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Nagano Prefecture: Tokyo's cool hot spring summer getaway

Nagano Prefecture's Japan Alps region is mysterious & also like we imagine Switzerland.

This post looks at two aspects of Nagano Prefecture that are suited for custom Japan private tours as day trips from Tokyo. Especially in summer but actually in any season. Did you know that the Japanese, being Buddhists, do not differentiate between a sunny day or a wet day. Hot and cold are not the same thing but they are part of the same thing, a single thing (weather). Westerners tend to turn opposites into good and bad. Like rich or poor. Or a sunny day versus a rainy day. The Japanese don't do this. And therefore the natural attractions of Nagano Prefecture beckon the curious every month of the year.

First, I provide an overview of the amazing options a traveler has when choosing hot spring places in Nagano Prefecture, from summer to winter. Some are luxurious ryokan inn establishments. Some are for day trippers. And all have different added features like star gazing or watching monkeys in hot water.

Second, I describe the Nagano Prefecture's super fun and super easy Tateyama Alpine Route. This route crosses the Japanese Alps from Nagano Prefecture to Toyama Prefecture (and ultimately, Toyama City on the Japan Sea coast.

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Content by Ian Martin Ropke, owner of Your Japan Private Tours (est. 1990). I have been planning, designing, and making custom Japan private tours on all five Japanese islands since the early 1990s. I work closely with Japan private tour clients and have worked for all kinds of families, companies, and individuals since 1990. Clients find me mostly via organic search, and I advertise my custom Japan private tours & travel services on www.japan-guide.com, which has the best all-Japan English content & maps in Japan! If you are going to Japan and you understand the advantages of private travel, consider my services for your next trip. And thank you for reading my content. I, Ian Martin Ropke (unique on Google Search), am also a serious nonfiction and fiction writer, a startup founder (NexussPlus.com), and a spiritual wood sculptor. Learn more!

The summer to winter hot spring wonders of Nagano Prefecture

Nagano Prefecture is well-known for its many onsen (hot spring) resorts. Some of the most prominent and well-known onsen areas are Yudanaka and Shibu Onsen, Bessho Onsen, Hirugami Onsen, Nozawa Onsen, Togura Kamiyamada Onsen, and Shirahone Onsen. Let's take a deeper look at the greatest hot spring places in Nagano.

There are hundreds of hot springs, or onsens, in Nagano, and some of them are thought to be the best in Japan. Onsen culture is very important in Japan, and coming to a day-use spa or staying at an onsen ryokan is a must-do for anybody visiting. There are many various kinds of hot springs, and many of them are famed for their therapeutic abilities. This is because each onsen has its own minerals, temps, architecture, and so on.

This section will show you a full range selection of Nagano's greatest onsen towns, which are called onsen-gai in Japanese. You can find them near ski resorts, cities, and well up in the mountains. If you want to have a real Japanese experience on your vacation, be sure to visit Nagano's lovely and interesting onsen towns.

Yudanaka and Shibu Onsen: These two hot spring areas are next to each other in the town of Yamanouchi in Northern Nagano. Yudanaka Station is the town's principal rail station, and Yudanaka Onsen is next to it. Shibu Onsen is higher up the hill. Both have the feel of a real hot spring town, but Shibu Onsen has some of the area's oldest and most beautiful ryokan inns. At night, many guests in yukata robes will walk down its cobblestone streets. A lot of the ryokan inns here have their own hot springs, and there are also public hot springs in each area. People say that hundreds of years ago, samurai from the area used the hot springs at Yudanaka Onsen to heal people who had been hurt in battle. The area contains more than just hot springs. The Jigokudani Wild Monkey Park, where wild monkeys bathe in hot springs, is likewise famous around the world. Shiga Kogen and Mt. Kosha are nearby. In the summer, you can hike there, and in the winter, you can ski and snowboard there.

Shirahone Onsen: Shirahone Onsen sits deep in the forested highlands of Chubu Sangaku National Park. Shirahone Onsen is different from other hot spring regions because it is merely a few ryokan inns in a small cluster deep in the mountains. Most people come here to rest in the hot springs at their inn and enjoy the beautiful scenery. Shirahone Onsen is close to Kamikochi, one of Nagano's national parks at the base of the Northern Japanese Alps, and the highlands of Norikura Kogen. There are many hiking paths that may be reached from the Kamikochi and Norikura districts. It's also an hour's car or bus journey from Shirahone Onsen to both Takayama and Matsumoto. The area is also an excellent spot to sed stars at night.

Bessho Onsen: Bessho Onsen is one of Nagano's oldest hot springs. It was built in the Kamakura Period, (1185-1333). Because of this, there are a lot of shrines, temples, and stores in the region near Bessho Onsen that are easy to go to on foot. The Bessho Line runs through Ueda City, where Bessho Onsen sits. The ruins of Ueda Castle, which is known for its cherry blossoms in the spring, the Utsukushigahara region, and Sugadaira Kogen are all worth seeing. Most travelers don't usually go to Ueda, but it's a hidden gem and a great opportunity to see the actual Japanese countryside.

Hirugami Onsen:Hirugami Onsen is an onsen region in Achi Village, Southern Nagano, Japan. It is believed to have the most beautiful starry skies in all of Japan. The hot spring town's scenery at night is almost as stunning as the starry skies above. People come here to see the natural light show at night and stay the night at one of Hirugami Onsen's 20 ryokan inns. You can do a lot of things surrounding Hirugami Onsen, such go on a star-gazing tour, a peach or cherry blossom tour depending on the season, float down the Tenryu River, and ski at the Sonohara ski resort in the winter and summer.

Nozawa Onsen: This little hot spring village is next to a world-famous ski resort. A lot of people travel to this place to ski and snowboard, but its hot springs and real town are also very appealing. For hundreds of years, people in this area have used the hot springs every day. In the middle of the village, there are big pools of Ogama where villagers prepare eggs and veggies. They wash clothes and food with water from hot springs. Of course, they also soak in the hot springs. The town has 13 free public baths, called soto-yu, that are kept clean and utilized by the people who live there. Visitors can also use them to wash up, but they need to bring their own soap and shampoo. There are other paid options, such a hot spring with amenities that is based on a soto-yu and a bath house where you can wear swimsuits. Nozawa's village is great for outdoor activities because it is easy to go around. There is a ski resort in town that you can walk to, and there are numerous additional ski resorts that are a short drive away. You can also enjoy rafting, standup paddleboarding, hiking, or mountain biking during the green season. After a hard day outside, there's nothing like relaxing in one of Nozawa Onsen's hot spring pools.

Asama Onsen:Asama Onsen sits on the edge of Matsumoto City. Asama Onsen has a lot of ryokans, hotels, and day spas to choose from. Asama Onsen has been around for more than a thousand years. During the Edo Period, when the first lord of Matsumoto built a bath house here, it thrived. Soon, famous warriors and vassals established homes in the neighborhood, which became known as "the Inner Parlor of Matsumoto." Asama Onsen is in a great spot to see Nagano's natural and historical sights, like Matsumoto Castle, the Daio Wasabi Farm, the Utsukushigahara Highlands, and the Nakasendo. It's only a 20-minute bus trip or 10-minute drive from Matsumoto Station.

Togura Kamiyamada Onsen:Togura Kamiyamada Onsen is an onsen village that sits between Ueda and Nagano City. During the bubble era, this neighborhood was one of the most popular onsen spots in Nagano. More than 100 ryokans, izakaya pubs, and snack shops kept guests busy. It feels like going back in time to walk around Togura Kamiyamada Onsen. There are baths in every ryokan, and tourists can also use seven public baths and two footbaths. Another fantastic method to learn about the culture is to walk around town in Yukata and Geta. Kamesei Ryokan can also help you plan a lot of cultural activities. You can do things like ride a bike, join a tea ceremony, meditate in the zen way, or see a geisha show. Some seasonal events you might want to check out are a fireworks festival in the summer and looking at the moon in the reflection of a rice paddy.

Where to Stay in a Town with Hot Springs

There are three kinds of places to stay that mostly have hot springs. Ryokan: A ryokan is a nicer Japanese-style place to stay, however some ryokans provide Western-style beds or meals, especially for breakfast. Not every ryokan in Japan has an onsen, but most in Nagano have. Ryokans have a lot of different pricing and features, so be sure to look into them before you book. A ryokan usually includes both breakfast and dinner. Hotel: A lot of hotels in Japan have hot springs as well. This is a conventional Western-style hotel featuring a hot springs bathing area and a buffet breakfast. Minshuku: A minshuku is a cheap Japanese-style place to stay that occasionally has its own onsen. Most of the time, minshukus only provide Japanese food, and guests have to make their own futon mattresses to sleep on.

Nagano Prefecture's amazing Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route

The Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route is a one-of-a-kind stunning route across the Northern Japan Alps. You can take a train, funicular, highland bus, cable car, electric bus, or walk a short distance along the way. The 37-km (23-mile) road, which was finished in 1971, goes from Omachi Town in Nagano Prefecture to Toyama City in Toyama Prefecture. I think it's great that most of the highway is closed to private cars. From April 15 to November 30, the route is open. In the winter, it is completely closed.

The Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route's main draw is the stunning views of the Tateyama Mountain Range, which is part of the Chubu Sangaku National Park. During different times of the year, visitors can see diverse views. On the way is Shomyo Falls, Japan's tallest waterfall at 350 meters.

People come to see the stunning scenery, alpine flowers (particularly from June to August), and autumn leaves in the summer and fall. The fall colors usually look their finest from late September to early October around Murodo and Daikanbo. They then slowly move down the mountain slopes, reaching the lower elevations around late October to early November.

In the spring, snow that has built up, especially at the highest parts of Midagahara and Murodo, forms a beautiful snow corridor with walls that reach up to 20 meters high. From April 15 to June 25, anyone can walk on part of the snow corridor around Murodo.

Murodo is the highest point along the route and has a number of hiking routes that are great for both serious hikers and anyone who just want to have a leisurely walk. The Tateyama Ropeway, which is a single-span cable car that gives you fantastic bird's-eye views of the mountains around it, and the Kurobe Dam, which is 186 meters tall and looks especially amazing when it releases water between late June and mid-October, are two other highlights along the way.

Temperatures along the Alpen Route are mild from mid-June to September, and it doesn't become too hot very often. From April to early May and from mid-October to November, the weather is cool, and it can get cold on windy days. In the summer, one layer of clothes is plenty. In the spring and fall, you need wear a sweater or jumper on top of that. If you want to hike beyond the easy walking trails near the stations along the route, you should wear good walking shoes. There are places to stay along the way, like hotels, mountain cottages, and campgrounds, notably around Murodo.

There are three ways to do the Alpine Route the full route (from the Japan Sea or from the Nagano side to the sea).

Do the whole trip from Nagano to Toyama City on the sea: Start in Nagano and end in Toyama on the Japan Sea. You can either overnight in Toyama or take the bullet train back to Tokyo Station.

Start in Nagano and proceed to the top of the Alpine Route: This is an obvious option, especially as a day trip from Tokyo. Just go half way, and then turn around at the top and descend the way you came. There are many hot spring inns and lower alpine slopes along the Nagano side of the path.

Start in Toyama Prefect by the sea and cross over to Nagano Prefecture: Take the bullet train from Toyama City along the sea to Toyama and then go from west to east along the route. To get from Tokyo to Toyama, take the JR Hokuriku Shinkansen. The trip takes around 130 to 160 minutes and costs about 13,000 yen. The Japan Rail Pass covers the whole thing. The JR East Nagano Niigata Area Pass is only good as far as Joetsu-Myoko Station, not all the way to Toyama.

The full Nagano Prefecture to Toyama City route, stop by stop:

1. From Tokyo, take the JR Hokuriku Shinkansen to Nagano (100 minutes, around 8500 yen one way). Then, take a bus directly to Ogizawa along the Alpine Route (105 minutes, 4300 yen one way).

2. Ogizawa-Omachi Bus: A bus runs regularly between Ogizawa and JR Shinano-Omachi Station, stopping at Omachi Onsen along the way. The travel one way takes 40 minutes and costs 1650 yen. You can also take a direct bus from Ogizawa to Nagano City. It takes 105 minutes and costs 4300 yen one way.

3. Kanden Tunnel Bus: Electric buses take people through the tunnel that goes between Kurobe Dam and Ogizawa. The trip takes 15 minutes and costs 1800 yen each way. You have to buy tickets for a certain departure time to Murodo, and you can reserve them ahead of time by buying a Web Ticket.

4. Kurobe Dam: At 186 meters high, Kurobe Dam is Japan's tallest dam. During the summer, from late June to mid-October, the dam lets out up to 15 tons of water every second in a magnificent way.

5. Kurobe Cablecar: This cablecar is unique since it operates fully inside a tunnel. It costs 1150 yen and takes five minutes to get from Kurobedaira to Kurobeko Station (near to Kurobe Dam).

6. Kurobedaira: Kurobedaira is the place where the Tateyama Ropeway and the Kurobe Cablecar meet. The station has a café, a gift shop, and great views of the mountains around it.

7. Tateyama Ropeway: This ropeway is Japan's longest one-span ropeway. It is 1.7 kilometers long and doesn't have any support towers between the lower and top stations. It costs 1700 yen and takes seven minutes to get there. Because the ropeway doesn't hold a lot of people, it can get crowded on busy days.

8. Daikanbo: This is where you switch from the Tateyama Tunnel Electric Bus to the Tateyama Ropeway. There is an observation platform at the tiny station where you can see the mountains.

9. Tateyama Tunnel Electric Bus: Electric buses take people through the tunnel that connects Murodo and Daikanbo. The trip takes 10 minutes and costs 2200 yen.

10. Murodo: Murodo has great views of the Tateyama Mountain Range. In the summer and fall, you can hike to the peaks around here and to the adjacent Jigokudani "Hell Valley." You can see volcanic activity in the valley, however the paths in the vicinity may be closed since there are so many volcanic fumes. Hotel Tateyama, Japan's highest hotel, is part of the Murodo Station complex.

11. Tateyama Snow Corridor: The route from Bijodaira to Murodo goes between snow walls that are up to 20 meters high from April to May. The snow corridor is especially beautiful in Murodo, where people can walk through a passage that is about one kilometer long from mid-April to mid-June.

12. Highland Bus: The trip from Bijodaira Station to Murodo takes about 50 minutes on this bus. The cost of a one-way trip is 3000 yen. There are a few stops along the road, like the Midagahara Wetlands. The bus goes along the Tateyama Snow Corridor in the spring.

13. Tateyama Cablecar: The Tateyama Cablecar takes seven minutes to go from Bijodaira Station to Tateyama Station. The cost of a one-way trip is 1090 yen. You have to buy tickets for a certain time to leave for Murodo, and you can book them ahead of time by buying a Web Ticket.

14. Toyama Chiho Railway: This train travels through the countryside of Toyama Prefecture and takes about an hour to get from Tateyama Station to Dentetsu Toyama Station (close to JR Toyama Station) in central Toyama City.

How long would this be as day trip?

The trip from Toyama to Nagano (or the other way around) takes eight or nine hours, including pauses. Many people prefer to do it in one day, although there are benefits to doing it over two or even three days. Staying the night at Murodo lets you see some of the main attractions without the hordes that come during the day. The night stars here are amazing, and so are the views of Toyama blazing in the valley below. Mountain weather is also known for changing quickly. Giving yourself more time greatly boosts your chances of seeing clearly for at least portion of the time.

When is the best time of year to go?

The Alpine Route is open from the middle of April to the end of November. The Snow Wall is usually there from April to June, but it slowly melts away. The mountainsides are full of alpine flowers in the summer (June to August), which makes the path popular with hikers. In the fall, from September to November, the leaves turn red, yellow, and orange, making for beautiful displays. Spring is the busiest time of year. There may not be many tourists from the West, but there will be a lot from East and Southeast Asian countries.

What should I bring?

In the mountains, especially in the cooler months, it's wise to be ready for anything. Bring a few layers, especially waterproof ones if you can. In the beginning of the season, there is a lot of snow and ice, which makes the routes slippery and hard to walk on. That's why it's important to wear sturdy shoes. Strong trainers should be enough in the summer and fall. Wear sunscreen all year round because the high altitude can cause headaches. You might also want to pack medicine for sickness. In April through June, the average temperature at Murodo is 0 to 15 degrees Celsius. In July and August, it's 10 to 20 degrees Celsius. In September and October, it's 5 to 15 degrees Celsius, and in November, it's 0 to 5 degrees Celsius.

Content by Japan travel specialist & designer Ian Martin Ropke, founder & owner of Your Japan Private Tours (YJPT, est. 1990). I have been planning, designing, and making custom Japan private tours on all five Japanese islands since the early 1990s. I work closely with all of YJPT's Japan private tour clients and have a great team behind me. I promote YJPT through this content and only advertise at www.japan-guide.com, which has the best all-Japan English content & maps! If you are going to Japan and you understand the advantages of private travel, consider my services for your next trip to save time & have a better time. Ian Martin Ropke (unique on Google Search) is also a serious nonfiction and fiction writer, a startup founder (NexussPlus.com), and a spiritual wood sculptor. Learn more!