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 Karuizawa Shaw Memorial Chapel Tomoko Kamishima Owning a summer cottage in Karuizawa is now a status symbol in Japanese. But the first cottage was built by a conservative foreign..
7 Temples & Shrines Suwa Taisha (Suwa Grand Shrine) Brian Wood-Koiwa Suwa Taisha (Suwa Grand Shrine) houses the four largest logs of the Onbashira festival and a tree that snores when it lowers its..
14 Temples & Shrines Togakushi Okusha Shrine Vicky Amin Be transported by the mysterious aura of an avenue of cedar woods, and take in the serenity of Togakushi Okusha Shrine on the verge..
12 Temples & Shrines Kozenji Temple Bryan Baier Kozenji is a gorgeous Buddhist temple nestled against the Chuo Alps in Komagane Nagano. It perfectly blends human construction with..
Culture Kimono & Ninja Cosplay/Rental Shop Akira Matsuo In Matsumoto, in Nagano Prefecture, a local beautician recently opened a fantastic shop of kimono (traditional Japanese clothes)..
Historical A Hokusai on the Ceiling Robert Grey Ganshoin Temple, located in northern Nagano's town of Obuse, contains one of the best kept local secrets around -- a large..