six years (the next time will be in 2015). A major renovation of the great inner gate finished in 2007. You can see a beautiful row of houses along the street. There are restaurants with atmosphere. You can also buy talismon as a souvenir. edit
- Nishi-no-Mon, (Southwest of Zenkōji's main gate.). A sake brewery with attached restaurant and shops, all housed in traditional buildings. The brewery has a small free museum, though it consists of little more than some historic photographs and a view of the stainless-steel brewing equipment. edit
- Nagano Prefectural Shinano Art Museum, (Just east of Zenkōji.), [1]. The prefecture's premier art museum. The Higashiyama Kaii Gallery showcases the tranquil landscapes (depicting Northern Europe as well as Japan) of one of the masters of nihon-ga (traditional "Japanese-style painting"). edit
- Binzuru (びんずる, 賓頭盧) [2]. Nagano's big summer festival, held on the first Saturday in August. Every year, more than 200 groups take part in this festival. They walk and dance through Chuo-dori, clacking together wooden scoops called shamoji. The festival's name comes from the Japanese version of Indian Buddhist saint Pindola Bharadvaja, and the procession ends at Zenkoji temple where festival-goers rub a well-worn Binzuru statue for luck.
- Kagai Onsen Ichiyoukan (加賀井温泉 一陽館), Matsushiro Machi Higashijo 松代町東条55 (Take route 403 south from the Nagano interchange on the Joshinetsu Expressway. Turn left at the Kojinmachi intersection. Follow the road around and take the last on the right before the 90 degree right hand turn. The onsen is at the end of the road.), ☎ 026-278-2016. 8:00-20:00. This unusual onsen has separate long narrow flowing indoor baths with brown water for males and females, and two outdoor mixed baths. Bring a large towel. Adults ¥300. edit
- Omura Onsen Makibanoyu (大室温泉まきばの湯), Matsushiro Machi Omura 4108 松代町大室4108 (From route 18, follow route 380 east. Turn right at route 403, and then immediately left. Cross the railway line and take a left up the hill.), ☎ 026-278-5687. 9:00-22:00. Has a large outdoor bath (rotenburo) with magnificent views across the Zenkouji Plain to the Northern Alps. Great anytime, but best in winter. Adults ¥500. edit
- Yawataya Isogoro, Daimonm-cho 83, just south of Zenkoji main gate. A 280-year-old store specializing in shichimi ("seven flavors"), a condiment consisting of ground chili peppers, sesame, citrus, and other spices, commonly sprinkled on soba noodle soup. Yawataya's distinctive tin containers are a fixture in soba shops throughout Japan.
- Oyaki A delicious and cheap Japanese dumpling. Comes in many different flavoured fillings, both sweet and savoury.
Eat
- Sakura, in the Nishi-no-Mon brewery (above). Most of the items on the menu feature miso(fermented bean-paste) which is made with sake by-products. (For an exotic dessert, try miso ice cream.)
- Hungry Caterpillar Cafe, Daimon 56-1, Nagano (On main street south from Zenkoji, 100m south of Daimon intersection), ☎ 026-233-5510. 11:00-18:00. Great sandwiches. Many of the foods enjoyed by the Very Hungry Caterpillar can be found on the menu. There are many other nice cafes and restaurants in the charming courtyard at the rear.Shinsyu soba is famous in Japan. It is healthy, delicious and cheap. edit
- Hanbey (半兵ヱ), (From Nagano station north exit (towards Zenkoji), cross the busy intersection and head down the alleyway one to the right of the main road (its also 2-3 left of the Starbucks). Its about 100 m down on your left.), [3]. If the archaic kana above was not a big enough hint, this is a post-war themed izakaya. Fairly intimate dining for an izakaya with bar seating, tight booths and a tatami room for groups. The bar seating in particular wraps around the kitchen so you can see the staff cooking up a traditional Japanese storm. The walls are covered in war-time or post-war advertising right down to the old backwards right-to-left hiragana こばた ads and utterly bizarre airline ads. Music fits, too. No English and the menus lack any images whatsoever and are written 100 percent in kanji, but if this is no problem, you will be treated to a very pleasant surprise: the prices match the theme. edit
Drink
- Bluebird, 1418 Minami Ishidocyo, Daito Building 3F (Take the West Exit from Nagano Station, walk a few minutes, cross the street near Starbucks and go up the narrow street. Bluebird is at the end, overlooking the street across from Again department store.), ☎ 02-6226-3945. Western-style pool/dart bar. Hip Hop nights and the occasional tattoo show. edit
- High-Five, (Take the West Exit from Nagano Station and walk a few minutes. It's in the alley between Hotel Ikemon and Hotel Nagano.), ☎ 090-1868-5815. Small centrally-located nightclub. edit
- Shiga-Kogen Brewery, (In Yudanaka on the way to Jigokudani Monkey Park.), ☎ 0269-33-2155, [4]. A 200 year old sake brewery that has just opened a microbrewery. Free sake and beer tasting on site and excellent locally made beers. edit
- Parley, (Take the main exit from Nagano station and go down the alley just to the right of the main road. Located where the alley turns sharply to the right. Two doors down from Hanbey Izakaya.). The gaudy facade is shaped like a pirate ship and the interior won't disappoint. Apart from the electronic dart board, the theme is largely complete and flawless. Even the toilets follow the theme. Really. There's a cargo hold themed bar downstairs, too. This place attracts a young, upbeat crowd. The staff are cheerful, regularly cosplay as characters from Pirates of the Caribbean, and are fans of Gantz. Drinks for ¥500.
- Zenkōji (善光寺). This temple, first built in the 7th century, is a major pilgrimage site. Its major draw is the hibutsu (秘仏), or hidden buddha, a statue that is displayed to the public only every six years (the next time will be in 2015). A major renovation of the great inner gate finished in 2007. You can see a beautiful row of houses along the street. There are restaurants with atmosphere. You can also buy talismon as a souvenir. edit
- Nishi-no-Mon, (Southwest of Zenkōji's main gate.). A sake brewery with attached restaurant and shops, all housed in traditional buildings. The brewery has a small free museum, though it consists of little more than some historic photographs and a view of the stainless-steel brewing equipment. edit
- Nagano Prefectural Shinano Art Museum, (Just east of Zenkōji.), [1]. The prefecture's premier art museum. The Higashiyama Kaii Gallery showcases the tranquil landscapes (depicting Northern Europe as well as Japan) of one of the masters of nihon-ga (traditional "Japanese-style painting"). edit
- Binzuru (びんずる, 賓頭盧) [2]. Nagano's big summer festival, held on the first Saturday in August. Every year, more than 200 groups take part in this festival. They walk and dance through Chuo-dori, clacking together wooden scoops called shamoji. The festival's name comes from the Japanese version of Indian Buddhist saint Pindola Bharadvaja, and the procession ends at Zenkoji temple where festival-goers rub a well-worn Binzuru statue for luck.
- Kagai Onsen Ichiyoukan (加賀井温泉 一陽館), Matsushiro Machi Higashijo 松代町東条55 (Take route 403 south from the Nagano interchange on the Joshinetsu Expressway. Turn left at the Kojinmachi intersection. Follow the road around and take the last on the right before the 90 degree right hand turn. The onsen is at the end of the road.), ☎ 026-278-2016. 8:00-20:00. This unusual onsen has separate long narrow flowing indoor baths with brown water for males and females, and two outdoor mixed baths. Bring a large towel. Adults ¥300. edit
- Omura Onsen Makibanoyu (大室温泉まきばの湯), Matsushiro Machi Omura 4108 松代町大室4108 (From route 18, follow route 380 east. Turn right at route 403, and then immediately left. Cross the railway line and take a left up the hill.), ☎ 026-278-5687. 9:00-22:00. Has a large outdoor bath (rotenburo) with magnificent views across the Zenkouji Plain to the Northern Alps. Great anytime, but best in winter. Adults ¥500. edit
- Yawataya Isogoro, Daimonm-cho 83, just south of Zenkoji main gate. A 280-year-old store specializing in shichimi ("seven flavors"), a condiment consisting of ground chili peppers, sesame, citrus, and other spices, commonly sprinkled on soba noodle soup. Yawataya's distinctive tin containers are a fixture in soba shops throughout Japan.
- Oyaki A delicious and cheap Japanese dumpling. Comes in many different flavoured fillings, both sweet and savoury.
Eat
- Sakura, in the Nishi-no-Mon brewery (above). Most of the items on the menu feature miso(fermented bean-paste) which is made with sake by-products. (For an exotic dessert, try miso ice cream.)
- Hungry Caterpillar Cafe, Daimon 56-1, Nagano (On main street south from Zenkoji, 100m south of Daimon intersection), ☎ 026-233-5510. 11:00-18:00. Great sandwiches. Many of the foods enjoyed by the Very Hungry Caterpillar can be found on the menu. There are many other nice cafes and restaurants in the charming courtyard at the rear.Shinsyu soba is famous in Japan. It is healthy, delicious and cheap. edit
- Hanbey (半兵ヱ), (From Nagano station north exit (towards Zenkoji), cross the busy intersection and head down the alleyway one to the right of the main road (its also 2-3 left of the Starbucks). Its about 100 m down on your left.), [3]. If the archaic kana above was not a big enough hint, this is a post-war themed izakaya. Fairly intimate dining for an izakaya with bar seating, tight booths and a tatami room for groups. The bar seating in particular wraps around the kitchen so you can see the staff cooking up a traditional Japanese storm. The walls are covered in war-time or post-war advertising right down to the old backwards right-to-left hiragana こばた ads and utterly bizarre airline ads. Music fits, too. No English and the menus lack any images whatsoever and are written 100 percent in kanji, but if this is no problem, you will be treated to a very pleasant surprise: the prices match the theme. edit
Drink
- Bluebird, 1418 Minami Ishidocyo, Daito Building 3F (Take the West Exit from Nagano Station, walk a few minutes, cross the street near Starbucks and go up the narrow street. Bluebird is at the end, overlooking the street across from Again department store.), ☎ 02-6226-3945. Western-style pool/dart bar. Hip Hop nights and the occasional tattoo show. edit
- High-Five, (Take the West Exit from Nagano Station and walk a few minutes. It's in the alley between Hotel Ikemon and Hotel Nagano.), ☎ 090-1868-5815. Small centrally-located nightclub. edit
- Shiga-Kogen Brewery, (In Yudanaka on the way to Jigokudani Monkey Park.), ☎ 0269-33-2155, [4]. A 200 year old sake brewery that has just opened a microbrewery. Free sake and beer tasting on site and excellent locally made beers. edit
- Parley, (Take the main exit from Nagano station and go down the alley just to the right of the main road. Located where the alley turns sharply to the right. Two doors down from Hanbey Izakaya.). The gaudy facade is shaped like a pirate ship and the interior won't disappoint. Apart from the electronic dart board, the theme is largely complete and flawless. Even the toilets follow the theme. Really. There's a cargo hold themed bar downstairs, too. This place attracts a young, upbeat crowd. The staff are cheerful, regularly cosplay as characters from Pirates of the Caribbean, and are fans of Gantz. Drinks for ¥500.
Zenkō-ji Temple
My Hotel Stay: Hotel Metropolitan
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