Culture National Snow Mountain Thanksgiving Festival 2026 Mid Dec Every December, winter sports fans and nature lovers head to Kurumayama Shrine in Nagano Prefecture for the National Snow Mountain..
Culture Suwa Grand Shrine in Nagano Elena Lisina Suwa Taisha is the oldest Shinto shrine in Japan and the head shrine of the Suwa network of shrines, composed of more than ten thousand..
Historical Takato Castle Ruins Park Bryan Baier A park with more than 1500 pink sakura trees where Takato Castle once stood. It's on the list of 100 best sakura viewing locations..
Gardens & Parks One Day in Suwa Featured There are many things to do in Suwa, Japan, and this short guide should serve as an example day trip to get you started in the area...
Culture Karuizawa Half Marathon 2026 Sunday - May 17th The resort town of Karuizawa in Nagano is a popular destination for various outdoor recreation pursuits, from cycling to skiing...
Culture Blades of Shinanomachi Nathan Eden I visited a knife and blade maker in Shinanomachi to see how he forges his traditional craft's products. It was both fascinating..
Culture My Favorite Cities of Japan: Matsumoto Elena Lisina Matsumoto is interesting not just by its famous castle. It’s a nice city that can be explored by walking around and soaking in..