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Nagano

Temple pilgrimage town near snow monkeys

Nagano is a mountain city in Nagano Prefecture built around Zenko-ji, a temple that welcomes people of every denomination and has drawn pilgrims for centuries. The approach street goes about 1.8 km up from the station and has about 60 shops. Buses reach the forest shrines of Togakushi in roughly an hour. Trains and buses take around an hour and a half to Jigokudani Monkey Park, where macaques soak in hot springs. The Hokuriku Shinkansen links Nagano with Tokyo in roughly 1.5 hours, so it works for a short break from the capital.

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City in Japan

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Safety: 8.5

General Safety:	9
Health & medical:	8
Accessibility:	5
Tap water:	10

Read details

2/5

English is spoken at major hotels, tourist centres and some restaurants, but less so in small shops or rural areas. Most signage at attractions is bilingual. A translation app is useful for deeper exploration.

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Last update: 20 Oct 2026

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Nagano Summary

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Great for mountain nature and winter sports. Ski famous resorts, hike alpine trails, visit historic temples and relax in traditional hot springs.

Place score

7.4

Best at:

Mountains

Skiing

Hiking

Snow

Spotless

Personal score

Suited for

👶 8

Families

🧓 6

Seniors

🛡️ 8

Travel Beginners

👩 8

Solo

Japan – Quick facts

Guide Etiquette Holidays Other

Power Grid:	100 V, 50 Hz Plug: Type A Type A: Read about power adapters
Currency:	Japanese Yen (JPY) £1 ≈ JP¥210
Cashless info:	Rating 4/5 Cashless payments are becoming more common, especially in cities, with some shops still preferring cash. Be prepared for occasional cash-only situations in rural areas. Save with a travel credit card
eSIM providers:	Best value: Saily Flexibility: Airalo Read our in-depth comparison

Tipping:	Tipping is not customary in Japan and can be considered rude. Excellent service is the norm, and tipping is unnecessary in most places.
Public drinking:	Public drinking is legal and commonly accepted, particularly during festivals and events.
Public smoking:	Smoking is prohibited in indoor public places but allowed in designated outdoor areas. Some restaurants may have smoking sections.

New Year (January)	One of the most important holidays, expect crowded temples and high prices. Plan ahead.
Golden Week (April-May)	The busiest travel time, expect high demand for accommodation and transport.
Obon (August)	A time to honour ancestors, many businesses close, and transport can be crowded.

Emergency contact:	Emergency Number: 110 (Police), 119 (Fire & Ambulance)
Taxi apps:	Uber, JapanTaxi, DiDi
Other:	Japan is a country of respect, so understanding local customs and etiquette is important. Public transport is efficient, but can be crowded during peak hours.

Best times to travel

The best times to travel section shows how the months compare for a visit, so you can find the time of year that fits what you want to do.

Background colours of the months:
The colour shows the typical temperature: yellow (hot), green (mild) and blue (cold). How strong the colour is shows the travel season: full colour means high season, soft colour means shoulder season and soft-striped means off season.

Weather symbols:
Each month has one symbol showing what the weather is typically like, such as hot and sunny, freezing or a rainy or snowy season. Use them to quickly spot months that match the weather you want, or to avoid the ones that don't.

Crowdedness:
The people icon shows how busy the place usually is. The more people, the more crowded it gets.

Additional notes:
The grey info boxes point out special things worth knowing, like recurring weather issues or seasonal events.

for Nagano, Japan

🌨️

Jan

🌨️

Feb

🌨️

Mar

🌤️

Apr

🌤️

May

🌦️

Jun

🌦️

Jul

🔥

Aug

🌦️

Sep

🌥️

Oct

🌤️

Nov

🌨️

Dec

High season:	Jan. - April, July - Aug., Oct., Dec.
Shoulder season:	May, Sep., Nov.
Crowdedness:	6 (Many tourists)

Tap on a month for more info Hover over a month for more info

Climate details

Ski season runs December to April, with the best powder January to February

Kamikochi and the Alpine Route are open roughly mid April to mid November, closed to visitors in winter

Cherry blossoms mid to late April, later at higher elevations

Don't miss

⛩️ Visit Zenko-ji Temple, Nagano’s spiritual heart
🐒 See snow monkeys bathe in hot springs at Jigokudani
🎿 Ski the world-class slopes of Hakuba Valley
🚶‍♂️ Walk Nagano’s old samurai road in Matsushiro district
🍜 Try local soba noodles at a traditional eatery
♨️ Relax in a natural onsen surrounded by mountain views

You've been here?

Why travel to Nagano?

Zenko-ji is a Buddhist temple that welcomes people of any denomination. Its principal image is a hidden Amida Triad that isn't shown to the public. A substitute figure goes on view during the Gokaicho ceremony, held once every seven years. A free morning service starts about 30 minutes after sunrise and lasts about 30 minutes. Visitors can also walk the Okaidan Meguri, a pitch-black passage of about three minutes beneath the main hall that ends at a metal key at the far end. The mountains and wildlife nearby add a second reason to visit. Togakushi has five shrine sites linked by forest paths and a cedar avenue. The full circuit takes about three hours. At Jigokudani Monkey Park, Japanese macaques bathe in hot springs, with January and February the most reliable months for snow around the pool. Soba, oyaki dumplings and sauce katsudon are the local foods. The cherry trees around the temple bloom in April and the mountains have autumn colour from late October into early November. A day trip from Tokyo is possible, but two nights give enough time for the temple, Togakushi and the monkeys without rushing.

🏯Places worth seeing

1 Jigokudani Monkey Park
2 Matsumoto Castle
3 Takashima Castle
4 Ueda Castle Park
5 Zenkoji temple
6 Bessho-onsen
7 Togakushi Shrine Chu-sha
8 Chausuyama Zoo

🎡Places for activities

1 Shiga Kogen
2 Hakuba
3 Nozawa Onsen
4 Togakushi
5 Sugadaira Kogen Pine Beak Ski Resort

🏞️Natural landmarks

1 Mt. Yarigatake
2 Azumino
3 Kamikochi
4 Chausuyama Park Ent.
5 Yudanaka Shibu Onsen-kyo Suimei
6 Chikuma River

🍽️Eat & Drink

1 Togakushi Soba Yamaguchiya
Yamaguchiya serves Togakushi soba, a Shinshu buckwheat speciality presented in small bundles on a tray. It is in the Togakushi district northwest of Nagano City, near the cedar-lined approach to Togakushi Shrine’s Chusha area.
2 Soba Juwari Ten
Soba Juwari Ten makes juwari soba with 100 percent buckwheat flour, served with seasonal tempura and Nagano sake. It is near Nagano Station in central Nagano City, within the downtown dining area south of Zenkoji Temple.
3 Soba Daizen
Soba Daizen prepares handmade Shinshu soba with buckwheat flour ground in-house. It is on the route between Nagano Station and Zenkoji Temple, in Nagano City’s Monzen historic district near the temple approach.
4 Ogawa no Sho Daimon Shop
Ogawa no Sho grills oyaki, Nagano’s filled wheat-and-buckwheat dumplings, over charcoal. It is in Patio Daimon on Zenkoji’s approach in central Nagano City, serving fillings such as nozawana greens, mushroom and miso aubergine.
5 Irohado Zenkoji Nakamise Shop
Irohado makes oyaki that are fried and then baked, producing a soft, bread-like crust around vegetable fillings. It is on Nakamise-dori directly below Zenkoji Temple in Nagano City’s Monzen district.
6 Tsumugi
Tsumugi offers reservation-based kaiseki meals built around juwari soba, locally grown produce and heirloom vegetables. It is in Patio Daimon, approximately 20 minutes on foot from Nagano Station, near Zenkoji’s main approach.
7 Imamura Soba Honten
Imamura Soba Honten serves traditional Shinshu soba and regional dishes in central Nagano City. It is near Zenkoji Temple’s Monzen streets, a convenient local-noodle stop while walking between the temple and Nagano Station.
8 Imuraya Ishido Shop
Imuraya serves ankake kata-yakisoba, crisp fried noodles topped with a thick vegetable-and-pork sauce, a Nagano City comfort-food speciality. It is in Minami-Ishidocho near Nagano Station, in the city-centre shopping district.
9 Tonkatsu Karari
Tonkatsu Karari serves thick cutlets made with Waton Mochibuta pork and pairs them with local Nagano sake. It is in central Nagano City near Zenkoji’s Monzen district, among the restaurants on the temple approach.
10 Kurabito Stay and Kitsukura Brewery
Kitsukura Brewery produces local sake, and Kurabito Stay offers immersive brewing experiences with the brewery staff. It is in Saku, eastern Nagano Prefecture, a distinct regional stop roughly 75 kilometres east of Nagano City.

🎈Events

Nagano Winter Olympics Commemorative Events
Zenkoji Temple Festival
Togakushi Autumn Foliage Festival
Nozawa Onsen Fire Festival
Matsumoto Castle Festival
Suwa Grand Shrine Festival
Ski Season Opening Celebrations
Autumn Harvest Festivals
Nagano Lantern Festival (Feb)
Togakushi Soba Festival
Obuse Chestnut Festival
Nagano Marathon
Matsushiro Samurai Festival
Zenkoji Omotesando Illumination
Cherry Blossom Viewing (April)
Shinano Art Festival

Explore on map

Open map view

Knowledge before you go

Arrive early for the free morning service at Zenko-ji.
Carry coins and small bills, since some local buses don't have card readers on board.
Check the season first, because the Okusha trail at Togakushi closes from early November to mid-April.
Plan snow monkey visits for January or February, when snow and monkeys in the hot pool are most reliable.

How to travel to Nagano

The easiest way to reach Nagano from Tokyo is the Hokuriku Shinkansen, which takes roughly 1.5 hours to Nagano Station. A highway bus from Shinjuku takes about 3 hours 40 minutes and costs less but runs on road traffic. From Matsumoto, the Wide View Shinano limited express takes about 50 minutes. There's no airport close to the city, so most international visitors fly into Tokyo. Within the region, Nagaden express trains reach Yudanaka in about 50 minutes from Nagano Station. Buses to Togakushi take about 60 minutes. Winter driving needs snow tyres, so check conditions before hiring a car in cold months.

Access summary

From Matsumoto Airport (MMJ): bus/train via Matsumoto, about 1.5–2 hours.
From Tokyo: Hokuriku Shinkansen from Tokyo Station, about 80–100 minutes.
From Osaka/Kyoto: Limited Express plus Hokuriku Shinkansen, roughly 3.5–4.5 hours.

Check your route from anywhere

Where to stay in Nagano

Most visitors stay near Nagano Station, where hotels are close to the shinkansen, the buses and the shopping streets. Staying along the approach to Zenko-ji puts you closer to the temple for the early morning service. Some temple lodgings (shukubo) offer rooms with dinner and breakfast, though booking directly with the temple is recommended. For the monkey park, many travellers stay in the hot spring town of Yudanaka. Togakushi has lodging for a quiet forest stay. Book ahead for autumn colour, the Gokaicho ceremony and winter weekends in snow season. Rooms near the temple also fill up at cherry blossom time in April.

Hotel recommendations

*by rating and popularity. Commissions have no influence on the rankings.

Hotel Metropolitan Nagano

9.0

Sotetsu Fresa Inn Nagano-Zenkojiguchi

8.8

Dormy Inn Nagano Zenkounoyu Natural Hot Spring

9.1

Hotel Jal City Nagano

8.4

Nagano Tokyu REI Hotel

8.8

Chateraise hotel Nagano

8.7

The Saihokukan Hotel

8.1

HOTEL NEW NAGANO NeXT

8.8

Hotel Kokusai 21 Nagano

8.3

Chisun Grand Nagano

8.7

Explore more accommodations

How to get around Nagano

Central Nagano is compact enough to cover on foot, with Zenko-ji about a 30-minute walk from the station along a gently uphill approach street. Local buses cover the rest of the city, while the mountain stops outside it need a bus, a private train or a car.

Buses:
A local bus covers the route to Zenko-ji in about 10 minutes and runs every 10 to 15 minutes. A loop bus called the Guruin-go also goes around the main sights. Keep some cash handy because not every bus has a card reader.

Mountain stops:
For Togakushi, take an Alpico bus from stop 7 at the station. Reservations are encouraged and Suica and PASMO cards aren't accepted there. A private train line, Nagaden, goes to Yudanaka for the monkey park. A hire car helps if you want to combine several mountain stops in a day.

Food in Nagano

Food in Nagano is based on Shinshu buckwheat soba and mountain-region home cooking. Many soba shops close for a break in the mid-afternoon, so plan lunch earlier or later. The approach to Zenko-ji has shops selling spice mixes and snacks. Stalls around the temple sell oyaki, which are stuffed dumplings.

Soba:
Shinshu soba is made with local buckwheat and is the signature dish. Togakushi soba is eaten near the shrines and has long queues at the best-known shops.

Sauce katsudon:
Sauce katsudon is a local pork cutlet rice bowl, while some places also serve horse meat dinners. The station building has restaurants with local dishes such as sauce katsudon, which is a handy backup when the town is quiet.

Budget snapshot

Costs compared to home

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To customise this, you can set up which location and price level are used for the calculations in your account settings.

-45 %

Daily expenses in Nagano are around 45% lower than the average across United States. That means you'll spend a lot less on meals and getting around.

Exchange rate trend

The exchange rate price factor shows how expensive or cheap a currency currently is compared to its historical average. It's a quick way to see if a country is currently more or less affordable due to exchange rate changes.

-20 %

Your exchange rate (GBP to JPY) is 20% better than in recent years. That means travelling now is considerably cheaper compared to the past.

Travel costs

To help you plan your trip, we provide estimated daily costs per person (when travelling as a pair) for different travel styles. These numbers give you an idea of what you might spend each day at this destination, including accommodation, food, transport and activities.

Additionally, we also provide average hotel costs for different travel styles to give you an estimate for the accommodation only.

Please note that these are only estimates. The real costs depend on booking times, season and other factors.

Daily cost summary

Travel style categories explained:

Backpacker:
Staying in hostels or budget hotels, cooking your own meals or eating cheap and choosing low-cost activities.

Mid-range:
Staying in mid-range hotels, eating at a mix of restaurants and casual spots and enjoying a variety of activities.

Luxury:
Staying in luxury hotels, dining out at high-end restaurants and enjoying premium experiences without worrying about the price.

	Backpacker	Mid-range	Luxury
💵 Total costs per day, including accommodation	£60	£131	£321
🏨 Accommodation per night, per person	£38	£90	£188
🍝 Food per day	£18	£33	£96
🚕 Transportation per day	£4	£7	£38

Notable additional fees: Shiga Kogen day pass about JP¥7,500 (£35.69) for Japan's largest linked area. Ski, boot and pole hire costs roughly JP¥5,000 – 7,000 (£23.79 – 33.31) a day.

Food & Drink

🍽️ Restaurant Dinner, per person	£11.50
🍛 Lunch Set, per person	£6.50
🍟 Fast food combo	£3.90
🍝 Preparing your own food, per day	£7.50
☕ Cappuccino	£2.30
🍺 Beer in a restaurant, 0.5 l	£2.20

Transportation

🚌 Public transport ticket	£1.05
🚕 Taxi Ride, 10 km / 6 mi	£24
⛽ Petrol, 1 l	£0.85

Other

🎞️ Cinema ticket	£8.50
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's consult	£16
🤧 Cold medication	£6.50
💇 Basic haircut	£14

Safety information overview

General safety

Nagano is a safe city with low crime and the main risks are practical ones. Winter snow and ice make streets and mountain roads slippery. Stay on marked trails at Togakushi and keep your distance from the macaques at Jigokudani.

Health & Medical

Nagano has hospitals and clinics for everyday and urgent care, though English-speaking care is limited. Winters are cold so pack warm layers. Mountain walks at Togakushi call for sturdy shoes, water and sun protection in summer.

Accessibility

The route from the station to Zenko-ji is gently uphill and about a 30 minute walk, so a bus or taxi helps. The temple has steps. The Togakushi shrines involve long forest paths and the Okusha trail closes in winter.

Tap water

Tap water is safe to drink here, as across Japan, so there's no need to buy bottled water. A refillable bottle helps on temple walks and mountain trails. Vending machines around the station also sell drinks.