What makes Japanese fireworks different from all the others around the world? For one, they reflect Japan’s culture. All have themes and the crowds really get into the mood. You see blue mats everywhere and special food tents wherever the peopl..
Hakuba is considered one of Japan's premier alpine resort getaways, located in the Japanese Alps in Nagano and gaining recognition worldwide as one of the featured venues in Nagano's 1998 Winter Olympics.
Kamikochi is a popular resort and often associated with some of the best natural beauty that the central Japanese Alps—and indeed Japan—have to offer. Go for a hike on one of the many trails or follow the river and its crystal-clear waters. Kamikochi is usually only open during the warme..
Many people think of Matsumoto in Nagano prefecture as an overnight spot before heading to the Japan Alps or Utsukushigahara Heights. If not for my wife having a good friend who is a resident, the city probably would not have been on my list of places to visit. Before our trip I had not seen much ad..
On a Golden Week visit to Matsumoto one time, I went to the castle in the morning then, rather than deal with the crowds, I decided to head away from the station instead of towards it, hoping to find a quiet place for lunch. This doesn't always w..
St. Cousair, an award-winning winery located in northern Nagano Prefecture’s town of Iizuna, is a delightful spot to relax, enjoy gourmet cuisine and fine wines, take a tour of the winery, and, from a cozy setting, view the breathtaking scenery..
When we stay at Hotel Harvest Club Kyu-Karuizawa, we usually have breakfast at restaurant Avant. Although there are some options within 10 minutes walk, the hotel breakfast buffet is already included into the room rate so why not relax with a beautif..
Being a popular destination for Japanese travelers, Matsumoto has the full range of accommodation options, from a backpackers' hostel up to high-end hotels. I'm not a high roller, and I quite enjoy capsule hotels, so when I was looking for a ..
Hoshino Resorts KAI Alps lies in the deep Omachi onsen territory of Nagano's Northern Alps mountain range, and promises an invigorating mix of rejuvenation for body and mind, with unparalleled dining, soothing hot springs and local Shinshu cultur..
With only seven rooms, Ryokan Katsuraso is a lovely family-run inn located in the heart of Bessho Onsen. It sits beside a temple and is only a one minute walk to Bessho Onsen's old main street. Although the building itself is older, the ryokan ha..
Near Hotaka station in the farming countryside of Azumino, about half an hour by train from Matsumoto, Hotaka shrine is an impressive, spacious shinto shrine, with a number of interesting features to enjoy as you stroll around the grounds. There seem..
Street photography is something candid that can be captured in an instant and is much like a postcard in the sense that it speaks to us and offers a representation of what we have experienced and seen. Many of the types of photos that you have seen o..
Before I pitch a visit to this gem of architectural history, a word of caution: if you like throngs of sightseers, busy souvenir traps and long, clamorous lines outside noodle and ice cream shops, Unnojuku is not the day trip for you. This old post t..
